It’s been a busy month for Carlos García de Alba–perhaps the busiest in his 30-year career in the Mexican diplomatic corps.

As the Mexican consul general in Los Angeles, García de Alba is at the front lines of his country’s response to President Donald Trump’s new immigration policies, overseeing the largest Mexican consulate in the United States, as well as a regional consular network responsible for an estimated 2.3 million Mexican citizens living in Southern California.

Like other Mexican consulates across the country--including in Santa Ana and San Bernardino–the L.A. outpost has been flooded with calls and visits since Trump’s inauguration. Mexican citizens are scrambling to renew passports, register their children for citizenship, and get legal advice in preparation for what their government has called the “new reality” of living as a foreigner in the United States.

Now, with new executive orders that vastly expand who is considered a priority for deportation and reports of widespread immigration raids, Mexicans across Southern California–particularly those living here illegally–are increasingly on edge.

The Southern California News Group spoke with García de Alba this week to find out more about what the consulate is doing to quell the panic, and cope with the dramatic policy changes that have left U.S-Mexico relations at their lowest point in years.

What has the atmosphere at the consulate been like these past few weeks?

Everyday is very busy, complicated. There’s a lot of uncertainty. Lots of doubts, lots of work, lots of pressure. In the case of the undocumented people–and actually even among those who are documented– there is a lot of fear. I don’t remember, in my many years in diplomacy, there being something like this. There is a lot of uncertainty–it’s challenging.

But we just need to keep working, as always, to protect the rights of our nationals living here. Because, frankly, we feel like there is a sentiment against Mexico and Mexicans. So for the consul of Mexico, it’s not easy times. We respect that we don’t have a right to interfere with sovereign decisions that the American government makes. But it doesn’t mean that we are happy.

Did you expect the new administration to implement its policy changes so quickly?

Not this fast. Of course, it was quite obvious that there would be a big change in American policy, and in the bilateral relationship with Mexico. It was a big part of the debate during the whole presidential campaign.

So yes, I was expecting there would be big change in many senses, but not that fast.

As the consul general in Los Angeles, what’s your role in dealing with these changes?

To be close to the community, and to defend the rights of Mexicans. That’s my main concern. To make sure that their human rights are respected: that if they are arrested, they get fair, due process, and that if they are deported, they are deported in a civil way.

I want to be close to my people, to be a reliable source of information for my people. And my job now is to do my best to convince them to be cautious, but also not to panic. It’s a very, very tiny line.

Are you concerned that the recent immigration enforcement actions are part of a new trend under this administration?

In the case of L.A., we have had roughly 150 or 160 arrested nationals since the inauguration of President Donald Trump. That’s actually even lower than President Obama’s standards.

But the way these raids have been done is different. From the fact that the president tweets about it, to all of the publicity that the raids have been getting in the media–in the past, it hasn’t been like that. So it is a change in the way of doing things, not in the numbers.

Do you think the attention that the raids have gotten, both from politicians and in the press, is helpful? Or is it unproductive?

Both. It’s productive because people are aware. It gives them time to understand their rights.

But it is not helpful because there is fear, and there is clearly an exaggeration of the facts. Some media talk about massive raids, everywhere, 24 hours a day, and that’s not the case. That creates panic and psychosis.

When people are under pressure like that, they start making bad decisions. They stop sending their children to school. They stop going to the park on the weekends. In some cases, they decide that they won’t go to work. And that’s not good.

Are you angry about what’s been said about immigrants, and specifically Mexicans, over the last year?

No. I’m not angry. I’m frustrated because this is not fair. What is happening to the Mexicans in this time is not fair. They came here to help, to do their best, and they are contributing a lot to this country on a daily basis.

Mexicans are hard workers, they are honest people–I don’t accept the stereotypes that say that Mexicans are bad peoples, rapists. Those things are not true. So I feel very frustrated because what is being said about Mexicans is very unfair.

But I have also met a lot of Americans in these days who have been very kind to the Mexican people, to the consulate, to myself. People who say, ‘I am so sorry about this situation. How can I can I help? What can I do?’ So I have felt the warmth of the American people in these weeks.

What’s the message that you want to send to Mexican citizens here who are concerned about deportations?

They need to be very well-informed, they need to protect themselves, know their rights. And the best ally they have is the Mexican consulate.

Already, we have seen more contact. Since Trump’s inauguration, there has been a 30 percent increase in daily calls to the consulate, and a 30 percent increase in requests for birth certificates.

Immigration is only one part of the U.S.-Mexico relationship. Are you concerned about other potential changes, say, on trade or economic policy?

We’re also concerned about the future of NAFTA, but that will be a second step. In the case of immigration and the wall, there are already executive orders. In the case of NAFTA, there is not a clear position yet on the administration’s agenda. And there are three countries involved, so it will be a different story.

In the end, the main concern is the human beings. Trade is important, but the most important and sensitive thing is the people.

But at the same time, the relationship between Mexico and Los Angeles is so complex. So even in these difficult times, we have to keep working on the agenda we have with the city of Los Angeles. The Mayor [Eric Garcetti] has declared 2017 the “Year of Mexico” in L.A. and we have a whole calendar of events planned on cultural promotion, business promotion. It’s a special year.