AMHERST — Many immigration resources are underutilized in the United States, according to immigration attorney Lauren Burke. And she is on a mission to change that.

Burke, a 2002 graduate of Amherst Regional High School, spoke Thursday night about how the Amherst community can organize for and assist undocumented immigrants living in the country. Burke is a co-founder of the nonprofit Atlas:DIY in Brooklyn, New York.

The hourlong talk attracted some 75 people to the Munson Memorial Library on South East Street.

“We are looking at a scary, scary future,” Burke said, referring to President-elect Donald Trump. “We’re talking about heightened raids, deportation and, of course, the Muslim registry.”

In what Burke called “the quickest immigration overview ever,” she highlighted ways allies can help undocumented immigrants understand and exercise their rights in the United States.

Burke discussed humanitarian forms of immigration relief including U Visas, T Visas, Special Immigrant Juveniles Status and the Violence Against Women Act.

“They’re some of the most underutilized forms of immigration relief,” Burke said.

Beyond legal efforts, Burke stressed allies should create safe spaces and have respect for the journey undocumented immigrants undergo. She showed a poster of a butterfly that read “migration is beautiful.”

“Fill it with signs that you are pro-immigrant … It might seem like a small thing,” Burke said. “You’re affirmatively stating that I am a person that’s been educated and you can come talk to me. It’s really important to just decorate our spaces with all of that.”

Burke highlighted the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program and encouraged participants to sign a petition to strengthen sanctuary city measures in Amherst.

The sanctuary city movement encourages towns and cities to declare they will not use local resources to assist Immigration and Customs Enforcement. To strengthen this declaration, Burke said, police departments must take steps to stop racial profiling.

In January, Burke will set off on a six-month journey across the country with Atlas:DIY co-founder Martina Carillo in a project titled “Immigration Nation.”

The pair will leave in a van Jan. 21, the day after the presidential inauguration, and hope to travel to all 50 states to help families and provide free seminars. Burke said they aim to help young people in “lawyer deserts” where people do not have access to an attorney within 100 miles of where they live.

Margaret Sawyer, of Amherst, also spoke at the event. Sawyer said she had a “Nov. 8 moment” following Trump’s election and decided to get involved with the Pioneer Valley Workers Center in Northampton.

According to Sawyer, the organization is working to start a “sanctuary in the streets” movement in the Valley based off activism happening in Philadelphia. Organizers aim to create a hotline that would send out a text or email in the event of an ICE raid or deportation.

“We would send an urgent text so people can come to a place and be present,” Sawyer said.

George Munger, of Amherst, attended the talk Thursday night. Munger said he feels privileged to live in an area where people can gather and talk openly about immigration.

“I’m interested in seeing places for me to be supportive for people who are being mistreated,” Munger said.

Munger added that he was impressed by the complexity of immigration law. Burke said earlier that after practicing immigration law for 11 years, she still only knows small pieces of it.

“There’s a lot more to it than I could ever imagine,” Munger said.

Stephanie Murray can be reached at stephaniemur@umass.edu.

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