TAMPA, Fla. — The holiday season involves traveling for many, but for several immigrant families here in the Tampa Bay area, there’s hesitancy about any travel plans.
And one has been a permanent U.S. resident for nearly 20 years.
What You Need To Know
An immigration attorney says many of her clients are hesitant to travel this holiday season
The attorney’s advice is that residents or those with pending cases carry their legal documents
She says there have been cases where immigration enforcement has stopped or questioned her clients about their legal statuses
One family shares the impact this hesitancy is having on their annual travel plans
Immigration lawyers say fewer people are traveling because of stronger immigration enforcement by the Trump administration.
A picture shows a glimpse into the life of Adriana.
“This picture was taken at my dad’s birthday party, where he turned 95. This is all of the family together,” she says.
Adriana, who did not want her identity revealed even though she’s been a permanent U.S. resident for 16 years, says increased immigration enforcement concerns her because of the uncertainty about what would happen if she were detained.
And it made her think twice about her annual travel plans to see her family in Colombia, with her husband, Osvaldo.
“We have this fear of going and not being allowed back into the country,” she says.
It’s filled her with anxiety, thinking about leaving the country. Osvaldo is a citizen as well; he also did not want his identity revealed to protect his wife.
He says their concerns would keep his wife from seeing her elderly parents.
“It makes you think twice more about traveling to visit your family and that shouldn’t be there, you’re going to visit family, you’re going to have a good time,” he said.
Immigration attorney Danielle Hernandez has heard similar stories from the families she serves. She says there have been cases where immigration enforcement has stopped or questioned her clients about their legal statuses.
“We’ve heard of residents being detained, sometimes they have infractions that they’re not aware of that have immigration consequences, then we have people who are going through the right process and have immigration cases pending who are rightfully anxious about being detained,” says Hernandez.
She’s advising permanent residents who are planning to travel to carry all legal documentation, and for those who have pending cases, to carry receipts of those applications.
Adriana says despite her concerns, it’s a risk she’s willing to take to see her loved ones.
“We all go with faith that we’ll return because we have our employment here, and it would just hurt not coming back knowing I have my life here,” she says.
A life she’s worked hard to build and one she hopes to continue calling her forever home.
The immigration attorney says even those traveling by car — regardless of the distance — could still be stopped and questioned about their legal status.