Know Your Rights
At Times of Heightened Immigration Enforcement
This Know Your rights blog provides general information on what you can do if you are stopped, detained, visited by ICE, and how schools, hospitals, and places of worship can prepare for possible encounter with ICE, as well as how bystanders can assist.
CALL AN IMMIGRATION HOTLINE
to learn the latest immigration information, find someone detained by ICE, report a raid, locate assistance:
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HILSC Immigrant Resource Hotline: 1-833-468-4664
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National Immigration Detention Hotline: 209-757-3733
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NAKASEC Hotline: 844-500-3222
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CASA Raid Hotline: 1-888-214-6016
Make a Safety Plan
Record your information and that of your children and family should anyone be detained during immigration enforcement; appoint a trusted adult to care for your children; store your immigration documents in a safe place.
- Family Preparedness Plan in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese
- Set up an AUTHORIZATION AGREEMENT to have someone care for your child.
- Provide this information about your child to the caregiver you appoint under the authorization agreement.
WE HAVE RIGHTS
- WE HAVE RIGHTS INSIDE OUR HOMES.
- DO NOT OPEN THE DOOR if immigration agent knocks at your door at home.
- DO NOT SAY ANYTHING if immigration agent tries to talk to you.
- DO NOT SIGN ANYTHING without first speaking to a lawyer.
- SHOW IMMIGRATION AGENT THE RED CARD.
- ASK TO SPEAK WITH YOUR ATTORNEY.
- WE HAVE RIGHTS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
- ON THE STREETS
- You have the right to remain silent.
- Ask to speak with an attorney.
- Do not carry foreign identification documents on you.
- ON THE STREETS
- ILLUSTRATED KNOW YOUR RIGHTS RED CARD.
- EXPEDITED REMOVAL EXPANSION
- Protect yourself under expedited removal expansion.
- WITHIN 100-MILE BORDER ZONE
- Your rights when Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents on buses and trains
SENSITIVE LOCATIONS
On January 20, 2025, the Acting Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security issued a memorandum entitled:Â Enforcement Actions in or near Protected Areas, rescinded the previous memo safeguarding sensitive locations such as schools, places of worship, and hospital from immigration enforcement. The rescission is being challenged in court. You can set up protocols to protect your community.
SCHOOLS
- Ways you can prepare the parents before and during an ICE encounter at school (in Spanish).
- School districts can take these stepsto protect their immigrant students.
- Strategiesto support students impacted by immigration enforcement.
- All school-age students are entitled to access free K-12 public education regardless of immigration status. Contact MALDEF in the event of immigration enforcement taking place at your school. Call 213.629.2512 x141 or email info@maldef.org.
- Check out this detailed resource to prepare your school community for an ICE raid. A guide to school community.
- Schools can help immigrant parents develop an emergency plan by writing down important information about themselves and their children, store immigration documents in a safe place, and appoint a trusted adult to provide for the care of the children should the parents be detained by ICE.
HOSPITALS/HEALTHCARE CENTERS
- Use this advocacy guide to develop protocol and policies.
PLACES OF WORSHIP
- Make a plan:
- Clearly delineate non-public spaces.
- Understand the laws impacting sanctuary congregations.
- To learn more, visit Insurance Board Partners in Protection on-line training here.
PROTECT YOUR STAFF AT WORKPLACE
- Make a response plan
- Talk to your staff NOT TALK to immigration agents
- Know your rights.
- Clearly mark private areas at the workplace.
IF ARRESTED BY ICE
- Ask to speak with a lawyer.
- Do not say anything without a lawyer.
- Do not sign anything.
FINDING SOMEONE DETAINED BY ICE
- You can find someone detained by ICE here (locator.ice.gov) by entering the following information
- Search by A number and country of birth, or
- Search by name and country of birth
BYSTANDERS CAN HELP
- Record the encounter, do not interrupt, assess your personal risks
- Report an ICE raid:
- Call: 1-844-363-1423.
- Text messages: 877877
Click the links below to download the Know Your Rights 4 Immigrants app
The information contained in this blog post is informational only and does not constitute legal advice.
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