Federal agents showed up unannounced at a popular Mexican restaurant in Concord on Monday, detaining two employees while checking workers’ immigration status.

Business owners and advocates have reported increased action by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials in Manchester, Nashua and Concord since President Donald Trump’s inauguration last month. Detentions at a facility in New Hampshire that holds undocumented individuals are on the rise.

Getting a clear picture of how often these visits occur and who has been detained is difficult. Federal immigration officials did not respond to emails and phone calls for this story.

Sarah Jane Knoy with the Granite State Organizing Project said the activity has had a chilling effect within communities of color.

“The fear is real,” said Knoy. “Even people who have valid asylum claims, even people who have work permits, even people who have jobs, are very frightened.”

Employers are aware.

“It’s scary but we are not doing anything wrong. So we don’t have to worry about anything,” said Inder Saini, the owner of Curry Leaf Indian restaurant in Concord. “If you have documents, then there’s nothing to worry.”

Others say they feel supported by the community.

“If anything, people are embracing my restaurant, and I haven’t seen any impact,” said Susan Chung, owner of Sue’s Kimbap House in Concord. “I feel safe.”

Following the immigration visit to El Rodeo restaurant on Loudon Road, the business remained busy.

While some in Concord expressed community respect, that’s not the case everywhere.

Eva Castillo, director of the New Hampshire Alliance for Immigrants and Refugees, said Trump executive orders focused on detaining and deporting undocumented immigrants and those with criminal records, have led to law-abiding immigrants facing backlash and discriminatory labels as a result.

“They call them illegals or aliens or something like that,” said Castillo. “Wherever I go, whoever I talk to, they’re all in fear. That’s not fair and it’s affecting the whole community, regardless of whether you have papers or not.”

Most immigrants picked up by ICE in New Hampshire are held at the Strafford County Jail in Dover, except for asylum seekers or those who’ve overstayed their visas.

Superintendent Christopher Brackett said that since the new administration took office, the number of detainees brought to the facility has picked up.

“There has been an increase in detainees coming in. Yes, that has happened here at the facility,” said Brackett. “But I haven’t necessarily seen a difference in our operational process.”

As of Friday, 131 immigrants were detained at Strafford County Jail, brought in by federal immigration officers — 18 women and 113 men.

While the jail has a capacity of 425 beds, that doesn’t mean anyone can be accommodated.

The facility requires a careful balance of men, women, individuals in protective custody, and those in the therapeutic community for proper placement.

“We can accommodate more (immigrants) at the facility if we have time to make adjustments,” said Brackett.

The jail houses only medium and high-security offenders, which means the detainees range from those accused of crimes to those who have been convicted and have voluntarily agreed to deportation as part of their plea deals.

Castillo and Knoy said businesses can’t stop federal immigration agents from entering public areas, like a restaurant’s dining room.

However, owners can prevent ICE from accessing private spaces, such as bathrooms and kitchens, unless they have a court-issued warrant.

Knoy explained that the warrant should be signed by a judge and not an ICE officer. Also, the warrant must be dated within the last 10 days.

Legal protections

Undocumented immigrants, like American citizens, have the right to remain silent, the right to be free from unreasonable searches and the right to an attorney, Knoy said.

Advocates for immigrants have some advice if they encounter ICE agents.

■If you have a Green Card or Permanent Resident card, always carry the original on your person.

■Non-citizens with a work permit should carry the original Employment Authorization Document (EAD) and a valid U.S.-issued ID.

■Always carry the original documents, not copies.

■Avoid carrying any identification from your home country, as it could cause unnecessary complications.

■Leave copies of important documents with your employer, trusted friends or family, or a faith leader to ensure they can access them if you are detained.

If an individual has been detained, an ICE online locator tool can be used to find where they are being held.

Sruthi Gopalakrishnan can be reached at sgopalakrishnan@cmonitor.com