On the day of his return to the White House, Donald Trump set a clear goal: fighting what he called the "invasion" of migrants into the U.S. He declared a state of emergency at the U.S.-Mexico border and has already attempted to deport undocumented immigrants to Colombia.

Migrants currently in the United States are living in daily fear of raids aimed at detaining and deporting those without proper documentation.

Here’s what Tajik nationals living in the U.S. are saying.

Migrants in Chicago are frightened

Daler (name changed) lives in Chicago with his wife, who is a U.S. citizen. He recently arrived in the country on her invitation and hopes to obtain citizenship in the future.

However, the threat of new laws and mass deportations deeply concerns him.

"For now, it’s calm in Chicago.  There’s been no news of raids or crackdowns on undocumented migrants.  Even on TV, they confirmed that the raids have been postponed," Daler said.

Nevertheless, the anxiety among migrants remains.

Daler notes that the official rhetoric and fear-mongering leave a lasting impact on people for whom America has become a home, a fresh start, and a chance to build a future for their families.

"Our guys are scared.  Even though they say deportation is only for those with legal or document issues, many still try to go out less and avoid drawing attention.  Even those with everything in order live in fear," he added.

According to Daler, migrants are now caught between hope and fear.

"And every one of us, myself included, keeps asking the same question: What happens next?" he concluded.

Another Tajik national, who has been living in New York for over a year, says he remains calm for now since authorities have promised to start with Chicago.

Migrants in New York are worried, even those with documents

Our contact from New York City, Zamir, shared his concerns.

He mentioned that in just one small village in Tajikistan, he personally knows about 40 people now living in New York.

According to him, although things seem calm for now, many migrants feel uneasy.

Zamir has been in the U.S. for more than a year and a half and says that legalizing one's status is a long and expensive process.

"There are guys who have lived in the States for a year but still don’t have all their documents, and they haven’t even been to court yet," he said.  "Getting legal status isn’t easy—it takes time and money.  We work, process some documents, then earn more and continue the process.

"Often, we have to hire lawyers to speed things up, but that’s costly, too.  Among the people I know, about 50% have already completed their paperwork and work legally with permits.

"But even these guys are scared.  Even though they officially have the right to stay in the country for five years, the fear remains," Zamir shared.

However, there are also migrants who arrived in 2023 and haven’t even had a single court hearing yet.

"By law, to obtain refugee status, a migrant must go through several court hearings.  If the judge rules in favor of the migrant, they are granted a status that allows them to stay in the U.S. legally (refugee status)," he explained.

For now, migrants continue working as usual, and the police are not targeting them.  However, as Zamir noted, rumors of upcoming crackdowns persist.

"Some city mayors in places where Trump planned to conduct these operations have refused to support his initiative and have banned migrant deportations in their jurisdictions.  But no one knows what will happen next," he added.

Nasim (name changed), another migrant living in New York, admitted that Trump’s announcement about deporting undocumented migrants has left him seriously worried.

His case is currently in the legalization process, but he has only gone through one court hearing, while obtaining refugee status requires at least three.

The legalization process for migrants in the U.S. consists of multiple stages and can take months or even years, especially if the case goes to appeal.

Nasim pointed out that the biggest challenges for migrants are the high costs of legal services and the long wait for court decisions.

"It’s tough," he admitted. "I came here with the dream of a better future, to work and support my family back in Tajikistan. But now, instead of security and stability, all I have is anxiety and uncertainty."