From Raids to Deportation: Current Immigration Law Enforcement

Transcription

1 W W a t i s g o i n g o n? From Raids to Deportation: Current Immigration Law Enforcement O u r c u r r e n t i m m i g r a t i o n l a w s a r e b r o k e n a n d n e e d t o b e f i x e d. T e r e c e n t r a i d s c o n d u c t e d b y I m m i g r a t i o n a n d C u s t o m s E n f o r c e m e n t ( I C E ), t e i m m i g r a t i o n e n f o r c e m e n t b r a n c, a r e a s y m p t o m o f t i s b r o k e n i m m i g r a t i o n s y s t e m. E n f o r c i n g d y s f u n c t i o n a l i m m i g r a t i o n l a w s b y c o n d u c t i n g m o r e e n f o r c e m e n t a c t i o n s l e a d s t o e v e n m o r e d y s f u n c t i o n, n o t m o r e r e f o r m. I t, c r e a t e s u n n e c e s s a r y t e n s i o n i n o u r c o m m u n i t i e s, d e s t r o y s f a m i l i e s, i n c a r c e r a t e s a n d p u n i s e s a r d - w o r k i n g i n d i v i d u a l s, d i s r u p t s l o c a l l a b o r m a r k e t s a n d c a u s e s a v o c f o r e m p l o y e r s, a n d e n d a n g e r s e v e r y o n e s s a f e t y b y m a k i n g i m m i g r a n t s f e a r f u l o f p o l i c e. T e g o v e r n m e n t i n s t e a d n e e d s t o e n a c t r e f o r m t a t w i l l c r e a t e a j u s t, o r d e r l y, a n d l e g a l s y s t e m. H o w I C E s S t e p p e d - U p E n f o r c e m e n t W o r k s T e r e c e n t r a i d s a r e p a r t o f a n i n c r e a s e d e n f o r c e m e n t e f f o r t t o r o u n d u p a n d d e p o r t n o n - c i t i z e n s t a t c o n s i s t s o f s e v e r a l n a t i o n w i d e o p e r a t i o n s i n c l u d i n g O p e r a t i o n E n d g a m e, N a t i o n a l F u g i t i v e O p e r a t i o n P r o g r a m ( N F O P ), O p e r a t i o n R e t u r n t o S e n d e r a n d W o r k s i t e E n f o r c e m e n t U n i t. T e s e o p e r a t i o n s f o c u s o n n o n - c i t i z e n s w o a r e d e p o r t a b l e, i n c l u d i n g t o s e w o u s e f a l s e s o c i a l s e c u r i t y n u m b e r s t o o b t a i n w o r k, t o s e w i t c r i m i n a l r e c o r d s, t o s e w i t p r i o r d e p o r t a t i o n o r d e r s, a n d t o s e w i t a l l e g e d g a n g a f f i l i a t i o n s. I C E o f t e n t e a m s u p w i t s t a t e a n d l o c a l l a w e n f o r c e m e n t a g e n t s t o t r a c k d o w n a n d a r r e s t i m m i g r a n t s. E x a m p l e s o f I C E E n f o r c e m e n t. D e c e m b e r 1 2 t ; I C E S w i f t & C o a g e n t s r a i d s i x m e a t p a c k i n g p l a n t s : a r r e s t e d ( 9 0 % o f e m p l o y e e s w e r e L a t i n o ) J a n u a r y 2 3 r d, H o m e s, A p a r t m e n t s a n d J a i l s L o s A n g e l e s A r e a ; a r r e s t e d W o r k s i t e E n f o r c e m e n t N e w B e d f o r d M A - a g e n t s r a i d a m a n u f a c t u r i n g p l a n t a n d a r r e s t w o r k e r s I C E T a c t i c s a n d C o n s e q u e n c e s : T e a r s r e s u l t o f t e s e o p e r a t i o n s i s t e b l a n k e t d e t e n t i o n a n d d e p o r t a t i o n o f t o u s a n d s o f n o n c i t i z e n s. I n a l o n e, m o r e t a n 1 8 6, i m m i g r a n t s w e r e d e p o r t e d. N o t o n l y i s I C E t a r g e t i n g t o s e p e r s o n s w o m e e t t e s t a t e d g o a l s o f t e i r o p e r a t i o n s, b u t u s i n g t e m a s a p r e t e x t t o t a r g e t o t e r s. F o r i n s t a n c e, o n c e I C E a g e n t s g a i n e n t r y t o a o m e, r e s t a u r a n t o r w o r k p l a c e, t e y t e n s e p a r a t e t o s e w o t e y t i n k a r e c i t i z e n s f r o m t o s e w o t e y t i n k a r e n o t, u s i n g r a c i a l p r o f i l i n g, a n d t e n a r r e s t i n g t e n o n c i t i z e n s. T o s e a r r e s t e d a r e c a l l e d c o l l a t e r a l a r r e s t s. I C E a g e n t s a l s o a v e : I d e n t i f i e d t e m s e l v e s a s p o l i c e t o g a i n e n t r y i n t o o m e s a n d w o r k p l a c e s. D e t a i n e d U. S. c i t i z e n s t e y a v e p e r c e i v e d t o b e u n d o c u m e n t e d. i t e l d f r o m f a m i l i e s i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t m i s s i n g f a m i l y m e m b e r s a n d t a k i n g d e t a i n e d i n d i v i d u a l s f a r a w a y f r o m W t e i r o m e s. O t e r E n f o r c e m e n t T a c t i c s I C E U s e s i l e c o m m u n i t i e s a r e a w a r e o f t e r a i d s b e c a u s e t e y a r e s o v i s i b l e, I C E c o n t i n u e s t o e n f o r c e i m m i g r a t i o n l a w t r o u g l e s s w e l l - k n o w n b u t e q u a l l y d a n g e r o u s t a c t i c s t a t i n v o l v e w a i t i n g f o r n o n - c i t i z e n s t o a p p e a r b e f o r e t e m. T i s c o n t a c t I m m i g r a n t L e g a l R e s o u r c e C e n t e r M a r c w w w. i l r c. o r g

