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.
Matthew Bowler
/
KPBS
Chaos erupted Sunday throughout Mexico after members of the Mexican military killed the leader of one of Mexico’s most powerful drug cartels near the city of Guadalajara. But there were no incidents reported on Monday in Tijuana.
MORE STORIES
-
The partial shutdown began Saturday after lawmakers failed to agree on a funding package for the Department of Homeland Security. -
Kristi Noem, Department of Homeland Security Secretary, visited the Otay Mesa detention facility Thursday to tout the border's security and denounce Democrats for failing to fund her department, likely leading to a shutdown Saturday. -
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s visit to the U.S.-Mexico border comes as polls show declining support for President Trump’s immigration policies since the killing of protestors in Minneapolis. -
Local police forces get money every year from the Department of Homeland Security to assist with border patrol operations. This includes the UC San Diego Police Department, which helps monitor for smuggling along the coastline. -
A federal judge has blocked a California law from going into effect that would ban federal immigration agents from covering their faces, but they will still be required to wear clear identification showing their agency and badge number. -
Detainees at the facility have reportedly thrown notes wrapped around lotion bottles and batteries describing substandard food and living conditions. -
San Diego's Somali community — already plagued by harassment following Nick Shirley's Minneapolis video — braces for more. -
President Donald Trump often says immigrant sanctuary cities are hotbeds of crime. The facts don't back up his claims. -
The lawsuit filed Friday in San Diego federal court states that grants for the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Program are now conditional upon the cities following DOJ requirements that are unrelated to investigating crimes against children and are unlawful to impose on the cities. -
At a San Diego press conference, Gov. Gavin Newsom highlighted California’s drug enforcement efforts, while criticizing President Trump’s immigration crackdowns.
Sign up for our newsletters!
Keep up with all the latest news, arts and culture, and TV highlights from KPBS.
- Tijuana was calm Monday after Sunday's violence in response to killing of cartel leader
- Americans in Mexico warned of danger as violence breaks out
- Famed Mexican restaurant Las Cuatro Milpas expected to reopen this spring
- The POTUS 2026 State of the Union Address - A PBS News Special
- Data show San Diego police stop fewer drivers while more people die in traffic