Power Malu with Artist, Athletes, Activists has helped greet thousands of asylum seekers to the city since the start of the migrant crisis.

He says migrants he works with live in fear of the possibility that a wartime act will be used to deport them without due process.

“What this has caused is more anxiety, more fear in people,” Malu said.

The Trump administration could use the Alien Enemies Act in efforts to deport migrants.

It’s an 18th century piece of legislation last used during World War II to place people of Japanese descent into internment camps.

“A lot of people are going to continue to not send their kids to school. People who had jobs who are actually contributing to the fabric of this society and this city and even paying taxes are afraid to go to work,” Malu said.

The legislation enables the government to detain or deport the natives and citizens of an enemy nation. The president can target these immigrants without a hearing based solely on the country of birth.

“The bigger piece here is to make sure people know what their rights are,” New York Immigration Coalition President and CEO Murad Awawdeh said.

How the order could come down is unclear.

Awawdeh says he’s willing to explore legal options depending on the scope of the order.

“We’re not at war. So, I don’t know how they plan on using this. So, I think that’s the piece that legal experts are going to have to figure out,” Awawdeh said.

With uncertainty in the air, Malu says he’s working with other organizations to figure out how to best protect the migrants they serve.

“The Trojan horse was that they said they were just going after criminals, but because this is a sanctuary city, were going to punish sanctuary cities, and if you just happen to be in the vicinity, we’re going to pick you up as well,” Malu said.