Immigration attorneys report that many of their clients are experiencing longer case processing times, more application denials and growing fears about travel, detention and deportation.
About a third of Hispanic voters in the U.S. approve of Donald Trump’s performance in office, according to a poll published by the South Florida Sun Sentinel. In Florida, however, 44% of Hispanic voters approve of Trump’s performance in office so far.
Scot Silzer, an immigration attorney at Silzer Law Orlando, said he noticed changes in immigration cases almost immediately after Trump took office.
In addition to becoming longer to process, he said he has seen an increase in the number of denied applications.
"Many of those denials don't make a lot of sense, because they are not well supported,” Silzer said. “Sometimes it is like they give reasons that are completely wrong and nowhere found in the evidence presented.”
Cases involving Visa eligibility based on an individual's achievements and professional status are being increasingly denied, he said.
Frustration with immigration policies has led some Latino clients to reconsider their political views, Silzer said. Trump’s Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, business and refugee policies have generally not benefited the Latino community, he added.
"I've seen a lot of people saying they voted for him originally and do not support him presently," he said.
Other immigration attorneys described similar concerns among their clients. Nadine Brown, who owns a law office in Winter Springs, Florida, said many people don’t engage with immigration policy until it directly affects their lives.
Brown said many individuals are often unaware of how the immigration system works until they or someone close to them becomes involved in it.
"There's a lot of people terrified, concerned," Brown said. "I don't think anyone has a really positive outlook. It's destabilizing for people's emotions."
Personal experiences with immigration procedures can lead people to reevaluate their opinions on immigration policy and the officials responsible for it, she added.
"Until it impacts their life in a personal way, I don't think people have an opinion,” she said. “When it impacts them on a personal level, that is when you see a shift."
Mazen Sukkar, who works with Sukkar and Associates in Hollywood, Florida, said many of his clients have intense emotional reactions to the current immigration climate.
"Many clients are not merely surprised," Sukkar said. "They are shocked, angry, fearful and depressed."
Concerns often extend beyond current immigration policies, he added, as even minor offenses or past arrests can impact immigration long after the incident occurred. Even minor resolved criminal matters from years ago may be used as a basis for removal, detention and immigration benefits, he said.
"In the current environment, even old misdemeanors can create serious problems, including for long-time lawful permanent residents returning through airports or other ports of entry," Sukkar said.
Even immigrants who have followed legal processes for years are increasingly worried about travel and reentry, he added.
Sukkar said immigration policies reach beyond the courtroom and affect Latino families.
“When immigration policy is driven by fear, racial bias, national origin discrimination or political slogans,” he said, “real families suffer.”
Contact Kathia Montenegro at KMontenegro@alligator.org.
Contact Aaron Zagal Yaji at azagal@alligator.org.
Aaron Zagal Yaji is a Public Relations and Economics freshman in his first semester at The Alligator. He covers El Caimán's metro beat. In his free time, he enjoys going to the beach (or reminiscing about it), cooking Peruvian food, and squandering his money on golden shiny things.
