BOONE, N.C. — National agencies are all hands on-deck to help with Helene recovery in western North Carolina. That includes immigration officials, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
THE QUESTION:
One question that's come up: can ICE or border patrol agents check the status of a person's citizenship while helping with relief efforts?
WCNC Charlotte spoke with local organizations and consulted federal resources to verify.
THE ANSWER:
No, ICE and border patrol cannot check your immigration status during Helene relief.
However, there are local groups working to help
OUR SOURCES:
WHAT WE FOUND:
Advocacy group Carolina Migrant Network posted about a resource on Instagram, explaining that immigration officials are not allowed to check immigration statuses while assisting with disaster relief.
WCNC Charlotte looked to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's recent clarification on this issue:
ICE and CBP may help conduct search and rescue, air traffic de-confliction and public safety missions. ICE and CBP provide emergency assistance to individuals regardless of their immigration status. DHS officials do not and will not pose as individuals providing emergency-related information as part of any enforcement activities.
In short, do not be afraid to seek assistance if you are concerned about your immigration status.
However, if officials were to question your status, you can submit a civil rights complaint, which CMN can help with.
"We understand that community members may feel fearful of what that might mean, whether it's real or perceived fear, of being detained by immigration officials or being restricted from having access to resources or aid," said Stefania Arteaga, the do-director of Carolina Migrant Network.
Q'Pasa Appalachia hopes immigrants feel comfortable seeking out the help they need knowing this information.
"We just want to make sure that they know they're here to help. This is a safe space," said Yolanda Adams, CEO and president of Q'Pasa Appalachia. "I think it's very important, as people see new faces, that they don't get scared."
CMN is accepting different forms of mutual aid for Latinx families affected here.
Contact Julie Kay at juliekay@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.
A continuación se puede ver una versión en español del video anterior.
