Your Rights with Immigration and Customs Enforcement
New guide addresses Trump orders that target immigrants engaged in pro-Palestine speech and remove protections for sensitive places like houses of worship.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today released its latest Know Your Rights guide, “What to Do When Interacting with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) & Other Law Enforcement.”
This educational resource is designed to help American Muslims—and all other community members—understand and exercise their legal rights during interactions with ICE and other law enforcement agencies that have been charged with carrying out White House executive orders demanding a crackdown on both free speech and immigration, even among people legally present in the United States.
CLICK HERE: Read CAIR’s New Know Your Rights Guide on Interacting with ICE, Immigration Officers
Key Points from CAIR’s New Know Your Rights Guide:
- Your Right to Remain Silent: you do not have to answer questions about your immigration status, religious views, or political beliefs.
- Seek Legal Representation: if you are detained or questioned, request to speak with an attorney.
- Ask to See a Signed Warrant: ask federal law enforcement who seek to enter your home to provide a valid warrant signed by a judge.
- Document Everything: if it is safe to do so, record names, badge numbers, statements made, and the names of anyone taken into custody.
- Carry Identification and Make a Plan: keep proof of lawful status with you and develop a family preparedness plan in case of detentions.
ICE is a branch of the DHS responsible for enforcing immigration laws within the United States through arrests, raids, detentions, deportations, and removal proceedings. ICE agents often work in conjunction with other law enforcement agencies, including local police.
On President Trump’s first day back in office, his administration rescinded an existing policy that previously protected certain “sensitive areas” from immigration enforcement—places such as houses of worship, schools, and hospitals. However, ICE agents still need consent or a valid judicial warrant to enter private spaces and locations.
The release of this guide comes amid growing concerns over recent executive orders and enforcement actions targeting immigrants, legal permanent residents, students, and visa holders based on their speech. Even U.S. citizens have been briefly detained in the crackdown.
Of particular alarm are Trump administration directives urging federal law enforcement to monitor the peaceful political activities of immigrants, such as attending pro-Palestinian human rights rallies and criticism of Israeli government actions, which represents an unprecedented crackdown on free speech and legal immigration.
Under these policies, federal authorities are directed to investigate current and prospective legal immigrants, visa applicants, and immigrants already here, based on “vague, subjective and unenforceable” criteria, such as whether a person holds “hostile attitudes toward its citizens, culture, government, institutions, or founding principles.”
SEE: CAIR Strongly Opposes Planned Immigration Raids at Houses of Worship, Other Sensitive Locations
CAIR also offers “Know Your Rights” workshops nationwide, where experienced attorneys discuss how to protect civil and religious liberties. These sessions cover a broad range of topics, including lawful protest rights, immigration procedures, and best practices during interactions with law enforcement.
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CONTACT: CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, iallison@cair.com