Some immigrants across Acadiana are anxious and confused after receiving vague letters in the mail, prompting concerns over potential immigration enforcement.
The letters, issued by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), instruct recipients to attend interviews with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)—without explaining why.
New Iberia resident Phanat Xanamane said his family was one of many to receive the notice, known as Form G-56, a standard DHS call-in letter.
His father, a U.S. citizen who took refuge from Laos, received a letter from the New Orleans ICE office requesting that he report for an interview. The family, unsure of the letter’s purpose, quickly began preparing documents and made the trip to New Orleans.
“With all the larger news happening around the country, we were like, ‘Oh Lord, what’s this?’” Xanamane said. “He’s a U.S. citizen. His wife has had a green card for years. So we were wondering, what is this all about?”
Upon arriving at the immigration office with marriage licenses, insurance papers and other documentation in hand, the family was told the appointment had been triggered by a "clerical error."
“They took all the documents from us and then afterwards said, ‘Well this just has to move up to a higher-up. I can’t make a decision on what to do here,’” Xanamane said.
The lack of clarity has created a ripple of concern throughout the local immigrant community. Xanamane said he soon began receiving calls from other families in the area who received similar notices and didn’t know whether to respond.
“I started getting calls from aunties in the community, and friends of friends, or distant cousins, being like, ‘So-and-so received a letter saying they should go to the office—should we go or not?’” he said.
In an interview with KATC, ICE Southeast Public Affairs Officer Lindsay Williams confirmed the legitimacy of the form, emphasizing that it is commonly used in immigration proceedings.
“Yes, the form you’re referring to is a G-56, a standard form that ICE uses to alert people that they need to come and check in,” Williams said. “They have a pending appointment.”
Williams added that the form is intentionally vague, citing privacy protections for individuals involved in immigration matters.
“Immigration stuff is protected by privacy, so they’re not going to put your exact situation on a thing they’re going to mail out,” she said.
Xanamane said the experience has highlighted deeper concerns in the community, especially among families with mixed immigration statuses.
“There’s a lot of privilege behind being born in this country, and being of a certain ethnic background and a certain religion,” he said. “You haven’t had to confront these sort of questions, and have your community attacked on a national level by something the president or vice president says.”
The incident comes amid renewed national debate over immigration policy under the Trump administration, as enforcement actions and policy changes continue to affect immigrant communities nationwide.
Those seeking legal assistance are encouraged to contact Phanat Xanamane via Facebook.
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