AUSTIN (KXAN) — In a part of Austin with deep Latino roots, long-time Hispanic community leader Paul Saldana said he feels for his community.

This comes one day after U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conducted “enhanced targeted operations” in Austin.

“I feel sorry for the stress that our undocumented community lives with on a daily basis. They’re the ones who build our houses, build our roads, take care of our children, clean our houses,” Saldana said.

Saldana, co-founder of Hispanic Advocates Business Leaders of Austin (HABLA) ATX, said there is real fear right now. He also serves as the president and principal of Saldana Public Relations, which focuses on “quality of life issues,” like public education, voting, economics, gentrification and more, according to the Saldana Public Relations website.

“My phone was ringing all weekend,” he said.

Saldana is urging those in the community to educate themselves.

“A lot of misinformation being shared,” he said. “Reach out to some of the immigrant Latino organizations in Austin, Travis County. We want to empower folks, but at the same time not make people panic.”

Some in Austin’s Hispanic community said they are panicking. A woman from a predominately Hispanic church in Austin, who said she did not want to be identified, spoke to that, saying they have leaned on their faith.

Additionally, the Diocese of Austin released the following statement on the ICE operations below:

Bishop Joe S. Vásquez of the Diocese of Austin stands in solidarity with his fellow bishops from Texas and across the United States in defending the dignity of every human person.  We understand that ICE has been instructed to focus on the deportation of individuals who pose a security risk to the United States. This includes those who are currently incarcerated or are otherwise involved in criminal activities that threaten public safety.  At the same time, it is painful to see migrants, seeking refuge to raise their children in a safe environment, distressed with anxiety because of the news and information they hear.  We call all to exercise caution so that hardworking migrant mothers and fathers are not wrongfully caught up in enforcement efforts.   We must never treat people as political pawns, but rather, as human beings deserving of our compassion and care.

As of now, there is no confirmed information indicating that ICE has entered or will be entering our parishes or schools.

Diocese of Austin

Austin City Council member Chito Vela told affiliate KXAN’s Jala Washington that ICE arrests in Austin are normal.

“These operations have been going on for the entire decade-plus that I’ve been practicing immigration law in Austin,” Vela said.

Vela, who represents District 4 — which he said has a big immigrant population — said he has also been taking calls from worried people and is trying to assess the scale of ICE operations in Austin that happened over the weekend.

“First and foremost, don’t panic,” he said. “I would urge folks who are detained to immediately contact legal counsel. Tell your family to contact legal counsel and do not sign any kind of voluntary departure or sign some kind of agreement to be removed.”

As the community seeks clarity, Saldana said the impact of new immigration promises are evident.

“Those of us who are American — I’m an American, but Mexican-American — also sometimes get looked upon a certain way,” he said.