President Donald Trump has made it clear he wants to use the power of the presidency to curb immigration and to deport people who are in the United States without documentation.

One of Trump’s first acts as the 47th president was to declare a national emergency at the U.S.-Mexico border. He has also threatened mass deportation raids in cities and issued an order attempting to redefine birthright citizenship — which several states, including Maryland, are challenging.

The rhetoric surrounding immigration and deportations is certain to set large parts of Maryland on edge. In several parts of the state, Hispanic populations and multiracial households are the only demographics that are growing.

CASA, an advocacy and assistance group for immigrants, said it will be advocating for, and fighting for, immigrant communities.

“Even if, for a specific person, there might not be something they can do to avoid deportation, we will make sure that as a community we are protected and we are defended‚" said Ama Frimpong, the organization’s legal director.

Speaking in Annapolis this week, Gov. Wes Moore declined to say whether he’d deploy the Maryland National Guard to the southern border if asked to by Trump.

He called the scenario “speculation,” and said he’d ensure that the guard and Maryland State Police are “following very clear guidance about how they are protecting the people of the state.”

Here’s what you need to know about immigration policy and how local leaders are responding.

What immigration attorneys and activists are saying

Many of Trump’s directives will be carried out by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, a federal agency under the Department of Homeland Security that has existing partnerships and formal working relationships with some Maryland counties.

Jared Jaskot, an immigration attorney in Baltimore, said people are “scared to death.”

He said it’s important now for people to know their rights, especially when interacting with law enforcement or federal immigration officials.

For example, ICE usually operates using what are called administrative warrants, not judicial warrants. With an administrative warrant, ICE cannot legally conduct a search or enter a private residence without permission, Jaskot said.

“At the end of the day if an ICE agent stops you on the street and they don’t know your name, you don’t have to tell them your name. You don’t have to give them your ID,” Jaskot said.

The attorney said he has not seen cases where ICE agents take the time to go before a judge and obtain a judicial warrant. But he has seen, for example, ICE wait outside a person’s home for days with an administrative warrant.

Susan Han, a local attorney who focuses on family immigration cases, said she thinks people are concerned about the question over birthright citizenship.

Anyone who is concerned they might get caught up in a raid should have someone in mind to reach out to if something happens, Han said. As an example, she said that could be an immigration attorney or a family member who would reach out to an attorney.

CASA also launched a hotline last week to report raids by ICE.

What local leaders are saying

On Wednesday, The Washington Post reported the Trump administration was going to prosecute local officials who did not cooperate with federal immigration enforcement.

Last month, a group with close ties to Trump adviser Stephen Miller sent a letter to multiple jurisdictions — including several in Maryland — warning them they were violating federal immigration law.

Mayor Brandon Scott on Wednesday said the city would not change its standing policy, which is that police officers and city agencies do not ask residents their immigration status as part of standard procedure.

Baltimore County spokeswoman Erica Palmisano said the county is committed to making residents feel safe and welcome and remaining in compliance with state and federal law.

“We will continue to follow the law while also implementing best practices that support and uplift our neighbors, ensuring that Baltimore County remains a welcoming place for all,” Palmisano said in an email.

In Baltimore County, an executive order limits the way the county Police Department can act regarding immigration.

It includes a prohibition on county police officers detaining or arresting a person on the basis of an administrative warrant or a prior deportation order, and prohibits the Department of Corrections from detaining anyone beyond their court-ordered release date.

Read more: Here’s what officials around Maryland are saying about immigration enforcement

Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman, a Democrat, said the county would not interfere with federal immigration enforcement — but added that the county police do not participate in immigration enforcement, and said there’s no legal obligation for them to do so.

In Howard County, a law approved by voters in a ballot measure prohibits local officials from assisting federal immigration enforcement.

Officials in some Maryland counties — including Carroll and Harford — said they would cooperate with federal immigration enforcement.

Banner reporters Ben Conarck, Emily Opilo and Lee Sanderlin contributed to this story.