How to Prepare

  1. Identify your emergency contacts and memorize their phone numbers.

  2. Provide your child’s school or day care with an emergency contact to pick up your child.

  3. Provide authorization in writing for your emergency contact to make medical and legal decisions for your child.

  4. Tell your loved ones that if you are detained by ICE, they can try to use ICE's Online Detainee Finder to find you: https://locator.ice.gov/odls/#/search

Know Your Rights: If You Encounter ICE, National Immigrant Justice Center, https://immigrantjustice.org/for-immigrants/know-your-rights/ice-encounter/ (last visited June 17, 2025).

DO Carry

  • a valid work permit or green card, if you have one. If you do not have one, generally it is advisable to carry a municipal ID, state ID, or driver’s license if it was issued in the United States and contains no information at all about your immigration status or your country of origin. Ask a local immigration advocate about what kind of documents are safe to carry in your area.

  • a red card to exercise your right to remain silent in case you are stopped or interrogated by ICE or police officers.

  • the telephone number of someone who can put your plans and wishes into place, call your immigration attorney, and access your important documents in an emergency.

Do NOT Carry

  • any documentation about your country of origin.

  • any false identity documents or false immigration documents.

Step-by-Step Family Preparedness Plan, Immigrant Legal Resource Center, https://www.ilrc.org/resources/step-step-family-preparedness-plan (last visited June 17, 2025).

Is This a Valid Warrant?

If ICE knocks on your front door, don’t open it.
Ask to see a warrant through the CLOSED window, or having them slide the warrant under the door.Agents may show you a judicial warrant issued by a court -- OR they might have an administrative warrant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.There’s a critical difference between the two.

VALID JUDICIAL WARRANT

✅ Enter your home? Yes -- only between 6 AM - 10 PM
✅ Search your car? Yes

To enter and search your house or non-public areas of a business—like a restaurant kitchen—ICE needs a valid judicial warrant issued by a court and signed by a judge, like the one below.WHAT TO LOOK FOR
- At the top, it says Superior Court of California or U.S. District Court.
- Make sure the address is correct.
- Make sure the person named on the warrant lives at the home.
- Check the date and signature.

https://www.aclunc.org/our-work/know-your-rights/know-your-rights-immigration-enforcement-and-warrants

Valid Administrative Warrant

An administrative arrest warrant or a warrant of removal, seen below, says U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
An administrative warrant does not grant ICE permission to enter or search your house.- If ICE agents show you an administrative warrant, you don’t have to let them in.
- If they force their way in, say you don’t consent, but don’t try to stop them.Don’t answer any questions. Remember, in any encounter with ICE or other federal immigration officers, you always have the right to remain silent.

https://www.aclunc.org/our-work/know-your-rights/know-your-rights-immigration-enforcement-and-warrants

Know Your Rights: Immigration Enforcement and Warrants, American Civil Liberties Union Northern California, https://www.aclunc.org/our-work/know-your-rights/know-your-rights-immigration-enforcement-and-warrants (last updated March 13, 2025).

What To Do If ICE Is...

approaching you in public

If you are in a public space, such as a street or sidewalk, and ICE (immigration officer) approaches, you have rights that protect you.

Ask: "Am I free to leave?"

If ICE approaches you in public, you may ask if you are free to leave. If the answer is “yes,” calmly, slowly, and quietly walk away. Do not run or speak. If they say “no,” do not walk or run away. Stay where you are.

You have the right to refuse a search.

You do not have to consent to a search of yourself or your belongings or provide proof of employment authorization. State clearly that you do not consent. Refusing consent may not stop the officer. If the officer proceeds to search your person or your belongings, stay calm, do not resist the inspection, and keep your hands where the officer can see them. Stating your objection preserves your rights. Thereafter, the officer cannot arrest you without a warrant or proof you have committed a crime.

You have the right to remain silent.

- You do not have to answer any questions without the presence of your legal representative. (In some states, you may be required to state your name if an officer asks you to identify yourself and an officer may arrest you for refusing to do so.)
- You can show the officer your Know Your Rights card or tell the officer you are exercising your right to remain silent.
- If you must speak, only say that you would like to speak to your legal representative before answering questions.

You have the right to speak to a lawyer.

If the officer tells you that you cannot walk away, you have been detained. You should ask to speak to a lawyer and then remain silent. You have the right to speak to a legal representative. It is okay if you have not hired a legal representative; you still have the right to consult with one.

*Talk to a local advocate about whether and when you must produce identification. For example, in most states, you must show a driver’s license if you have one and you are pulled over; you also must show your immigration identification to an immigration officer who requests it if you have lawful status and are not a U.S. citizen.

Know Your Rights Flyers, Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc., https://www.cliniclegal.org/about-us/clinics-35th-anniversary-year (last accessed June 17 2025).

What To Do If ICE...

Comes to Your Workplace

If you are in a public space, such as a street or sidewalk, and ICE (immigration officer) approaches, you have rights that protect you.

