Portuguese American Journal

Community | Hundreds of Portuguese illegal immigrants may be deported – Azores

The Government of the Azores is preparing a “contingency plan” to accommodate Azorean undocumented immigrants who may be deported from the United States by the new administration taking office on January 20th.

“This is not a predictable scenario, but we are preparing for the worst,” Paulo Estêvão, Regional Secretary for Parliamentary Affairs and Communities, stated at a press conference.

He acknowledged the possibility that “hundreds” of Azorean immigrants, residing illegally in the United States, may face deportation, most of them living in the states of Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and California.

Secretary Estêvão assured that the Government of the Azores is assessing the potential impact of the “restrictive policies” announced by President-elect Donald Trump regarding illegal immigration.

“Efforts are being made to ensure housing, as no one should be left on the streets, alongside provisions for social support, employment integration, healthcare, and education,” Secretary Estêvão said.

Secretary Estêvão expressed solidarity with the residents of Los Angeles, California, following the recent devastating wildfires, which destroyed thousands of homes and claimed many lives. There is no record of loss of life and property among the Portuguese residing in Los Angeles.

Although deportations of Azorean undocumented immigrants were at their lowest during Trump’s first term, between 2017 and 2021 the number of deportations to the Azores declined steadily, with 20 cases in 2017, 25 in 2018, 18 in 2019, 11 in 2020, and five in 2021. In contrast, the highest number of deportations occurred between 1997 and 2013, during the administrations of George Bush and Barack Obama, when over 800 Azoreans living illegally in the U.S. were deported.

According to reliable sources, most Portuguese Americans welcome President-elect Donald Trump’s return to the White House. The city of Fall River (MA), with the highest concentration of Portuguese Americans in the country, the majority with roots in the Azores, voted decidedly for President Trump in the 2024 election, the first time the city chose a Republican president in decades.

The Portuguese American community in the United States, comprising approximately 1.4 million people, has a rich history dating back to colonial times, with significant immigration beginning in the mid-19th century. Early settlements were established on both coasts, with notable concentrations in states such as Massachusetts, California, Rhode Island, New Jersey, and Hawaii.

Over the past 150 years, Portuguese Americans have formed over 400 social, cultural, and civic organizations, including mutual aid societies, heritage language schools, and various clubs and associations. The first mutual aid society, the Lusitania-Portuguese Benevolent Association, was founded in New Orleans in 1847 by Azorean laborers. Other significant mutual aid societies were established in Boston (1866) and San Francisco (1868). Early Portuguese immigrants played key roles in local economies, such as working on sugar plantations in Louisiana and participating in the California Gold Rush.

The largest Portuguese communities reside in California, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New Jersey. The state of Rhode Island has the highest percentage of Portuguese residents (9.7%), and the city of Fall River, MA, has the highest concentration of Portuguese Americans (43.9%).

The community is well-organized and connected through numerous traditional and digital media outlets, including newspapers, radio, TV, and online platforms. The Portuguese government supports its diaspora through 15 diplomatic representations across the U.S., reflecting the community’s strong ties to its heritage and culture.

PAJ/Staff

 

 

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