ABOUT CHRISTINE SAUVE
Christine Sauvé, LMSW leads policy advocacy, community engagement, and communications strategies for the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center, working to ensure immigrant Michiganders experience equity, justice, and belonging. Christine partners with immigrant communities across the state to share stories and advance policy change at the state and local levels.
Christine regularly speaks to community groups, elected officials, and advocates about issues related to immigration, inclusion, and equity. She also serves as Co-Chair for the Detroit City Council’s Immigration Task Force. Previously Christine served as Director for the Welcoming Michigan project and contributed to several publications on the topic of social cohesion.
In 2013, she was one of ten national leaders honored by The White House as a Champion of Change for her efforts to promote immigrant inclusion. Christine served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Mauritania and Senegal and is a member of the National Association of Social Workers.
She is a graduate of the New Detroit Multicultural Leadership program, Detroit Equity Action Lab, Welcoming Communities Transatlantic Exchange, and Detroit Revitalization Fellows. Christine received her MSW and undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan. She is an advocate for social justice, loves birding and dark chocolate, and is happy to call Detroit home.
RESOURCES:
Michigan Immigrant Rights Center (MIRC)
MIRC: Immigration Enforcement — Know Your Rights
MIRC Tip Sheet: "What can noncitizens do NOW to prepare for a Trump administration?"
Model school policy for immigration enforcement
Health Care Providers and Immigration Enforcement: Know Your Rights, Know Your Patients’ Rights
A Guide for Employers: What to Do if Immigration Comes to Your Workplace
TRANSCRIPTION:
David Fair: This is 89 one WEMU. And today, new leadership takes over in Washington. Donald Trump will officially be sworn into office in a matter of hours. I'm David Fair, and welcome to Washtenaw United. It's our weekly conversation series that explores equity and opportunity in our community. Trump has promised his first days in office will be transformative. What exactly that means? Well, I guess we're all about to find out. Among the top items on the agenda is immigration reform and an increase in deportations. Now, there are a good number of immigrants that reside in Washtenaw County, both documented and undocumented. The transition in leadership has many concerned about what the future will hold for these residents. Our guest this morning is having those conversations on a daily basis. Christine Sauvé is policy, engagement and communications manager at the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center, which has an office right here in Ypsilanti. Thank you so much for making time today, Christine! I appreciate it!
Christine Sauvé: Great! Thanks for having me!
David Fair: The swearing-in ceremony will begin later this morning. And for a second time, Donald Trump will be President of the United States. In looking back on his first term, how would you assess the impact he had on immigrants here in Michigan and in Washtenaw County?
Christine Sauvé: Well, it was an incredibly painful period of time. I was on staff at the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center during that period. It was chaotic and very challenging to keep up with the policies that were changing day-to-day, hour-to-hour, sometimes minute-to-minute. There were a host of policies that changed in the immigration enforcement space and regulatory reform at the federal level. And then, we also saw attempts at statutory changes. Many of those did not succeed. And that may be different this time. The family separation policy affected us greatly. It was very difficult for the families and children affected and also for our staff. And the good news is that all of the children that had been affected in Michigan were reunited with their families. But nationally, there's still about 1300 kids that have not been reunited.
David Fair: I want to point out that about 42% of Hispanic voters chose Trump in November. About 50% of Muslim and Arab American voters chose Trump. So, he does have a good deal of support in the immigrant community. Has that impacted the kinds of conversations not only being had by those who are working at the center, but those who are utilizing its services?
Christine Sauvé: Well, we serve immigrants of all political persuasions and opinions. We're nonpartisan. We're a 501(c)3. So, we have served clients that have voted all kinds of ways. What we know is that immigrants are our neighbors or our fellow community members. They participate in all kinds of ways in our civic and social and economic life. And they're important parts of our communities. So, when we hear the threats of mass deportation, that hurts. That's going to affect communities. So, one thing that we're encouraging is families to prepare as much as they can get their important documents organized, so that they're able to arrange to have someone pick up their child. If a family member were to be detained, make sure they have arrangements for childcare. I do want to emphasize that all immigrants, as all persons in the United States, have rights. So, do all immigrants.
David Fair: When someone walks through the doors at the Ypsilanti office of the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center, Christine, what is the most common complaint when it comes to a violation of the rights?
Christine Sauvé: It's difficult to identify the most common complaint. We do serve clients of all different backgrounds and case types. So, we serve unaccompanied children. We also serve farmworkers. Notoriously, farmworkers aren't paid what they're owed. They face retaliation if they speak up about workplace abuses--
David Fair: And you serve both documented and undocumented farm workers?
