Ice Encounters

You can stay silent. You never have to answer questions about your citizenship or birthplace.

Don't open your door. Only a judicial warrant signed by a judge, not an ICE officer, requires you to let them in.

Don't sign anything without a lawyer. You have the right to make a phone call if detained.

If stopped in public, ask: Am I free to leave? If yes, walk away calmly. If no, remain silent.

Never sign anything without a lawyer. Signing can permanently waive your right to see a judge.

During a workplace raid, stay calm, remain silent, and do not hand over any IDs or papers to ICE.

You do not have to consent to a search of your home, car, belongings, or person. Say it clearly.

You have a First Amendment right to record ICE in public, as long as you do not physically interfere.

As of January 2025, schools, churches, and hospitals are no longer protected from ICE enforcement. Your constitutional rights still apply.

At a traffic stop, provide license, registration, and insurance. You do not have to answer questions about immigration status.

If arrested, stay calm, remain silent, and ask for a lawyer immediately. Do not resist.

Have a plan before an encounter happens. Memorize a lawyer's number, designate a guardian for your children, and keep important documents safe.

A red card is a tool to assert your constitutional rights during an ICE encounter. You can show it instead of speaking.

All children have a constitutional right to attend public school regardless of immigration status, under Plyler v. Doe.

ICE agents sometimes wear uniforms that say Police. Always ask: What agency are you from?

CBP claims authority within 100 miles of any U.S. border, but your Fourth Amendment rights still apply.

If you see an ICE arrest, stay calm, record from a safe distance, and note badge numbers and details.

An ICE detainer is a request, not a command. It is not signed by a judge and does not compel local police to hold you.

Hospitals cannot share your immigration status with ICE. You have a right to emergency care regardless of status.

Stay calm in any encounter. Do not run, lie, or physically resist. Protect yourself by using your rights, not by fleeing.