DENVER — A Colorado immigration attorney said his phone has been ringing nonstop since the federal raids started in the Denver metro area. Denver7 wanted to take a closer look at what rights the people detained have.
President Donald Trump's immigration policy has created busy days for Attorney Jorge Castañeda.
"People are just kind of running. Round and and just trying to figure out what, 'what's happening. Why is it happening? Where is it happening? Am I going to get deported?'" Castañeda said.
Castañeda said under the previous administration, there were more legal ways to stay in the United States, but that is now no longer the case.
"They’re trying to do expedited removals on a national removal, excuse me, on a national level," Castañeda said.
When it comes down to those undocumented who have committed crimes, he said it can be an uphill battle for them to gain freedom, let alone citizenship.
"A criminal conviction can also disqualify you from immigration relief, and immigration relief just means a way of maybe fighting a deportation or trying to stay in this country legally. So the effects of criminal convictions or criminal charges vary," Castañeda said.
He added, there has been an increase in Venezuelan people calling for help with people from Mexico, Colombia and other places in Latin America. Castañeda said those undocumented are looking for direction because the Customs and Border Patrol also known as CB ONE no longer allows those undocumented to submit information.
"They're being stuck wherever, either in their country, which they're fleeing persecution from or many of them are being stuck in Mexico, where a lot of them there was kind of the staging area for people to come into the country," Castañeda said.
Despite a new administration, Castañeda said the American immigration system is broken and something needs to change.
"It's been a system that has not worked for a long time and and something had has to change, because the fact that someone waits five, six years for a hearing things like that. It's not a conducive to an efficient system for immigration," Castañeda said.
Denver7 is committed to making a difference in our community by standing up for what's right, listening, lending a helping hand and following through on promises. See that work in action, in the videos above.