Ask: "Am I free to leave?"

If ICE approaches you in public, you may ask if you are free to leave. If the answer is “yes,” calmly, slowly, and quietly walk away. Do not run or speak. If they say “no,” do not walk or run away. Stay where you are.

You have the right to refuse a search.

You do not have to consent to a search of yourself or your belongings or provide proof of employment authorization. State clearly that you do not consent. Refusing consent may not stop the officer. If the officer proceeds to search your person or your belongings, stay calm, do not resist the inspection, and keep your hands where the officer can see them. Stating your objection preserves your rights. Thereafter, the officer cannot arrest you without a warrant or proof you have committed a crime.

You have the right to remain silent.

- You do not have to answer any questions without the presence of your legal representative. (In some states, you may be required to state your name if an officer asks you to identify yourself and an officer may arrest you for refusing to do so.)
- You can show the officer your Know Your Rights card or tell the officer you are exercising your right to remain silent.
- If you must speak, only say that you would like to speak to your legal representative before answering questions.

You have the right to speak to a lawyer.

If the officer tells you that you cannot walk away, you have been detained. You should ask to speak to a lawyer and then remain silent. You have the right to speak to a legal representative. It is okay if you have not hired a legal representative; you still have the right to consult with one.

*Talk to a local advocate about whether and when you must produce identification. For example, in most states, you must show a driver’s license if you have one and you are pulled over; you also must show your immigration identification to an immigration officer who requests it if you have lawful status and are not a U.S. citizen.

Title of Website Here, Full Organization Name Here, https://fullurlhere (last updated March 13, 2025).
OR
Title of Website Here, Full Organization Name Here, https://fullurlhere (last accessed June 17, 2025).

What To Do If ICE Is...

Pulls Over Your Car

If you are in a public space, such as a street or sidewalk, and ICE (immigration officer) approaches, you have rights that protect you.

Ask: "Am I free to leave?"

If ICE approaches you in public, you may ask if you are free to leave. If the answer is “yes,” calmly, slowly, and quietly walk away. Do not run or speak. If they say “no,” do not walk or run away. Stay where you are.

You have the right to refuse a search.

You do not have to consent to a search of yourself or your belongings or provide proof of employment authorization. State clearly that you do not consent. Refusing consent may not stop the officer. If the officer proceeds to search your person or your belongings, stay calm, do not resist the inspection, and keep your hands where the officer can see them. Stating your objection preserves your rights. Thereafter, the officer cannot arrest you without a warrant or proof you have committed a crime.

You have the right to remain silent.

- You do not have to answer any questions without the presence of your legal representative. (In some states, you may be required to state your name if an officer asks you to identify yourself and an officer may arrest you for refusing to do so.)
- You can show the officer your Know Your Rights card or tell the officer you are exercising your right to remain silent.
- If you must speak, only say that you would like to speak to your legal representative before answering questions.

You have the right to speak to a lawyer.

If the officer tells you that you cannot walk away, you have been detained. You should ask to speak to a lawyer and then remain silent. You have the right to speak to a legal representative. It is okay if you have not hired a legal representative; you still have the right to consult with one.

*Talk to a local advocate about whether and when you must produce identification. For example, in most states, you must show a driver’s license if you have one and you are pulled over; you also must show your immigration identification to an immigration officer who requests it if you have lawful status and are not a U.S. citizen.

Title of Website Here, Full Organization Name Here, https://fullurlhere (last updated March 13, 2025).
OR
Title of Website Here, Full Organization Name Here, https://fullurlhere (last accessed June 17, 2025).

What To Do If ICE Is...

Outside Your House

If you are in a public space, such as a street or sidewalk, and ICE (immigration officer) approaches, you have rights that protect you.

Ask: "Am I free to leave?"

If ICE approaches you in public, you may ask if you are free to leave. If the answer is “yes,” calmly, slowly, and quietly walk away. Do not run or speak. If they say “no,” do not walk or run away. Stay where you are.

You have the right to refuse a search.

You do not have to consent to a search of yourself or your belongings or provide proof of employment authorization. State clearly that you do not consent. Refusing consent may not stop the officer. If the officer proceeds to search your person or your belongings, stay calm, do not resist the inspection, and keep your hands where the officer can see them. Stating your objection preserves your rights. Thereafter, the officer cannot arrest you without a warrant or proof you have committed a crime.

You have the right to remain silent.

- You do not have to answer any questions without the presence of your legal representative. (In some states, you may be required to state your name if an officer asks you to identify yourself and an officer may arrest you for refusing to do so.)
- You can show the officer your Know Your Rights card or tell the officer you are exercising your right to remain silent.
- If you must speak, only say that you would like to speak to your legal representative before answering questions.

You have the right to speak to a lawyer.

If the officer tells you that you cannot walk away, you have been detained. You should ask to speak to a lawyer and then remain silent. You have the right to speak to a legal representative. It is okay if you have not hired a legal representative; you still have the right to consult with one.

