If Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers show up at your home, your workplace, or stop you in public, you have constitutional rights regardless of your immigration status. Knowing what those rights are — and how to invoke them calmly — is the single most important thing you can do to protect yourself and your family. The Constitution applies to everyone on U.S. soil.
ICE often carries an administrative warrant (Form I-200 or I-205) signed by an immigration officer — not a judge. That kind of warrant does not give them the right to enter your home. Only a warrant signed by a judge or magistrate, with your name and address, gives them entry authority. Ask them to slip the warrant under the door so you can read it.
You don't have to answer questions about where you were born, your immigration status, or how you entered the country. You can say, "I want to remain silent," and "I want to speak to a lawyer." This applies at home, at work, and in public encounters.
ICE may pressure you to sign documents — including a voluntary departure form or a stipulated removal order. Signing can waive your right to a hearing and immediate appeal. Don't sign anything you don't fully understand, and never sign without legal advice.
Memorize a lawyer's phone number (not just stored in a phone you might not have). Designate someone to care for your children if you're detained. Keep copies of important documents — birth certificates, ID, immigration paperwork — somewhere a trusted person can access.
You have the right to contact an attorney and to contact your country's consulate. You generally are not entitled to a free lawyer in immigration court, but many nonprofits, law school clinics, and pro bono programs handle removal cases. The earlier counsel gets involved, the better.
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