Christine Sauvé: We do. And then, we also serve folks who are in detention. Those folks can call us for free from detention, and we'll give legal advice that way. And then, I'd say a lot of our clients are just trying to adjust their status. Those are just some of the complaints that we see. Again, because we serve clients of all case types, it really is across the spectrum.
David Fair: This is Washtenaw United on 89 one WEMU. And on this Inauguration Day, we're talking with Christine Sauvé from the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center. Was there a decrease in the number of rights violations the Center took on during the four years of the Biden administration as compared to the first Trump presidency?
Christine Sauvé: I would say there's certain things that were easier. Across the board, our immigration system has never been perfect. So, as federal administrations change, there are some aspects of the immigration system that are perpetually difficult. You know, there's never enough immigration judges, so immigration court dockets are often full. There's never enough staff at US-BIS. But there were certain process improvements. We did see hearings to the priority enforcement policy to a greater extent than under the Trump administration. So, there were certain things that were a little bit easier. But then, we also saw very restrictive asylum policy passed over the summer that was very similar to a policy under the Trump administration, so some improvements, but also, again, still some challenges.
David Fair: And again, there's going to be some uncertainty moving forward. The last time Donald Trump was President, we did see an increased presence of federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement or ICE officers right here on the streets of Washtenaw County. Do you anticipate that is going to be the case again?
Christine Sauvé: Yes. We are preparing for increased enforcement actions. So, we do expect, again, that priority enforcement policy to be removed. That policy prioritized individuals who may have committed crimes. And so, ICE was really focused on finding those people under this administration. Under the last Trump administration, that policy was removed. And so, that means it's a little bit more scattershot. And anyone who may have had a prior removal order would be potentially open to enforcement actions. We did see an increase in workplace raids, again, under the last Trump administration. And then, we are also on the lookout for changes in local law enforcement as well, because part of the new administration promises has been about working closer with local law enforcement. So, there may be pressure on local agencies to change their current practices. And traditionally, and the courts have reaffirmed this over and over, there should be a separation of responsibility, so that federal agents are responsible for immigration enforcement and local law enforcement is responsible for local law enforcement issues, which don't include immigration.
David Fair: Once again, we're talking with the policy, engagement and communications manager of the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center, which has an office in Ypsilanti. Christine Sauvé is our guest on WEMU's Washtenaw United. If I read correctly, you served about 4000 people over the course of the last year or so. These are services, as you mentioned, offered at the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center for free. But I imagine you can't help all who were in need. So, if that need is about to grow, how is the center going to go about trying to meet the needs of as many as possible?
Christine Sauvé: Yes. You raise a good question. Capacity is an issue for the entire immigration legal services network across Michigan. All of our service providers or partner agencies are beyond capacity at the moment. So, it will be a struggle for all of us. You mentioned the 4000 individuals. We actually received 13,000 calls for assistance.
David Fair: That's unbelievable!
Christine Sauvé: Yes. And I'm very happy to say we closed many cases. But one unique thing that a program that we have that does help us assist more people is we have a program at the immigration court called Help Desk, where we can assist individuals learning about the process to help them navigate their own case. It's something known as pro se assistance, helping yourself. It's not the same as full representation, but given the large numbers and need, that is one way that we can assist more people. But we will be trying to increase our resources and increase our capacity. Unfortunately, it's a perennial issue for immigration legal service providers that there's more need out there than than there are providers.
David Fair: Well, Christine, I would like to thank you for taking time today sharing the perspective and the work that is being done at Immigration Rights Center. I look forward to having an opportunity to talk again. And we'll see how this starts to play out over the course of the first 100 days and beyond.
Christine Sauvé: Yes! Thank you so much! Appreciate the reaching out and appreciate your time!
David Fair: That is Christine Sauvé. She is policy, engagement and communications manager at the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center and has been our guest on the Inauguration Day edition of Washtenaw United. For more information on the center and the work it's doing, pay a visit to our website at wemu.org. And you'll find all the links you need. Washtenaw United is produced in partnership with the United Way for Southeastern Michigan, and you hear it every Monday. I'm David Fair, and this is your community NPR station, 89 one WEMU FM Ypsilanti. Celebrating 60 years of broadcasting from the campus of Eastern Michigan University!
WEMU has partnered with the United Way for Southeastern Michigan to explore the people, organizations, and institutions creating opportunity and equity in our area. And, as part of this ongoing series, you’ll also hear from the people benefiting and growing from the investments being made in the areas of our community where there are gaps in available services. It is a community voice. It is 'Washtenaw United.'
Non-commercial, fact based reporting is made possible by your financial support. Make your donation to WEMU today to keep your community NPR station thriving.
Like 89.1 WEMU on Facebook and follow us on X (Twitter)
Contact WEMU News at 734.487.3363 or email us at studio@wemu.org
