TAMPA, Fla. — Areli Perez keeps a small handwritten note inside her kitchen cabinet. The note lists a phone number and a short message that reads: “En caso de emergencia, llama aquí” (“In case of emergency, call here”).

“When someone is in trouble, fear and stress can make them feel alone, like there’s no help, but there is,” said Perez, 45, who advocates for immigrants and farmworkers across rural communities in Central Florida.

The phone number in the note belonged to the Florida Rapid Response Alliance for Immigrant Safety and Empowerment, or RAISE, a statewide network of nonprofits and advocates organized last month to help communities understand their rights, respond to immigration enforcement and find legal help.

RAISE operates a website and a hotline (888-600-5762) to support immigrant communities, who can call to get help and learn about their constitutional rights. It also offers guidance in locating a family member who may have been arrested due to a lack of permanent legal status or another issue that may place their immigration status at risk.

The idea came as the federal government stepped up immigration enforcement this year with more raids and strict policies, leading immigrant rights groups across Florida to take action.

The hotline offers staff and trained volunteers available to answer calls in English, Spanish and Creole and can return calls in other languages, said Renata Bozzetto, deputy director of Florida Immigrant Coalition, one of the network’s founding organizations.

In the last month, she said the hotline has received more than 1,000 calls.

“We want to ensure that our community members feel empowered and supported to defend their rights,” Bozzetto said. “We can connect individuals with legal counsel from pro bono attorneys and partner organizations that can provide adequate information and support.”

Operators can make referrals to other resources or programs that may be important during an emergency for a family in need, such as medical assistance and translation support. They can also verify U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity reported by callers, allowing them to send alerts through community networks to check and assess the impact of these operations.

The turning point to start the network was witnessing people’s fear “skyrocketing” as the community faced threats of raids and deportations, Bozzetto said. She said uncertainty causes individuals to panic “even when they have the right to be here and have status.”

Numerous reports have documented immigration enforcement operations that have impacted permanent residents or green-card holders, including detentions during scheduled immigration appointments.

Sui Chung, executive director of Americans for Immigrant Justice, one of the organizations involved in RAISE, said the initiative provides support and legal services quickly enough to make a difference.

“This really allows us to better network and communicate,” said Chung. “Anyone can call our hotline, and we can put them in contact with a local nonprofit. If there is a major enforcement action, like a raid, that nonprofit can respond to it.”

Perez, the advocate in Central Florida, knows that many in her community feel afraid and need help navigating a system that can be difficult in times of crisis.

“A rapid response line can help answer people’s questions and let them know their rights,” she said.

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