It’s essential for immigrants and U.S citizens to know their constitutional rights as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conducts raids and detains people with little to no questions asked.
Local organizations such as ÓRALE and the Filipino Migrant Center have been working to inform the community on how to conduct themselves if confronted by ICE agents. ÓRALE has information on their Instagram page and regularly hosts workshops for residents.
Every person in the United States is protected by certain constitutional rights, regardless of their citizen status.
Know Your Rights Information if ICE approaches you:
This information is from the National Immigrant Justice Center.
- You have a right to remain silent. Whether ICE approaches you on the street or at your home, you do not have to answer any questions about your citizenship status. Anything you tell an immigration officer can be used against you in immigration court.
- Do not sign any documents.
- Do not lie about your citizenship status or give ICE agents any false documents.
- If ICE comes to your home and knocks on your door, you do not have to open the door unless they have a signed judicial warrant that was signed in the last two weeks from the current date. The National Immigrant Justice Center has examples of these warrants versus an administrative warrant and an immigration detainer. They must have a judicial warrant signed by a judge, not an ICE officer, for the right to enter your home.
- If you have lawful immigration status, you can show them your passport, legal permanent resident card, work permit or other documentation of your status. According to the National Immigrant Justice Center, you should have these papers with you at all times.
If you are a U.S. citizen, you have the right to record ICE agents, but do not attempt to interfere with an arrest. Long Beach residents can report ICE sightings or arrests to ÓRALE’s hotline at 562-245-9575.
Residents can equip themselves with this information and educate their residents by handing out Know Your Rights informational cards and flyers. If you’re approached by an ICE agent at home, you can remain silent and slide a Know Your Rights card under the door so they are aware that you know your rights.
A few businesses in Long Beach have these cards for free, and residents can pick up as many as they want.
Know Your Rights Cards:
PLACE – 2172 Pacific Ave.
Long Beach’s independent print studio has been steadily printing Know Your Rights cards (also known as red cards) for residents to pick up for free. They usually leave cards outside of the building to pick up free of charge, or residents can print a stack to distribute in their own neighborhood at a low cost.
LBUSD
The Long Beach Unified School District is providing free Know Your Rights cards for students and community members. Cards are available for students at all school sites in the district and a printable version is available for the public on the district’s website.
City of Long Beach website
The City of Long Beach offers a printable version of a Know Your Rights card on its website. It recommends using heavy weight paper or cardstock to print them. One printed out page provides four cards that can then be cut out and folded.
People are also beginning to circulate “bystander cards” so people know how to safely protect their community. Here is one example.
Community Resource Center – 5599 Atlantic Ave.
Long Beach’s Community Resource Center has free Know Your Rights cards during their regular hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.
Plantiitas – 2011 E. Fourth St.
This immigrant and LGBTQ-owned plant nursery has flyers with Know Your Rights information for residents to take. “Grab 1, 2, 20 or as many as you need!” they wrote on their social media. Plantiitas is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesdays through Mondays.
Know Your Rights Workshops:
Los Angeles County’s Office of Immigrant Affairs has an online calendar of Know Your Rights workshops hosted virtually and in the cities surrounding Los Angeles. View the calendar here.
Do you know of a Long Beach or Signal Hill location that has Know Your Rights information for residents? Let us know in the comments or by emailing Newspaper@SignalTribune.com so we can add them to this list.
