As the Trump Administration toughens its enforcement and policy on undocumented immigrants, with federal agents further zeroing in on immigrant communities, know-your-rights forums have dotted the borough’s landscape.

For attorneys at the Legal Aid Society, which offers pro-bono services to immigrants sorting through their status, these forums are critical. After all, many are unaware that every immigrant, undocumented or not, have rights. Those tenets include the right to a lawyer, questioning the legitimacy of so-called “notarios,” and the variety of methods used to prevent deportation. Every case is different, they admit, and the best way to mitigate it is consulting an attorney.

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“Unfortunately, there are people who hold themselves out as immigration practitioners and they can cause a great deal of harm and damage,” Yvonne Floyd-Mayers, an attorney with the Legal Aid Society, speaking to guests at a forum organized by Montefiore Health System’s pediatric and behavioral health department.

The presentation on April 3 served as a kind of crash course on immigration law, detailing the variety of visas available, waivers the undocumented can apply for, and penalties on providing false information.

“The offenses that are so minor to US citizens can be big problems to immigrants,” Antonia Codling, an attorney who presented, said.

Though open to the public, staffers from the hospital’s pediatric and behavioral health department, which normally interfaces with the immigrant community, were on hand. The forum was the brainchild of Dr. Miguelina German, a psychologist with the department, who started noticing her patients asking “lots of legal-related questions” pertaining to immigration “that we don’t have the background to answer.”

“That inspired me, and my co-worker, Janelle Bercun, to try to organize today’s training,” Dr. German said.

Immigration attorneys have been known to periodically verify the medical status of a child to demonstrate a compelling need to have the undocumented parent of the child stay in the U.S.

“We’re trying to impress upon the court or USCIS (US Citizenship and Immigration Services) how important it is, let’s say, that family member be here to care for the child, or the child be allowed to stay here then potentially we might want something more detailed and we would if I was making the request I would let you know,” Lisa Freeman, an attorney presenting, said.

The hospital has taken a staunch pro-immigration policy, declining to question a patient’s immigration status. Three days after President Donald Trump was sworn into office, the hospital’s CEO and President, Dr. Steven Safyer, distributed an internal letter to employees assuring them that it will continue serving everyone regardless of status, and declaring “healthcare as a basic human right.”

Norwood’s demographics have gradually changed in the last decade, with Hispanics and those of Middle Eastern descent calling the neighborhood home, adding greater urgency to the forums. In the last few weeks, forums have been scheduled by Councilman Andrew Cohen, the 52nd Precinct, and Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj.

The information at the Legal Aid Society forum came in handy for Adriana, who attended the forum with her seventh month old baby, and her friend Elsa. The information came in handy, Elsa noted. “At least we’re more informed to know not to be afraid,” Elsa said.

The forum could’ve worked well for Adriana’s friend, who now fears deportation.

“I know a friend who’s depressed, doesn’t leave her house and is really scared,” Adriana, who is of Mexican descent, said. “She doesn’t want to leave the house for that reason. She used to work at a Mexican restaurant, now she doesn’t want to go because she thinks that’s where immigration will come.”