Resources

The best way to protect yourself, your loved ones, and your family, is to be prepared and informed. Use the resources to know what to do when your rights are under attack.

  • Have you recently seen, interacted with, or been detained by Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE)?

    Alameda County

    San Francisco

    San Mateo County

    • San Mateo County Rapid Response Network (203) 666-4472

    Santa Clara

    CA Rapid Response Numbers

  • You have the right to remain silent

    • You have the right to remain silent and refuse to speak to immigration officers.

    • Do not answer any questions, such as “Where are you from?”, “Where were you born?”, “What’s your nationality?”, and clearly state, “I want to remain silent”

    • You cannot be deported without evidence proving that you are not a U.S. citizen. Therefore, avoid saying anything about where you are from, where you were born, what your nationality is or how you entered the United States.

    • Carry a know-your rights card with you, and if stopped, show it to the officer. The card explains your right to remain silent and your wish to speak with an attorney.

    You have the right not to disclose your identity to ICE

    • You have the right not to disclose personal information about your identity. You cannot be deported without evidence that you are not a U.S. Citizen.

    • Do not provide any personal documents to ICE that could be used to identify you as a foreign national, such as a birth certificate, passport, or consular ID card (matricula consular, for Mexican Citizens).

    • If you have valid immigration status, you may carry a copy of your immigration documents, such as a green card. However, avoid carrying the original document to prevent them from being lost or stolen.

    Do not open the door

    • You have the right to refuse to open the door to an ICE agent who cannot show you a valid judicial warrant signed by a judge. If an ICE agent claims to have a warrant, request that they slide it under the door or hold it up to a window.

    • An administrative warrant issued by ICE is not equivalent to a valid judicial warrant.A valid judicial warrant must be signed by a judge and have your correct name and address.

    • Remember, you do not need to open the door to talk to ICE, and once the door is open, it becomes much harder to refuse their questions.

    You have the right to speak to a lawyer and to refuse to sign any documents

    • You have the right to speak to a lawyer. If you are stopped, you can simply say, “I need to speak to my attorney”

    • Do not sign anything without first talking to a lawyer. ICE may pressure you to sign documents that waive your rights to see a lawyer or judge, so make sure you fully understand what you are being asked to sign.