Hawaii Immigrants Face Fear as Federal Raids Intensify

HONOLULU, Hawaii (Hawaii NewsNow) — Federal immigration raids in Honolulu have sparked fear among immigrant communities, as local advocates and lawmakers scramble to respond to President Donald Trump’s intensified crackdown on unauthorized immigrants. The raids, conducted by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in collaboration with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), targeted individuals with prior removal orders or criminal convictions.

On Sunday, Jan. 26, HSI Honolulu posted photos on social media of officers arresting immigrants, though the agency did not disclose the number of individuals detained or their identities. Gary Singh, an attorney representing some of the arrestees, confirmed that his clients had been in hiding due to prior removal orders. “Their top priorities right now are individuals with final removal orders or criminal convictions,” Singh said. “Once they wrap that up, there will be many different stages of different categories, I believe.”

Liza Gill, president of the Hawaii Coalition for Immigrants Rights, criticized the raids as a tactic to intimidate immigrants and appeal to Trump’s anti-immigration base. “The whole purpose is to create fear, to make people feel very afraid to come out of their homes, to go to school, to go to a doctor’s office,” she said. “This new federal administration wants to showcase them looking tough, and it looks tough.”

In response, local organizations are offering resources to help immigrants understand their rights. Sandy Ma, an attorney with The Legal Clinic, urged concerned individuals to seek guidance. “This federal administration is drumming up fear, and we want to allay that concern,” Ma said. Her organization is distributing small red cards with instructions on how to respond if approached by law enforcement. “If ICE comes knocking on their door, they do not have to let them in,” Ma emphasized. “Everyone in this country, whether they are here with documents or without, has constitutional rights.”

Despite the raids, advocates are encouraging immigrants to continue their daily lives while lawmakers work on legislation to limit local law enforcement collaboration with federal immigration authorities. Hawaii Sen. Karl Rhoads, who chairs the Judiciary Committee, noted that Hawaii law enforcement already assists in deporting criminals through local laws. He also expressed skepticism about public support for mass deportation in the state. “It’s better that people enter the country legally, but does it really make sense to spend all this time, energy, and money on breaking up families and sending back people who are doing jobs the rest of us don’t want to do?” Rhoads said.

As the federal crackdown continues, immigrant advocates remain focused on providing support and legal resources to those affected. “Always stay calm. Do not run,” Ma advised. “Provide them with the red card. You can contact our office for red cards.”