Anxiety and uncertainty, those are just some of the sentiments felt by many members of the Muslim community in Sunrise. Friday night, they gathered for an emergency town hall in response to President Donald Trump's recent executive orders regarding refugees.
“This is an issue that affects all the Muslims one way or the other so, we're concerned," said Samina Qureshi a Muslim American.
The community has fears and concerns but, also many questions.
The non-profit organization EmergeUSA gathered in Sunrise to try and allay some of the uneasiness in response to the executive order barring refugees from seven predominantly Muslim countries.
“Last weekend we had a lot of folks that were stuck at airports. What we're doing to allay those concerns is we're making sure we're mobilizing attorneys," said Khurrum Wahid, National Chairperson of EmergeUSA.
It's only been a few days since the order targeting immigrants from Iran, Iraq, Yemen, Syria, Sudan, Somalia and Libya. However, Muslim American families living in South Florida are feeling the effects at the Islamic Foundation of South Florida.
"They're beginning to feel like they're alien here. So it's kind of sad," said Qureshi.
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Thousands of visas have been revoked since the order so lawyers were present to offer solutions and answer complicated issues with visas and travel.
Tammy Ayon is the State Executive Director for EmergeUSA.
"EmergeUSA is hosting an opportunity for the community to engage and ask questions on the executive order and kind of find ways to combat advocacy opportunities for them," said Ayon.
At least four states have filed lawsuits to challenge the constitutionality of the executive order. On Friday, a federal judge in Seattle temporarily blocked the travel ban across the nation.
Those at Friday's meeting say they're now armed with information and hope.
"This is a marathon, not a sprint. And, we all have to stay continually engaged on this issue not just to protect our Muslim brothers and sisters to protect the entire immigrant community as a whole and the foundation of this country and that's the right to freedom and liberty to everybody," said Ayon.
EmergeUSA also said it has a 100-day advocacy plan on how Muslim Americans can mobilize and speak to their local elected officials in Congress about their rights in this ever-changing situation.
