JACKSONVILLE, N.C. (WITN) - A popular Onslow County holiday assistance program has seen a significant decrease in Hispanic participation this year, with organizers attributing the drop to fears of immigration enforcement.

Run by the Onslow Community Outreach, Christmas Cheer offers food for families and gifts for children.

The program has helped Onslow County families in need during the holidays for decades and recorded a drop in Hispanic signups from 12% last year to 5% this year, according to program chair Glenn Hargett.

“We’re not seeing the diversity that we had seen, say two years ago or last year,” Hargett said.

Christina Fernandez, president of the Onslow Hispanic Latino Association, said recent ICE raids in other counties have created fear in the Hispanic community.

“Recent IC

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