KINGSTON, N.Y. — The Consulate General of Mexico in New York’s “consulate on wheels” program has set up shop at the Clinton Avenue United Methodist Church, where it will provide services to Mexican citizens through Saturday, Oct. 10.

The program (“Consulado Sobre Ruedas”) brings constituent services to the heart of Ulster County twice a year. They include passport services, birth registration and voting registration. The program opened Tuesday, Oct. 6, and runs through Saturday at the church at 122 Clinton Ave. Weekday hours are 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Saturday.

“There’s a lot of undocumented Mexicans in the area,” David Boyd, the chair of trustees at the church, said Wednesday, Oct. 7, “so let’s try to help them get some identification.”

Rosalia Herrado, who has been living in the United States for more than 20 years, said she came from Middletown to the church to get her passport renewed. Herrado said she appreciated the direct outreach from the consulate.

Speaking in Spanish, Herrado said, “[The Consulate on Wheels] is important for us because we would have to go all the way to the city, which is further, and now we have the opportunity to ensure our passport is prepared quickly.”

Immigrants across the country have been shaken by an unprecedented expansion of immigration enforcement. While not targeted in the same way as other areas, Ulster County has seen unprecedented immigration actions, including a July raid in Kingston in which one individual was detained, leaving the immigrant community reeling.

Looking around at a room full of her countrymen, Herrado reflected on fear in the Mexican community.

“There is a fear that we can have a times, that we are always have to be on the lookout in the places we go, even sometimes we have to think about being to come to those places if anything is going to happen because, well, the president, sometimes it’s not only the people that he’s looking for, but anyone who looks like a Latino,” Herrado said. “They can get taken away.”

Lucas Jackson-Peterka, an administrative assistant at the church, said he was glad his church was able to partner with the Consulate General to support Mexicans in Kingston.

“This is historically a social justice church, so we’re concerned with helping our community and being inclusive and protecting people,” Jackson-Peterka said. “I know there’s an elevated discomfort right now due to the actions of ICE, so I’m glad it’s here and not somewhere else.”

Jackson-Petarka added that the church served as a sanctuary space for immigrants

According to Census Bureau data, Kingston has more than 4,000 Latino residents, and 12.1% of the population is foreign-born, with Mexico making up the largest single country of origin. The church serves as a sanctuary for immigrants from ICE and engages in outreach for the Latino community, Jackson-Petarka said.

At the church, dozens of Mexican consular officials were working to respond to the needs of their citizens. Officials said that birth registrations require an appointment made through reaching out to MiConsulado at (424)-309 0009 or online at citas.sre.gob.mx/. The Mexican Consulate General in the State of New York did not immediately respond to a request for further program details.

Boyd reflected on the program, which he expects will serve up to 400 people by the end of the week.

“It’s been very successful. This is our third year doing this,” Boyd said. “We wanted to help them do this, and we hope they will continue to serve the Mexican community here in the near future.”