Local immigration and refugee community reacts to Trump reelection

President-elect Donald Trump has promised a drastic overhaul in immigration policy.

Trump’s platform would bring back and expand upon his previous presidential term’s immigration policy when he returns to office. Mass deportations, expanding the border wall and ending birthright citizenship are some of the promises Trump made during his 2024 presidential campaign.

The election results are leaving Hoosier immigrants coping with a renewed sense of uncertainty.

The immigrant population in Indiana grew by 37-percent between 2013 and 2023.

Immigrant Welcome Center CEO Gurinder Kaur is an immigrant herself. Despite being a naturalized citizen, Kaur described the shock and fear she has of being deported based on Trump’s rhetoric.

“I'm just wondering how many other immigrant brothers and sisters have similar fears who may not have access to some of the privileges that I've had,” Kaur said.

Indianapolis-based immigration lawyer Angela Adams said immigrants and asylum seekers in the community are concerned over how Trump’s second term as president could play out.

“People are afraid. They are afraid for their families. They are afraid for their future. They’re afraid for jobs, and what that means for them,” Adams said.

Adams has been a lawyer for 20 years, and she worked in immigration law during the first Trump administration. She said people need to remember that the President isn’t in charge of immigration law, and that no one can be deported before making their case to an immigration judge.

“It’s important for us to remember and to remind people that they have rights, and they need to seek advice from a qualified immigration attorney," Adams said. She expects the future could be challenging for her and her clients.

Other local organizations also reacted to Trump’s win. Exodus Refugee Immigration released a statement the day after elections.

“We do not yet know what decisions the Trump administration will make about the federal refugee resettlement program, but we do know that regardless of the decisions that the administration makes, refugees are here. They are part of our community. They make Indiana a stronger, more vibrant, and more diverse place,” the statement read.

Exodus said it has welcomed thousands of refugees in the community and was able to provide services during Trump's last administration.

According to the Migration Policy Institute, the refugee resettlement ceiling was set to under 20,000 people during Trump’s first Presidential term. Under President Joe Biden, that ceiling has been increased to 125,000.

Patchwork Indy CEO Bruce Garrison said the organization has been busy helping resettle as many families as possible in Indiana before the change in administrations.

“The election results for us were just an indicator that we’re going to have to do things slightly differently,” Garrison said. “We're not sure what those numbers are going to look like in the future administration, so things might have to be a little different there.”

Garrison said refugees are critical to Indiana’s economy.

“If Indiana is going to continue to grow economically, there's going to be a need for a workforce, a significant part of which will be made up of immigrants and refugees who have made Indiana their home,” he said.

Governor-elect Republican Mike Braun, Lt. Governor-elect Micah Beckwith and re-elected Attorney General Todd Rokita add additional concerns for state policies around immigration.

Two-days after the election, Rokita reaffirmed he will continue to take action against sanctuary cities.

“It’s a waiting game, and that also is kind of like a pit in your stomach, right?” Kuar said.

Kaur says the Immigrant Welcome Center will continue to provide assistance and guidance to immigrants during uncertain times.