GONZALES — With the change in administration, many residents are worried about the future for themselves and their family members. People who have been in the country for years are scared they may have to leave their homes.
Immigration forums are being held throughout the region to help answer questions from the community about immigration and their rights. One such forum was held in December at Soledad’s Our Lady of Solitude Catholic Church.
Next Wednesday, April 12, from 6 to 8 p.m., Gonzales residents will have the opportunity to attend a similar forum in the Parish Hall at St. Theodore’s Catholic Church, 116 S. Belden St.
During the elections, the different parties said many things about immigration. Some were realistic changes, some could happen in the next few years and some will probably never happen. The community forum is a way to make sure locals know that they are not alone, and that they have support.
The Soledad forum featured several speakers, including Hartnell Governing Board President Erica Padilla-Chavez, Soledad Police Chief Eric Sills, Soledad City Councilor Anna Velazquez and Immigration Case Specialist Paz Padilla.
The Gonzales Forum will have some of the same speakers, but will include members of local government.
Sills spoke to the people about their rights to protection and the police’s role in the community. He told them not to allow themselves to become victims of crime because they are afraid of their status.
“Most people think we will ask for your papers or documents, that is not our role,” said Sills. The only time they need to find out about their papers or documents is if the person is being arrested and taken to the county jail system.
But, if someone is the victim of a crime they need to report it; the police are there to help locals no matter their status.
The forum’s main speaker is Paz Padilla of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Monterey. An immigration case specialist, she has been working in the field for more than 16 years.
She warned about going to places that charge for immigration information. Some places are legitimate, but there are many that are charging for information that can be obtained for free.
She recommended that parents make an appointment with a office such as Catholic Charities to make sure that their children are taken care a of, like designating a guardian if something should happen to them.
The two-hour forum will include a question-and-answer portion to help explain parts of the immigration law to the community.
Padilla and two other case specialists can be reached through Catholic Charities, 656 Main St. in Watsonville, by phone at 536-4235 or online at CatholicCharitiesCentralCoast.org.
