With the White House pushing for mass deportations, fear and uncertainty are growing in the communities of San Diego and Imperial counties. Misinformation is everywhere, and knowing the law and your rights is crucial. Here are some resources to help you stay informed and prepared.
Resources
Everyone in the U.S., regardless of immigration status, has certain rights under the Constitution.
If ICE or the police approach you at your home, work or school, there are steps you can take to protect yourself and your family. Here are some tips from the American Civil Liberties Union.
See more information at the ACLU’s website.
If ICE or the police approach you at your home, work or school, there are steps you can take to protect yourself and your family. Here are some tips from the American Civil Liberties Union.
See more information at the ACLU’s website.
- What to do when the police or ICE arrive:
- Stay calm and keep the door closed. Opening the door does not give officers or agents permission to come inside, but it is safer to speak to them through the door.
- Ask if they are immigration agents and what they are there for.
- Ask the agent or officer to show you a badge or identification through the window or peephole.
- Ask if they have a warrant signed by a judge. If they say they do, ask them to slide it under the door or hold it up to a window so you can inspect it.
- Don’t lie or produce any false documents. Don’t sign anything without speaking with a lawyer first.
- Do not open your door unless ICE shows you a judicial search or arrest warrant naming a person in your residence and/or areas to be searched at your address. If police have such a warrant, they are legally allowed to enter the home of the person on the warrant if they believe that person is inside. But a warrant of removal/deportation (Form I-205) does not allow officers to enter a home without consent. If they don’t produce the appropriate warrant, keep the door closed. State: “I do not consent to your entry.”
- If agents force their way in, do not resist. If you wish to exercise your rights, 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.”
- If you are on probation with a search condition, law enforcement is allowed to enter your home.
- What to do if you're arrested or detained
- If you are arrested by the police, you have the right to a government-appointed lawyer, and should ask for one immediately.
- If you are detained by ICE or Border Patrol, you have the right to hire a lawyer, but the government does not have to provide one for you. Ask for a list of free or low-cost alternatives.
The Immigrant Legal Resource Center's “red cards” can help people assert their rights in the instance that ICE agents go to their home or work. Print in English, Spanish and 17 other languages.
The activists have filed a public records request demanding answers from city officials about their cooperation with federal immigration officials.
MORE STORIES
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Nearly 50 immigration judges nationwide, including several in San Diego, left their jobs amid firings and resignations prompted by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The result could be fewer deportations of dangerous criminals. -
U.S. authorities have arrested and detained Canadian and European travelers at U.S. borders in recent weeks. -
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California is spending more than it expected on Medi-Cal and Republican lawmakers are pointing to coverage expansions that benefited immigrant households. -
Rep. Juan Vargas, D-San Diego, Thursday joined Democratic lawmakers to reintroduce the Neighbors Not Enemies Act, intended to repeal a nearly 230-year-old law targeting immigrants. -
About 500 combat engineers from Camp Pendleton deployed to the border near San Diego in January. -
Jim Desmond proposed repealing the existing policy, claiming it makes the county a "super sanctuary" for people living in the country illegally by limiting local assistance for federal immigration enforcement. -
What’s happening with Trump's mass deportations? Expert breaks down stalled efforts and future plansResource limits are currently blocking mass deportation efforts, but here's how Republicans plan to overcome those obstacles. -
A state law puts limits on when a county sheriff can transfer an inmate to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody, based on their criminal record. Advocates point to records showing San Diego Sheriff Kelly Martinez might have violated that law in at least one case.
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