Know your rights and FAQs for interacting with immigration agents and law enforcement who are questioning your immigration status

It’s a good idea to carry “know your rights cards” (English-Spanish rights card; English-French rights card; English-Portuguese rights card; for rights cards in other languages, go here) with you at all times and to tape them to the inside/back of your door for easy reference if you are visited by ICE at your residence. You can also sign them and hand them to law enforcement officers if you are approached. If you need some rights cards printed, contact your steward, field representative, or MSEA Headquarters at (207) 622-3151.

Know your rights and FAQs for interacting with immigration agents and law enforcement who are questioning your immigration status:

• You have the right to REMAIN SILENT. You have the right not to answer any questions, including questions about your family, where you were born, whether you are a citizen, how you entered the United States, or your immigration status.
• When interacting with a law enforcement agent, stay calm, and don’t run. You can say, “I choose to remain silent” or hand a rights card (English-Spanish rights card; English-French rights card; English-Portuguese rights card; for rights cards in other languages, go here) to a law enforcement agent.
• You have the right to ask an ICE officer, “Am I free to leave?” If ICE tries to detain you, do your best to remain calm. Do not resist.
• You have the right NOT TO SIGN any documents without first speaking with an attorney, no matter what an agent says. Anything you say or sign could be used against you later in any legal proceeding, including removal proceedings.
• If you have valid federal immigration DOCUMENTS, carry them with you. For example, if you have a green card or a work permit that is not expired, always carry it with you. Don’t carry a foreign passport or papers from another country, as these could be used against you in deportation proceedings. Never carry false documents or lie about your immigration status.
• If law enforcement agents come to your home, you don’t need to let them in unless they have a proper JUDICIAL WARRANT signed by a judge. You should not open the door to see the warrant. Ask enforcement agents to slide it under the door, pass it through a mail slot, or hold it in the window to show it to you. If possible, take a picture of the warrant. ICE warrants for removal don’t give immigration agents the right to enter your home unless you give them permission. Don’t give them permission! NOTE: Judicial warrants are signed by judges and will have the name of the court on them. ICE rarely has a judicial warrant. They might show you an administrative warrant instead—these usually say Department of Homeland Security on them and are usually signed by immigration officers. Such a warrant does not give ICE the right to enter or search your house.
• Do your best to document the details of any interaction with law enforcement. Take note of the types of uniforms they are wearing. If possible to do safely, record any interaction with video or audio.
• It’s a good idea to carry these know your rights cards (English-Spanish rights card; English-French rights card; English-Portuguese rights card; for rights cards in other languages, go here) with you at all times and to tape them to the inside/back of your door for easy reference if you are visited by ICE at your residence. You can also sign them and hand them to law enforcement officers if you are approached. If you need some rights cards printed, contact your steward, field representative, or MSEA Headquarters at (207) 622-3151:

1. (English-Spanish rights card;
2. English-French rights card;
3. English-Portuguese rights card;
4. For rights cards in other languages, go here.
   

• What do I do if ICE comes to our workplace and asks for assistance or access to our facility? Employers do not need to allow immigration or law enforcement agents onto the employer’s property without a warrant (which must be signed by a judge or magistrate) so long as that area is not open to the general public. If you have questions or concerns about your employer’s policies and procedures regarding immigration or law enforcement activities at your workplace, contact MSEA headquarters: 207-622-3151.
• What resources are there to help members detained by ICE? For legal assistance, Maine’s Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project is a good place to start: https://ilapmaine.org/detention
• If a member of MSEA is being detained by ICE, our union will need to know in order to help support them.  Please contact us at 207-622-3151.
• What can I do to prepare in case I’m detained by ICE?  It’s always a good idea to make sure our union has your best contact information. Update that information here: https://act.seiu.org/a/msea-email-preferences
• If you have other questions or concerns, contact MSEA-SEIU HQ: 207-622-3151.