This is a safety guide with trusted resources for immigrants/immigrant families in the Bay Area threatened by possibility of deportation during Trump’s second presidency.
President elect Donald Trump has announced that his administration intends to mass deport immigrants in the U.S. This has raised concerns for immigrant families in the Bay Area as they may be affected by this decision, especially because there have been occurrences in which ICE officers will approach one in their homes, in public spaces, at work, etc., as stated in a previous article. In order to settle some of the unrest caused by this ordeal, the Independent Dragon has prepared a safety guide to protect yourself and your family when encountering ICE Officers.
In case of an ICE encounter at…
Your house:
- Stay calm and do not open the door nor invite them in.
- Ask for a court-mandated warrant for your arrest/entry slipped under your door.
Notes: only a warrant mandated by court will give them permission to enter. Not an ICE warrant (Form 1-200).
Your car:
- Pull over without resistance.
- If asked and available, provide your driver’s license, registration, and proof of insurance.
- Do not give them permission to search your car—and if they do anyway, do not resist.
Notes: if they are police, ask for their name, badge number, and the number of their supervisor. If they are ICE and ask for a green card/proof of status, provide it if you have it.
Your work:
- Head to a private space of your building.
- ICE requires a court-mandated warrant or your employer’s permission to enter parts of the worksite that is not open to the public (eg., a breakroom).
Notes: you are not required to give ICE your identification, work authorization, or any other papers.
Your school:
- Do not run or panic. Unless they have a valid warrant, ICE cannot come onto your campus.
- All legal discussion should be handled by your school’s administration.
REMEMBER: You have the right to remain silent. Do not answer questions you are not required to without a lawyer. Anything you say can be held against you; these are suggestions based on the Fifth Amendment. If there are questions you cannot stay silent for, do not lie, falsely claim to be a citizen, or provide false documentation.
Below are several links and sources to consider regarding concerns of encountering ICE Officers.
The original source we referenced covering all steps of safety:
Further information regarding steps of safety (in eight different languages, including Spanish, Chinese, and Tagalog, and others):
Hotlines you should call if you encounter or see a ICE Officer in your area:
Papers you should print in preparation of ICE Officers being at your door:
- www.ilrc.org/sites/default/files/documents/red_card-self_srv-english.pdf
- www.aclunc.org/sites/default/files/demonstrators_download.pdf
Information on finding a lawyer/legal support regarding concerns on immigration:
(Cover Photo Credit: Kyle Miller)
