Ithaca’s immigrant communities and local organizations expressed concerns over the uncertainty of the security and status of immigrants and temporary visa holders in a second Trump presidency.
President-elect Donald Trump has made immigration one of the top focuses of his second administration, with promises of mass deportation of undocumented immigrants and restrictions on legal immigration.
Limitations of Ithaca as a Sanctuary City
Drawing from Trump’s actions against sanctuary cities in his first term, Hilary Boyer —- the co-director and student services coordinator of an English as a second language school for adults named Open Doors English —- raised concerns over the possible impact of Trump’s immigration policies on sanctuary cities.
A sanctuary city is a municipality that adopts policies that restrict the extent to which local law enforcement can collaborate with federal authorities on immigration enforcement. Ithaca — which declared itself a sanctuary city in 2017 —- placed restrictions on when and how the Ithaca Police Department should respond to federal requests related to undocumented people residing in the city.
However, the restrictions have limitations, as the IPD cannot prevent the ICE from arresting and detaining undocumented people, nor can it prohibit its officers from reporting someone’s immigration status due to a federal law.
“It was my understanding that sanctuary cities were intentionally targeted by ICE [during Trump’s first administration], and so I think that I could see that happening again and having people be afraid that they’re going to be picked up by ICE,” Boyer said.
Despite Ithaca’s sanctuary status, there were several high-profile arrests of undocumented individuals in the city and Tompkins County in the first Trump administration.
To counter these fears, the Tompkins County Immigrant Rights Coalition is considering relaunching the Rapid Response Network, a volunteer-based system designed to alert the community if someone is detained by ICE, “if needed,” according to an email statement from the organization to The Sun.
Providing Know Your Rights and Emergency Planning Workshops
In preparation for a possible mass deportation, some local organizations are conducting Know Your Rights workshops for immigrant communities.
The Cornell Farmworker Program — which aims to promote recognition of farmworkers’ contributions to society and foster their inclusion in local communities — has been holding Know Your Rights and Emergency Planning workshops to help undocumented parents designate guardians for their U.S.-born children and educate immigrant workers on their constitutional rights according to Mary Jo Dudley, the director of the Cornell Farmworkers Program.
Similarly, Open Doors English is planning to give Know Your Rights presentations to students to instruct them on how to navigate interactions with immigration authorities and reduce risks of legal trouble, according to Boyer.
The presentation, which will draw on resources from the American Civil Liberties Union and the National Immigration Law Center, will cover actions to take if stopped by immigration officers, steps to follow if U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents come to their home and preventive measures to avoid unnecessary stops like ensuring vehicles are in proper working order, adhering to traffic laws and avoiding minor infractions like having items hanging from rearview mirrors.
Boyer talked about the balance of preparing her students for the possible implications of a second Trump presidency on Ithaca’s immigrant communities while refraining from alarming her students.
“What we’re feeling is that we don’t want to scare our students,” Boyer said. “We don’t know what’s going to happen, and … we don’t want to express our worst fears.”
Dudley predicted an intensified immigration enforcement effort, drawing comparisons from Trump’s first term.
“During the previous Trump administration, … a lot of resources were invested in surveillance of immigrants, and the Trump administration hired Palantir — a large company to teach the ICE officials how to gather information through social media use,” Dudley said.
Threats to Temporary Visas
As concerns about mass deportations continue to affect undocumented immigrants, the Trump administration’s policies also raise uncertainties for those on temporary visas.
Sofiya, who requested her last name be protected due to the possibility of Russian government retribution, lives in Ithaca with her family on a J-2 visa for a cultural exchange program after fleeing Russia at the start of the Russia-Ukraine war.
Sofiya expressed concern over the potential impact of Trump’s policies on her and her family’s visa status.
“This potential negative outcome [of] Trump’s policy will make my visa issues more difficult, more sophisticated [and] more time-consuming,” Sofiya said. “These possibilities are very undesirable.”
During his first administration, Trump issued a presidential proclamation restricting entry to the United States for certain nonimmigrant visa holders, including those with H-1B, H-2B, J and L visas.
With her J-2 visa set to be prolonged until April of 2026, Sofiya hopes to continue to extend her and her family’s stay in the United States, calling it the “best choice” for them.
“We have a year and a half, … and during this time, if we succeed, [we hope to] find work or any other legal reason to stay and continue our life here in the United States,” Sofiya said. “But if not, then we will think of [another] place to live.”
Support from the Ithaca Community
Despite the uncertain future ahead of her, Sofiya highlighted the supportive community that she has found here in Ithaca.
“Since the very first minute of the year, we [have been] surrounded by such thoughtful care and emotional support,” Sofiya said. “We were invited [by] many families here in Ithaca to dinners, where we talked a lot and we shared our stories, and we greatly appreciate this warmth and this humanity which I can feel in this community.”
Sofiya also discussed the importance of local organizations in supporting her.
“I [have been a] student [at Open Doors English] for a month only, but these classes support me psychologically, very, very much, because … I have the opportunity to be heard, [and] to be supported,” Sofiya said.
Jose Tzul, an immigrant from Guatemala who has lived in Ithaca for 10 years, reflected a similar sentiment, saying when government support is unreliable for immigrant communities, organizations are increasingly important.
“I [don’t] expect a lot from the government, because in my experience organizations use their own money, their own time [and] their own resources to help the community,” Tzul said. “They are done waiting for what [will happen] at the White House. The [immigrant communities] need [support] every day, so I’m glad to have those organizations around.”
Sofiya reflected on her flexibility in approaching her family’s unclear future in the U.S.
“I came through very difficult times, and now I’m at the [point where] I do not worry very much, not because it is not a danger, but just because I am exhausted to some extent,” Sofiya said. “But if [my family and I can’t secure a legal path to stay in the U.S.], then I’ll think of other possibilities I have in my life. I’ve suffered a lot during our journey, and now I just cannot afford to suffer more. I will do something else.”
Correction, Nov. 28, 10:40 a.m.: A previous version of this article incorrectly transcribed a part of Mary Jo Dudley’s quote.