Know Your Rights with ICE encounters
Who is at risk of an ICE arrest?
Anyone without lawful immigration status, including those entered without status, overstayed their visa, or has a final order of removal.
If ICE is at your door, do not open.
You have the right to leave your door closed and remain silent.
If officers are at your door, you can ask for their precinct and if they’re ICE through a closed door.
You can ask them to leave their contact information.
If officers at the door say they have a warrant, you can tell them to slide it under the door, and make sure any warrant is signed by a judge(not ICE) and has the correct name and address.
If it’s not signed by a judge, you have the right to refuse entry.
ICE and CBP have been known to use warrants that lure community members to surrender without due process.
If officers at the door DO NOT have a warrant, you can reply: “I don’t want to answer your questions, please leave.”
If officers at the door have a warrant with correct address and name that’s signed by a judge, allow entry calmly, remain silent as anything you say can be used against you. Request a lawyer. DO NOT sign any paperwork.
Remember, DO NOT LIE to the officers, and DO NOT provide false documents.
If encountering ICE/Police in public, DO NOT resist/run.
What can I prepare to protect myself from ICE or Police?
Keep important documents such as copies of your IDs, birth certificates and immigration paperwork in a safe place
Create an emergency plan and share it with family and loved ones
Memorize emergency numbers and/or write it down and keep it with you
More legal resources from IDP (Immigrant Defense Project) in different languages:
https://www.immigrantdefenseproject.org/know-your-rights-with-ice
The ILRC (Immigrant Legal Resource Center)’s Red Cards help people assert their rights and defend themselves in many situations, such as when ICE agents go to a home:
