This weekend, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will carry out raids across the U.S. This comes weeks after President Donald Trump announced and then temporarily canceled plans for nationwide immigration raids.
They will reportedly take place over several days and can impact thousands of families, according to The New York Times. ICE will target at least 2,000 immigrants who have received orders of deportation in at least 10 cities. The agency’s goal is to deport people as quickly as possible.
While ICE spokesman Matthew Bourke didn’t comment on the reports, Ken Cuccinelli, acting US Citizenship and Immigration Services director, said the raids will happen. “They’re absolutely going to happen,” he said Wednesday, according to CNN. “There’s approximately a million people in this country with removal orders. And of course that isn’t what ICE will go after in this, but that’s the pool of people who have been all the way through the due process chain.”
These raids can have catastrophic results, and while ICE agents will try to trick and dehumanize people, immigrants have rights. Below, learn what you should know if immigration agents knock on your door.
1
Don't open the door.
According to the ACLU, keeping the door closed keeps you safer, and it’s your right to keep your door closed. Ask the agents why they are there, and have them slide information under the door.
2
Ask for a warrant.
Asking for a warrant is very important. You can ask agents to slide the warrant under the door, but don’t be fooled by an official document that’s not a warrant. ICE agents need to have a warrant signed by a judge if they want to enter your home. The warrant will spell out what the ICE agent is allowed to do and what areas of your home they can search, according to National Immigration Project. An administrative warrant of removal from la migra is not the same as a warrant signed by a judge.
If ICE comes to your work, make sure the warrant specifies that they can enter your workplace. This is what a warrant signed by a judge looks like, and this is what an order from ICE looks like.
3
Remember to say "I do not consent to your entry."
Even if ICE does not have the proper warrant and you tell them that you do not consent to letting them in, they may try to force their way in. If this happens, the ACLU says to not resist. Instead, they suggest you state, “I do not consent to your entry or to your search of these premises. I am exercising my right to remain silent. I wish to speak with a lawyer as soon as possible.”
4
Don't sign anything.
Don’t sign anything that ICE gives you, unless your lawyer tells you to. The Immigrant Legal Resource Center says that you especially don’t want to sign a voluntary departure order without your lawyer’s input. You may end up signing your own deportation order.
5
You may need to find a lawyer.
Your best chance at fighting deportation is through an immigration lawyer, and while it’s not an expense everyone can take on, there are options. Click here to find representation – some of them will take you on for free.