As the Trump Administration begins an immigration crackdown across the country, residents around North Carolina and other states are flocking to local consulates to confirm the documentation.
The line was long all day outside the Mexican Consulate in Raleigh off Garner Road as residents waited to see if their documentation was in order.
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"There is just a desperation to stay here and protect your family, continue to care for them," said one woman.
The administration has a sweeping agenda, from declaring an invasion at the border, to ending birthright citizenship and launching mass deportations.
WRAL News watched as dozens of families walked up with papers in hand, and children, filled with worry.
One couple said they drove to the consulate from northern Virginia. The woman said her husband, who she said from Mexico, is here legally but living in a state of the unknown under the Trump administration's stance on immigration.
"Let's say you are going five miles over the speed limit, and you get pulled is that going to strip him of his legal permanent residency," she said.
The fear proving real at the NC Ice Hotline. There have been 267 calls in the first week since Trump was inaugurated, according to Seimbra NC:
Log of 267 calls from Jan. 20 - Jan 26
- 30% of people ended the call within five seconds.
- 25% of people reported a rumor someone else saw.
- 12% of callers reported that wages were stolen by their employer.
- 12% of callers offered support.
- 12% of callers requested a lawyer.
- 6% of callers reported a suspected ICE presence.
"We have not seen this volume of fear before," said Kelly Morales, co-director Siembra NC, adding that zero detentions came from those calls.
"The results are families scared to drive their families to school, the results are long lines at the consulate," Morales said.
Several residents over the weekend said they were concerned about false immigration calls coming in and raising fears in the community.
Additionally, the Wake County Public School System has issued guidance for schools on immigration. In the document, district officials said ICE officials have the right to enter schools to detain undocumented immigrants if they have a federal judicial warrant.
WRAL News spent hours on Tuesday checking in with local, state and federal agencies to see if ICE is detaining people in the area.
The majority of law enforcement aren't doing anything different, and waiting for directives.
"The Wake County Sheriff's Office has been and will continue to conduct meetings with federal officials regarding immigration enforcement," a spokesperson for the sheriff's office said. "We are currently awaiting any future directives ....that will impact actions.....we will honor detainers as outlined in state law-HB 10."
To report suspected ICE activity in your area, call or text Siembra NC's hotline at 336-543-0353.
Para reportar sospechas de actividad de ICE en su área, llame o envíe un mensaje de texto a la línea directa de Siembra NC al 336-543-0353.