Bay Area immigrant rights groups said they're shocked and afraid in response to President Donald Trump's comments at the United Nations Tuesday.
Immigrant rights leaders said Trump is urging world leaders to follow his lead and essentially close their borders.
"Other countries have no choice because other countries are in the exact same situation with immigration," Trump said in an address to the United Nations General Assembly. "It's destroying your country, and you have to do something about it."
Maritza Maldonado heads Amigos de Guadalupe, a community group that provides a range of services, including housing and immigration help for more than 1,200 refugee families in Silicon Valley. Trump's comments left her shaken.
"As an American, I was very disappointed in the president this morning," she said.
Also in disbelief was Bay Area Congressman Sam Liccardo.
"Donald Trump's comments about immigration were outrageous as many other comments were before the UN today," he said. "I know a lot of the delegates and leaders from around the world probably felt something like having their drunk uncle show up at Thanksgiving dinner and doing all they could to simply nod nicely and hope he'll leave soon."
Liccardo said on the policy side any immigration reform is likely on ICE, unless congressional Republicans break ranks with Trump.
Meanwhile, Amigos de Guadalupe said Trump's past comments on the issue of immigration and immigrants have led to a rise in hate mail and other threats for their organization's efforts. Now they worry those threats will only grow.
"Do I fear retaliation? Absolutely," Maldonado said. "Do I fear someone doing harm to one of our families? Yes, all the time. We've also tried to be smart and strategic even about what we post."