Hamtramck’s immigrant community is reportedly concerned about the recent national round-ups of undocumented immigrants by ICE agents. The agency insists the investigations are routine.
By Charles Sercombe
So far, Hamtramck has not been a target of an apparent nationwide immigration crackdown.
But that doesn’t mean the city’s large immigrant community isn’t concerned.
“They are very worried, and they are confused,” said former Hamtramck City Councilmember Shahab Ahmed, the first Bangladeshi-American to be elected to local office, and possibly even nationwide.
“A lot of people are not even going to Canada. They are scared,” Ahmed added.
Last week agents with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) began arresting undocumented immigrants and those with criminal convictions in six states.
ICE officials say the crackdown is routine, but it comes on the heels of a travel ban imposed by President Trump on seven Muslim majority nations. A federal court has suspended the ban, but further court action is expected.
While the ban was in place, thousands of travelers were prevented from entering the United States, despite some having legal status here.
Critics of the travel ban say it was imposed to prevent Muslims from entering the country, and had nothing to do with security concerns as Trump claimed.
In recent years Hamtramck’s population has become a Muslim majority. One of the nations included in the travel ban was Yemen. Hamtramck is home to a growing Yemeni-American population.
There are now two Yemeni-Americans sitting on the city’s school board, and one Yemeni-American is a city councilmember.
Salah Hadwan, a school boardmember, said there is concern among the Yemeni community, but “they know they are in a city that will protect them.”
ICE representatives have told media outlets that 75 percent of those detained have criminal records, some as serious as homicide and others for drunk driving.
The remainder of those detained happened to be on the scene where investigations were held and failed to provide documentation.
Immigrant advocates are advising those who are challenged by ICE agents at their household to do the following:
Don’t open your door.
Ask to see a copy of a warrant through the window or have it slipped under a door. The document should have the signature of a judge and the name of the person being sought.
If they do enter your dwelling, remain silent.
Do not sign any papers without your attorney being present.
Hamtramck is not a “sanctuary city,” which means it cooperates with federal agents in finding and locating illegal immigrants.
But the public school district has designated itself as a “sanctuary,” and will not share immigrant status of its students with authorities.