Lafayette, LA – Acadiana’s immigrant communities are grappling with a growing sense of uncertainty after receiving vague letters from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), prompting widespread confusion and concern about potential immigration enforcement.
The letters, which are issued by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), instruct recipients to attend interviews, but do not specify the reasons behind the appointments. This lack of clarity has left many local families anxious, unsure of whether they should comply or if doing so could lead to further complications.
Phanat Xanamane, a resident of the region, was one of the many who received a letter on behalf of his father, a U.S. citizen who fled Laos as a refugee. The letter instructed his father to report to the New Orleans ICE office for an interview, despite his father’s legal status and the family’s long-established ties to the community. Unsure of what to make of the notice, Xanamane and his family quickly gathered supporting documentation—including marriage licenses and insurance papers—before traveling to the ICE office in New Orleans.
“When we got the letter, we thought, ‘What’s going on? He’s a U.S. citizen, and his wife has had a green card for years,’” Xanamane recalled. “With all the immigration issues happening in the country, we were really worried about what might happen.”
Upon arriving at the office, however, Xanamane’s family was told the appointment was triggered by a “clerical error.” The documents they brought with them were collected, but they were left with no resolution as the matter was referred to higher authorities for further review. The experience raised serious questions about the transparency and accuracy of the process, and whether it was creating unnecessary fear within immigrant communities.
Xanamane’s story is far from unique. As news of the letters spread across Acadiana, calls flooded in from other families who had received similar notices. In many cases, these families, unsure of how to respond, were left seeking guidance from their communities, with questions about whether attending the interviews could result in deportation or other adverse consequences.
Local immigrant advocates have voiced concerns about the impact such uncertainty has on families already living in fear of potential enforcement actions. They argue that the vague nature of the letters exacerbates anxieties in an environment where immigration enforcement is a contentious issue, particularly in the wake of national debates over immigration policy during the Trump administration.
Lindsay Williams, an ICE Southeast Public Affairs Officer, confirmed the legitimacy of the form, known as G-56. Williams explained that the form is commonly used to notify individuals about pending immigration interviews and that its lack of specificity is due to privacy protections for those involved in immigration proceedings.
“The form is standard,” Williams said. “Immigration matters are protected by privacy, so we can’t disclose specific details about someone’s case in a public notice.”
Despite this explanation, many in the Acadiana immigrant community feel that the vague language of the letter only adds to the sense of fear and confusion, particularly for those with mixed immigration statuses. For families like Xanamane’s, the experience highlighted broader concerns about the security of their loved ones and the vulnerability they face under current immigration policies.
“There’s a lot of privilege behind being born in this country, being of a certain ethnic background or religion,” Xanamane said. “We’re seeing our community attacked on a national level. It’s not just about the letter; it’s about the bigger picture of how immigrants are being treated right now.”
As the national debate over immigration continues to unfold, incidents like these underscore the importance of clear communication from immigration authorities. Immigrant advocates are calling for better transparency in the process and clearer instructions for those who receive these letters, to prevent further anxiety and ensure that families are not left in the dark about their rights and responsibilities.