Know Your Rights.
Knowledge is power. If ICE shows up…
Do not open the door.
ICE cannot enter your home without a valid judicial warrant—unless you let them in. ICE is allowed to lie to you—they may claim to be local police officers, or to have a warrant. They may show you a document that they call a warrant—but administrative warrants, issued by ICE/DHS themselves, do not give ICE the right to enter your home without consent. Unless they have a valid judicial warrant, signed by a judge (or magistrate), ICE has no legal right to enter your home.
Learn more about the difference between a judicial warrant and an administrative “warrant”
Do not speak to ICE (Or police.)
Invoke your right to remain silent under the 5th amendment.
Anything you tell ICE, or any law enforcement officers, can and will be used against you in immigration proceedings and in criminal court. And while you can’t lie to ICE, ICE can (and will) lie to you. Print out the following text, and hand that to ICE agents (or slide it under the door) if they try to speak with you:
I do not wish to speak with you, answer your questions, or sign or hand you any documents based on my 5th Amendment rights under the United States Constitution. I do not give you permission to enter my home based on my 4th Amendment rights under the United States Constitution unless you have a warrant to enter, signed by a judge or magistrate with my name on it that you slide under the door. I do not give you permission to search any of my belongings based on my 4th Amendment rights. I choose to exercise my constitutional rights.
Do not sign any documents without your lawyer present.
ICE will pressure you to sign documents that will be deleterious for your case. Remember: you have a right to speak with a lawyer. Use that right. If ICE asks you to sign any paperwork, tell them to send it to your lawyer.
If you are able to do so safely, record any sightings of ICE.
Know the status of your case.
Use the following tools to find where a loved one in ICE custody is being detained, and whether there are any upcoming court hearings or court orders in your case.
To find someone who has been detained by ICE, use the Online Detainee Locator System.
Information may take several days to appear in the system. It is crucial to check this portal every day to know if the person has been transferred. To use this system:
1. Go to locator.ice.gov/odls
and choose the language you prefer.
2. Enter the person’s
“A-number.”
The A-number has nine digits, and is used to identify a person’s case in the immigration system. The number looks like this: A#123456789
Note: if the person does not have an A-number, go to step four.
3. Select the person’s country of birth and click “Search by A-Number”.
4. Search by biographical information.
If the person does not have an A-number, or you don’t know their A-number, you can scroll down and enter their name, date of birth, and country of birth. Note that you will need to enter their name exactly as it appears on ICE’s system—and ICE frequently makes mistakes. If they don’t show up in the system, try spelling their name in a few different ways. If they have multiple last names, or middle names, try various combinations of those names.
To find out if you have a deportation order or hearing, use the EOIR Database.
If your family member has been kidnapped by ICE, you’ll want to find out the date of their next court hearing—or whether they have an order of removal issued by an immigration judge. (Importantly, they may have an order of removal that they’re not aware of.) To use the EOIR database:
The A-number has nine digits, and is used to identify a person’s case in the immigration system. The number looks like this: A#123456789
Note: To use the EOIR database, you need to know the person’s A-Number.
This section will tell you the date and location of their next court hearing.
Scroll down to see if there are any court orders in their case, including removal orders.
Note that expedited removal orders will NOT show up in the system.
You also have the option to call! Dial 1-800-898-7180 and have their A-number ready. Then follow the automated instructions to get the information you need.
To find out the status of your USCIS application, use the USCIS Case Status Tool.
Go to egov.uscis.gov and enter the receipt number.
Find a (reputable) lawyer.
Reputable immigration lawyers can be invaluable—but lots of lawyers lie to our community, make promises they cannot keep, and fail to take basic steps to fight for the interests of their clients. Do NOT hire lawyers based on a Google search. Reach out to Cosecha organizers in your community to connect with lawyers you can trust.