Fears of racial profiling

Even for Latinos who are legal residents of the United States, there still exists a fear of being profiled as undocumented and face unknown consequences because they are unable to prove their citizenship.

Roberto Ortega, who graduated from Yuba College last week and will attend UC Berkeley in the fall, said there is a fear among family members who are legal but do not speak English. Skin complexion is another aspect which may stoke fear in people and communities, as Ortega said he understands the privilege his light skin brings him.

“I feel like I am a privileged being in society,” Ortega said. “Because I am a citizen, because I don’t look as Latino, I can speak English and I have parents with a steady income, I don’t feel as afraid. I feel like it’s a mission to get people or students who may not enjoy the privileges that I do.”

Jorge Duenas, who for decades has worked to help immigrant and low-income communities gain access to resources, said there is a fear among legal citizens of being profiled.

While in college in the 1980s, Duenas said he was detained by authorities for three hours despite having the legal documentation to prove his citizenship. He said the same fear exists in Latino communities today.

At the Cinco de Mayo Festival at the Yuba-sutter Fairgrounds in early May, pamphlets for the Know Your Rights campaign were being handed out to attendees.

The national information campaign organized by the National Immigration Law Center, is meant to inform people of certain basic rights under the U.S. Constitution.

In the pamphlet that includes step-by-step procedures on what to do if you are questioned by immigration or law enforcement, it states “Undocumented immigrants have these rights, too. It is important that we all assert and protect our basic rights.”