Get More Information About Your Situation
Set up a consultation with our office to find out if you may be eligible for certain immigration benefits, such as a work permit, green card, citizenship or other lawful status. Every person’s immigration path is unique and your options are affected by a number of factors. Let us evaluate how your family and history may affect your case and what you might be able to do about it.
Make Sure You Are Carrying the Right Documents
If you are over the age of 18 and have a valid work permit, green card or documentation proving lawful status, you should carry it with you at all times.
If you do not have a valid work permit, green card or lawful status:
It is generally advisable to carry a city or state ID or state driver’s license but only if it was issued in the United States and contains no information about your immigration status or country of origin/birth.
Do not carry any documentation about your country of origin, like a foreign passport, ID card or birth certificate.
Do not use or carry any false identity or immigration documents.
What to Do if You Are Approached by Law Enforcement
No matter who is President or Governor, every person in the United States, no matter what their immigration status, has certain rights under the U.S. Constitution.
Being approached by police or immigration officers can be frightening, but it’s important that you do the following:
Stay calm. Do not run, resist, argue or fight the officer, even if you think you’re being treated unfairly or your rights are being violated.
Keep your hands where the officers can see them. If you need to reach in your glove compartment, bag or wallet for something, tell the officers what you’re doing.
Do not lie about your status and never say you’re a U.S. citizen if you’re not.
Do not provide documents that are false or that do not belong to you.
If you’re a U.S. citizen or have lawful immigration status, show your passport, work permit, green card or other documentation of your status if you have it.
If you are undocumented, unless you are seeking to enter at the border or a port of entry (in which case CBP may ask you about your status and request documentation from you) you do not have to answer any questions about your immigration status. This is true whether you’re being asked by police officers, sheriff’s deputies, ICE agents or CBP officers. You have the right to remain silent and anything you say can be used against you in removal/deportation proceedings.
In some states (but not in California), you must provide your name to law enforcement if you are stopped and told to identify yourself. But even if you give your name, you don’t have to answer other questions.
If you are in a car that is pulled over, the officer can require the driver to show their license, vehicle registration and proof of insurance, but no one has to answer questions about their immigration status. Both the driver and the passengers have the right to remain silent. For your safety, keep your hands visible (on the wheel if you’re the driver).
Most importantly, know your rights and do not be afraid to invoke them:
You have the right to remain silent. You can refuse to speak to immigration authorities or law enforcement. Do NOT answer any questions about your immigration status or how you entered the United States. Say, “I want to remain silent.”
You have the right to refuse a search of your body or belongings if you have been stopped but have not been arrested. However, an officer may “pat down” your clothes if they suspect you have a weapon. Do not resist the pat down, but you may refuse any further search. Say, “I do not consent to a search.”
You have the right to demand a warrant before letting anyone into your home. You do not need to open the door unless an officer shows you a warrant signed by a judge with your specific and correct name and address on it. An ICE warrant is not signed by a judge. ICE warrants are signed by ICE agents and they do NOT give ICE authority to enter your home without your consent. If someone says they have a proper warrant, do NOT open the door to see it. Ask them to show you through a window or slide it under the door.
You have the right to speak to a lawyer. If you are detained or taken into custody, you have the right to immediately contact a lawyer. If you don’t have a lawyer, you can ask an officer for a list of pro bono (or free) lawyers. Say, “I want to speak to a lawyer.”
You have the right to refuse to sign anything before speaking to a lawyer. Never sign any document unless you fully understand what it says and what it means.