Luis Campos, the legal director of The Alliance of Idaho, said that in the first few days of President Donald Trump’s second term in office, he met with local churches, schools and employers.

Since taking office on Monday, Trump has issued several executive orders regarding immigrants and immigration, along with other actions. Some of those could have a direct effect in Idaho, according to local experts.

“That signals to me clearly there’s an urgency and a heightened fear,” Campos said. “Beyond the immigrant community, that also means that others in the community are worried.”

The Department of Homeland Security released a directive this week rescinding guidelines that advise officers not to take immigration action near sensitive areas, such as hospitals, churches and schools.

“Criminals will no longer be able to hide in America’s schools and churches to avoid arrest,” a DHS spokesperson said in a statement. “The Trump administration will not tie the hands of our brave law enforcement, and instead trusts them to use common sense.”

It’s unclear whether Immigration and Customs Enforcement will actually take action in those areas, Campos said, but it’s important to prepare.

For example, ICE officers must have a judicial warrant issued by a court in order to enter nonpublic areas, not just an administrative warrant issued by Homeland Security, Campos said.

One of Trump’s most controversial orders was a move to limit birthright citizenship, which is guaranteed by the 14th amendment. Several legal challenges were filed quickly, and in one of those a judge in Washington state temporarily blocked the order, calling it “blatantly unconstitutional.” The judge was nominated by President Ronald Reagan.

Trump also has promised mass deportations, with ICE ramping up raids.

All people who might be deported have the right to due process, Campos said. He’s concerned national emergency declarations and militaristic language are laying the foundation for streamlined deportations without that process.

The American Civil Liberties Union this week sued the Trump administration over plans to “fast-track deportations without a fair legal process,” according to the group’s website.

Trump’s actions could have an effect on Idaho’s business interests, according to Alycia Moss, a partner and head of the immigration practice group at Hawley Troxell.

For example, one of the executive actions says that Homeland Security should expand “expedited removal” for certain immigrants, and work toward growing detention facility capacity and detaining unauthorized immigrants until the end of any enforcement proceedings.

“If this happens at a large enough scale, it will affect Idaho’s workforce in ag. and dairy; thereby, affecting prices and business interests,” Moss said in an email to The Idaho Statesman. “Additionally, the high amount of detention will tear apart communities, take away breadwinners from families, and hurt Idaho communities and burden Idaho social services.”

White House border czar Tom Homan said there will be more “collateral arrests” in sanctuary cities, according to The Hill. Essentially, if ICE goes to arrest someone and that person is with other unauthorized immigrants, they will be arrested as well, Homan said. If this happened on a large scale in Idaho, its effect on workers and businesses would be felt, Moss said.

Another executive order directs the administration to identify countries for a potential travel ban, as well as increased vetting. This could create delays for employers trying to bring or retain labor in Idaho, and the families of employees, Moss said.

Rick Naerebout, CEO of the Idaho Dairymen’s Association, said that there have been a couple of reports of workers voluntarily returning to their country of origin, but that it has not been widespread or had an effect on production. The same thing happened during Trump’s first term, Naerebout said, when some workers didn’t want to deal with the uncertainty.

Some of the new executive actions “arguably have the potential” to affect Idaho’s dairy industry, he said.

“There’s not a ton a dairy producer can do,” Naerebout said. “We’ve encouraged our members to make sure they have all their I-9 information in order. ... We’ve outreached to (ICE).”

In a statement, the Idaho Association of Commerce and Industry said local businesses rely on a “stable, skilled and dependable workforce.” The recent executive orders show an “urgent need for comprehensive immigration reform,” the statement said.

“We recognize the importance of secure borders and strict adherence to immigration laws,” the statement said. “However, we emphasize the necessity for immigration policies that strike a balance between enforcement and practical solutions to support Idaho businesses and communities.”

A spokesperson, Jessica Anderson, said that from the association’s perspective, there’s no particular executive order that would affect Idaho more than the others.

The Idaho Farm Bureau supports “strong border enforcement and the deportation of violent criminals,” according to a statement.

However, the country’s immigration system is “broken,” its statement said, and farmers struggle to find workers.

“Any meaningful discussion about addressing America’s immigration system must, in addition to addressing border enforcement, include fixing the guest worker program,” the statement said. “The simple truth is that members of both political parties have refused to fix the system.”

Locally, there’s been an increase in questions as to how new policies will affect families and communities, according to Mari Ramos, the executive director of the Idaho Hispanic Foundation.

The foundation is nonpartisan, and Ramos said it is focused on providing “calm reassurance” as well as practical guidance, such as updating contact information at schools, health agencies and consulate offices. People can also organize official documents and prioritize well-being and health.

“We emphasize the importance of seeking information from official and reliable sources to prevent rumors from causing unnecessary stress or confusion,” Ramos said in an email to the Statesman. “As always, we’re committed to walking alongside the community and working collaboratively with our partners without getting involved in the political side of the issues while keeping the focus on our core mission to serve and uplift the people of Idaho.”

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