FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – On Thursday in Fresno, valley faith leaders, local law enforcement, and a representative from the Mexican Consulate gathered to address the fears and uncertainties affecting migrant communities. The main goal of this meeting is to continue establishing trust and sa fety. "We all have to work together," said Bishop Joseph Brennan of the Catholic Diocese of Fresno. The fear of mass deportation has unsettled the valley community, affecting individuals regardless of their legal status. "In January, when I saw, myself, Border Patrol vehicles up here, it got my attention and it didn't feel right, didn't look right. And my immigration status is pretty good. I just can't imagine what some of my folks might be going through," Bishop Brennan added. In an effort to put his congregants at ease, a roundtable was held at St. Anthony Claret Parish in Fresno. "It's a follow-up meeting from one we had several weeks ago," Brennan said. Community leaders shared the fears and concerns they see firsthand. "Regular mass attendance went down for a little while, and now it's, you know, kind of stabilized," said Martha Rodriguez, a member of the Central Valley Industrial Areas Foundation (IAF). Rodriguez says people are even afraid to report crimes for fear of being questioned about their legal status. Both a representative from the Fresno County Sheriff's Office and the Fresno Police Department assured that they do not care about your immigration status; their focus is on public safety. Also at the table was a delegate from the Mexican Consulate in Fresno. She shared information about the monthly workshops they hold and discussed their relationship with the local ICE offices in Fresno and Bakersfield. "We're actually doing, we visit Mexican nationals who are currently detained there who need legal advice. So we visit them, we just make sure that their rights are being respected, that they're receiving that fair treatment there at the facility as well," she said. A resource fair will be held at St. Anthony Claret Catholic Church on April 6, providing community members with access to various programs across the valley, extending beyond immigration services. "A lot of different aspects health issues, education," Rodriguez said. The diocese wants to keep these conversations going and says they're planning to meet again in May to see how things have changed or improved.  ...read more read less