ICE Raid Guide for Allies

Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) will soon enter our communities as part of a presidentially mandated “mass round up” of our undocumented friends and neighbors. This is not a drill.

“A lot of folks think that there will be an easy way to resist ICE enforcement or to respond to ICE enforcement in a way that prevents the unjust detention of their neighbors. Unfortunately, the way ICE operates is really complicated and unpredictable.” (Katie Miller, CASA).”

As an untrained bystander you could actually make things worse by trying to interfere with ICE operations. But there are things you can do.*

GET PREPARED NOW:

1. Prepare to record: First, make sure you’ve downloaded the ACLU’s Mobile Justice App and use it to document raids or report ICE actions.
2. Prepare to report: Put the Rapid Response Hotline number in your phone: 844–878–7801 (844-TRUST-01). Call when you see ICE activity. They can send people out to verify whether an ICE raid is happening and provide legal support.
3. Have information handy: Keep “Know Your Rights” cards on hand in case a community member needs one. You can print them here.
4. Be proactive: Even if you don’t hear about or witness an ICE raid in your town or city, you can still do yout part to resist by starting and sharing a petition against ICE in your area. Get started here.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU SEE ICE OFFICIALS:

1. Resist. If asked, refuse to show your identification in solidarity with those who don’t have proof of citizenship. Do not speak to ICE. Say, “I am exercising my right to remain silent.” Do not answer questions or provide any information about your immigration status or national origin, and encourage others to do the same.
2. Document. If it’s possible, take photos, videos, and notes on exactly what happened. Use the ACLU app in case your phone gets confiscated (the info you record is stored on their cloud). Write down badge numbers (if possible), the exact date, time & location and the type of law enforcement agencies present and vehicles. Note and report if ICE interferes with your right to take photos or video.
3. Report. Call 844–878–7801 (844-TRUST-01) to report any ICE presence you suspect in your area.
4. Share, with caution. Report raids or checkpoints on social media only if you are certain. When unverified reports are shared, they can reduce the trust between immigrant communities, organizations, and well-meaning bystanders. Sharing of unverified reports amplifies existing fears and trauma, often causing those at risk to unecessarily skip work or school. In addition, false warnings could cause anti-raid efforts to be deployed in the wrong places, reducing their effectiveness when it really matters. Please refer to the next section for how to handle information sharing.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU SEE/HEAR A SECOND-HAND REPORT:

1. Do not share it publicly on social media if it is not verified (i.e. not from someone who witnessed it). Do not screenshot other people’s reports. Do not copy and paste reports. If you see others sharing unverified reports, refer them to these guidelines.
2. Reach out directly to organizations in the area who are trained to go out, document and verify the report. Contact the person/organization who shared this document with you. Make sure you have the original source of the report to trace, confirm, correct, or retract.
3. Notify people you know personally who live in the area and may be directly affected, to make them aware of the possibility of ICE/CBP/DHS/police in the area. Clarify that the report is unverified. Be prepared to provide emotional support.

WHAT TO DO AFTER AN ICE RAID:

1. To find a person in detention: Use ICE’s detainee locator here.
2. To find immigration legal service providers in your area, visit the California Department of Social Services website , or the Immigration Advocates Network’s immigration legal services directory.
3. If you believe someone has been wrongly held for immigration: call 1–844-TRUST-01 (1–844–878–7801) or email catrustact@gmail.com.

*These guidelines and tips are compiled from a variety of sources. None of these ideas originated with the author.