SALT LAKE CITY — As unsubstantiated social media reports of immigration raids in Utah mount, advocates are variously expressing a measure of skepticism, confirming a handful of cases and advising the immigrant community to be prepared for the possibility of enforcement action.

"We have heard about them as well. However, we haven't received any confirmation," said Liliana Bolaños, of the Utah Immigrant Advocacy Coalition, an initiative of Voices for Utah Children. Her organization is being "extremely cautious" about repeating the reports making their way to social media, she said, to avoid causing unnecessary alarm.

Nevertheless, in the wake of President Donald Trump's inauguration on Monday, a handful of apparent immigration enforcement actions have unfolded in Utah, according to two local immigration attorneys, though they were short on specifics. Carlos Trujillo, of South Jordan, said he's aware of at least two actions, one involving a client. "Thank goodness he wasn't detained," he said.

Ysabel Lonazco, of West Valley City, said she heard from a client who said an immigration raid occurred at his place of employment, though he wasn't there at the time. The client has a pending visa case before immigration officials and, as such, opted not to go to work because of jitters about the current climate on the day of the raid.

Whatever the case, Trump promised to crack down on immigrants here illegally, particularly those charged with violent crimes, and many in Utah's immigrant community are on edge. Trump has also beefed up security at the U.S.-Mexico border and reversed a policy largely prohibiting immigration enforcement action at schools, churches and hospitals.

"In my practice, our phones are like ringing nonstop. We have about five, six people answering the phones of people that are scared and saying, 'Can I leave my house? Can I go to Walmart? Can I go to a hospital? Can I live my life?'" Lonazco said.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt tweeted Thursday that the Trump administration had arrested 538 immigrants charged with crimes, "including a suspected terrorist, four members of the Tren de Aragua gang and several illegals convicted of sex crimes against minors." Tren de Aragua is a criminal gang based in Venezuela. The Washington Examiner reported that one of those arrested had been detained in Salt Lake City by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials, a Mexican national charged with aggravated sexual abuse of a child.

"Deportation flights have begun," Leavitt tweeted in another message Friday. "President Trump is sending a strong and clear message to the entire world: if you illegally enter the United States of America, you will face severe consequences."

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security didn't immediately respond to a query seeking information on the U.S. enforcement activity.

While Lonazco said her understanding is that the Trump administration is focused on deporting those here illegally who are charged with crimes, Trujillo worries a broader pool of immigrants will be targeted. He noted the U.S. Department of Homeland Security decision, conveyed in a memo on Thursday, that he says gives immigration authorities broader discretion in determining who to deport.

"This is literally going after immigrants regardless of a criminal record," Trujillo said. He supplied a copy of the memo, applicable apparently to some 1.5 million people who came to the nation under a humanitarian parole program during President Joe Biden's administration that Trump halted.

Several websites reliant on information supplied by the public offer the locations of alleged sightings of immigration officials. One such site indicates sightings up and down the Wasatch Front, particularly in the Salt Lake City area. It's currently down, though, a message on it reads, "due to people putting in fake info."

Indeed, Lonazco suspects seeping paranoia may factor in the many reports. But she also thinks foes of immigrants here illegally are trying to foster such a climate. "They want us to be in fear, to live in fear. Either live by fear or don't come because of fear," she said.

Bolaños said those making reports about sightings of immigration authorities should include detailed information, including location, time and date to avoid unnecessarily sparking panic. Moreover, she advised immigrants to brush up on their rights, focus of a handful of recent gatherings in the community, and make a plan in the event a family member faces deportation.

"There are rights everyone has in the country regardless of immigration status," she said. "I would encourage the community to empower themselves, to be educated and ready."

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Meanwhile, the Utah Hospital Association issued a statement Friday in response to the Department of Homeland Security decision, announced Tuesday, that "sensitive locations" are no longer immune from immigration enforcement actions. Under the prior policy, now rescinded, immigration officials could only carry out raids at places like schools, churches and hospitals in life or death or other "exigent" circumstances.

The association, which represents hospitals and other health care organizations, said hospitals follow all state and federal laws and that they don't ask for patients' migratory status. "Rest assured that your health care provider or hospital will not voluntarily release any information about you or your family members to the immigration authorities unless it is required by law or court order. We value the trust that you place in us, and your safety and well-being is our priority," reads the statement.

Officials in the Salt Lake City and Ogden school districts earlier this week sent similar messages to students and families in response to the decision rescinding the "sensitive locations" policy.

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