Central Florida immigration attorneys get more calls for help after Trump actions
By Rick Brunson
January 23, 2025 at 4:44 PM EST
Immigration lawyers in Central Florida are experiencing a large spike in calls for help after President Trump signed sweeping executive actions on immigration this week.
Trump signed orders suspending refugee resettlement, ending asylum and targeting birthright citizenship.
Since the start of Trump’s 2024 campaign, he promised to begin his next administration with sweeping immigration measures -- utilizing both new and old efforts to deport those without legal status and curb illegal immigration to the country.
Since Monday, local attorneys say they have been trying to cut through rumors and misinformation surrounding the orders to help immigrant families clarify their legal status.
Barbara Perez serves clients in her law office in Casselberry (668x422, AR: 1.5829383886255923)
Attorney Barbara Perez, who practices immigration law in Casselberry and is herself an immigrant, is urging the concerned people calling her to make sure they consult with a licensed attorney who knows the law and can clarify their status. She said every person’s case is different and that people who are worried should meet with a lawyer to see where they stand.
“There’s a lot of non-profit organizations currently that are beginning to host ‘Know Your Rights’ presentations, and I would highly suggest people to attend those because you can get information about what your rights are and what you can expect if you were to come into contact with an immigration official,’’ Perez said.
One non-profit organization doing that is Orlando Center for Justice. Executive director and attorney Melissa Marantes said the organization has seen a 20% increase in phone calls since Monday. She says she’s spending a lot of time countering rumors and trying to give factual information about fast-moving policy changes that have already been met with pending litigation. A lot of the calls concern mixed-status families, where a child has been born in the U.S. but the parents are from another country, Marantes said.
“More than anything I’m getting a lot of our current clients and community members that we’re close to just asking the question of what’s next and what does this mean to me,’’ Marantes said. “I think that’s the big question: What is this going to mean for me and my family? There’s just a lot of fear.’’
To help, the center will offer a virtual “Know Your Rights’’ information session this Friday, hosted on its website, orlandojustice.org.
About 511,000 immigrants live in the three Central Florida counties of Orange, Osceola and Seminole, according to the non-partisan Migration Policy Institute. This number includes foreign-born immigrants who are naturalized citizens of the U.S., lawful permanent residents, immigrants on student or work visas, refugees, asylees, and people who entered the country illegally.
Trump signed orders suspending refugee resettlement, ending asylum and targeting birthright citizenship.
Since the start of Trump’s 2024 campaign, he promised to begin his next administration with sweeping immigration measures -- utilizing both new and old efforts to deport those without legal status and curb illegal immigration to the country.
Since Monday, local attorneys say they have been trying to cut through rumors and misinformation surrounding the orders to help immigrant families clarify their legal status.
Barbara Perez serves clients in her law office in Casselberry (668x422, AR: 1.5829383886255923)
Attorney Barbara Perez, who practices immigration law in Casselberry and is herself an immigrant, is urging the concerned people calling her to make sure they consult with a licensed attorney who knows the law and can clarify their status. She said every person’s case is different and that people who are worried should meet with a lawyer to see where they stand.
“There’s a lot of non-profit organizations currently that are beginning to host ‘Know Your Rights’ presentations, and I would highly suggest people to attend those because you can get information about what your rights are and what you can expect if you were to come into contact with an immigration official,’’ Perez said.
One non-profit organization doing that is Orlando Center for Justice. Executive director and attorney Melissa Marantes said the organization has seen a 20% increase in phone calls since Monday. She says she’s spending a lot of time countering rumors and trying to give factual information about fast-moving policy changes that have already been met with pending litigation. A lot of the calls concern mixed-status families, where a child has been born in the U.S. but the parents are from another country, Marantes said.
“More than anything I’m getting a lot of our current clients and community members that we’re close to just asking the question of what’s next and what does this mean to me,’’ Marantes said. “I think that’s the big question: What is this going to mean for me and my family? There’s just a lot of fear.’’
To help, the center will offer a virtual “Know Your Rights’’ information session this Friday, hosted on its website, orlandojustice.org.
About 511,000 immigrants live in the three Central Florida counties of Orange, Osceola and Seminole, according to the non-partisan Migration Policy Institute. This number includes foreign-born immigrants who are naturalized citizens of the U.S., lawful permanent residents, immigrants on student or work visas, refugees, asylees, and people who entered the country illegally.