*Talk to a local advocate about whether and when you must produce identification. For example, in most states, you must show a driver’s license if you have one and you are pulled over; you also must show your immigration identification to an immigration officer who requests it if you have lawful status and are not a U.S. citizen.

Title of Website Here, Full Organization Name Here, https://fullurlhere (last updated March 13, 2025).
OR
Title of Website Here, Full Organization Name Here, https://fullurlhere (last accessed June 17, 2025).

What To Do If ICE Is...

Detaining Someone In Public

If you are in a public space, such as a street or sidewalk, and ICE (immigration officer) approaches, you have rights that protect you.

Ask: "Am I free to leave?"

If ICE approaches you in public, you may ask if you are free to leave. If the answer is “yes,” calmly, slowly, and quietly walk away. Do not run or speak. If they say “no,” do not walk or run away. Stay where you are.

You have the right to refuse a search.

You do not have to consent to a search of yourself or your belongings or provide proof of employment authorization. State clearly that you do not consent. Refusing consent may not stop the officer. If the officer proceeds to search your person or your belongings, stay calm, do not resist the inspection, and keep your hands where the officer can see them. Stating your objection preserves your rights. Thereafter, the officer cannot arrest you without a warrant or proof you have committed a crime.

You have the right to remain silent.

- You do not have to answer any questions without the presence of your legal representative. (In some states, you may be required to state your name if an officer asks you to identify yourself and an officer may arrest you for refusing to do so.)
- You can show the officer your Know Your Rights card or tell the officer you are exercising your right to remain silent.
- If you must speak, only say that you would like to speak to your legal representative before answering questions.

You have the right to speak to a lawyer.

If the officer tells you that you cannot walk away, you have been detained. You should ask to speak to a lawyer and then remain silent. You have the right to speak to a legal representative. It is okay if you have not hired a legal representative; you still have the right to consult with one.

*Talk to a local advocate about whether and when you must produce identification. For example, in most states, you must show a driver’s license if you have one and you are pulled over; you also must show your immigration identification to an immigration officer who requests it if you have lawful status and are not a U.S. citizen.

Title of Website Here, Full Organization Name Here, https://fullurlhere (last updated March 13, 2025).
OR
Title of Website Here, Full Organization Name Here, https://fullurlhere (last accessed June 17, 2025).

What To Do If ICE Is...

Detaining My Loved One

If you are in a public space, such as a street or sidewalk, and ICE (immigration officer) approaches, you have rights that protect you.

Ask: "Am I free to leave?"

If ICE approaches you in public, you may ask if you are free to leave. If the answer is “yes,” calmly, slowly, and quietly walk away. Do not run or speak. If they say “no,” do not walk or run away. Stay where you are.

You have the right to refuse a search.

You do not have to consent to a search of yourself or your belongings or provide proof of employment authorization. State clearly that you do not consent. Refusing consent may not stop the officer. If the officer proceeds to search your person or your belongings, stay calm, do not resist the inspection, and keep your hands where the officer can see them. Stating your objection preserves your rights. Thereafter, the officer cannot arrest you without a warrant or proof you have committed a crime.

You have the right to remain silent.

- You do not have to answer any questions without the presence of your legal representative. (In some states, you may be required to state your name if an officer asks you to identify yourself and an officer may arrest you for refusing to do so.)
- You can show the officer your Know Your Rights card or tell the officer you are exercising your right to remain silent.
- If you must speak, only say that you would like to speak to your legal representative before answering questions.

You have the right to speak to a lawyer.

If the officer tells you that you cannot walk away, you have been detained. You should ask to speak to a lawyer and then remain silent. You have the right to speak to a legal representative. It is okay if you have not hired a legal representative; you still have the right to consult with one.

*Talk to a local advocate about whether and when you must produce identification. For example, in most states, you must show a driver’s license if you have one and you are pulled over; you also must show your immigration identification to an immigration officer who requests it if you have lawful status and are not a U.S. citizen.

Title of Website Here, Full Organization Name Here, https://fullurlhere (last updated March 13, 2025).
OR
Title of Website Here, Full Organization Name Here, https://fullurlhere (last accessed June 17, 2025).

How To…

Add iPhone Shortcut to Send Your Current Location to A Predetermined Contact

Instructions

This is a for iPhone users to use “Hey Siri, ICE is here!” (Or variation according to language) to send an “ICE is here!” alert with current location & next steps for your family to take. Just make sure to ask:1. Lawyer number — if no lawyer, you can add:
[ENGLISH] https://www.immi.org/en/Info/SearchDetentionCenter
[SPANISH] https://www.immi.org/es/Info/SearchDetentionCenter
2. Add intended Recipient at the end of the Location message
3. Tap the arrow next to “Recipients” and make sure “Show when run” is DISABLED so you don’t need to confirm the shortcut for it to run

Links

Original shortcut by instagram.com/etchaskej