2 W W W e t i s e i t e r m a n d a t e d b y t e a g e n c y o r v o l u n t a r y o n t e p a r t o f t e n o n - c i t i z e n. T e y i n c l u d e w a i t i n g f o r u n s u s p e c t i n g n o n - c i t i z e n s t o a p p l y f o r a s t a t u s c a n g e, s u c a s c i t i z e n s i p, p e r m a n e n t r e s i d e n c y o r a g r e e n c a r d ; a p p e a r i n g b e f o r e t e m a t b o r d e r s o r a i r p o r t s a s t e y r e t u r n f r o m t r a v e l a b r o a d ; o r c o m i n g i n t o c o n t a c t w i t i m m i g r a n t s w o a r e i n o r a v e a d c o n t a c t w i t t e c r i m i n a l j u s t i c e s y s t e m, i n c l u d i n g b e i n g a r r e s t e d o r s t o p p e d f o r a t r a f f i c v i o l a t i o n. o i s a t r i s k? T o s e a t r i s k i n c l u d e n o t o n l y u n d o c u m e n t e d p e r s o n s, b u t o t e r s w i t l e g a l s t a t u s i n c l u d i n g l o n g t i m e l e g a l p e r m a n e n t r e s i d e n t s. B o t a r e s u b j e c t t o d e t e n t i o n a n d d e p o r t a t i o n t r o u g r a i d s a n d o t e r I C E e n f o r c e m e n t t a c t i c s. I n s o m e i n s t a n c e s, e v e n U. S. c i t i z e n s a v e b e e n m i s t a k e n f o r n o n - c i t i z e n s. W a t d o e s t i s m e a n? H a r d - w o r k i n g i m m i g r a n t s a r e n o w a f r a i d t o r e p o r t t o w o r k. i l d r e n a r e n o t a t t e n d i n g s c o o l. P a r e n t s a r e c o n c e r n e d t e i r c i l d r e n m i g t b e d e t a i n e d a t s c o o l o r f o l l o w e d C o m e. F a m i l i e s a r e t o r n a p a r t. I n o n e o f t e S w i f t r a i d s i n G r a n d I s l a n d, 6 1 p u b l i c s c o o l s t u d e n t s w e r e l e f t w i t o u t o n e o r b o t p a r e n t s a f t e r t e r a i d s. o m m u n i t i e s a r e l e s s s a f e. I C E a g e n t s a r e n o t t e s a m e a s t e p o l i c e. T e y a r e f e d e r a l a g e n t s r e s p o n s i b l e f o r C e n f o r c i n g i m m i g r a t i o n l a w. H o w e v e r, I C E o f f i c i a l s a v e c o l l a b o r a t e d w i t a n d i d e n t i f i e d t e m s e l v e s a s p o l i c e, T e r e b y c r e a t i n g d i s t r u s t b e t w e e n t e c o m m u n i t i e s a n d l o c a l l a w e n f o r c e m e n t s o t a t i m m i g r a n t s f e a r g o i n g t o t e p o l i c e t o r e p o r t c r i m e s, t e r e b y m a k i n g t e e n t i r e c o m m u n i t y l e s s s a f e. I t a l s o d i v e r t s n e e d e d r e s o u r c e s a w a y f r o m c o m m u n i t y s a f e t y. E m p l o y e r s a r e l o s i n g t c o n s t i t u t i o n a l r i g T b e e n t a r g e t e d. y n o w? e w o r k e r s t t s o f a l l a r e t e y n e e d, t e r e b y u r t i n g o u r l o c a l a n d n a t i o n a l e c o n o m i e s. r e a t e n e d. B e c a u s e o f r a c i a l p r o f i l i n g d u r i n g t e r a i d s, e v e n U. S. c i t i z e n s a v e T e r e a r e s e v e r a l p o s s i b l e r e a s o n s t o e x p l a i n I C E s a c t i o n s. S o m e b e l i e v e t a t t e s e e n f o r c e m e n t e f f o r t s w o u l d e l p p a v e t e w a y f o r i m m i g r a t i o n r e f o r m b e c a u s e i t d e m o n s t r a t e s t a t t e g o v e r n m e n t i s e n f o r c i n g t e l a w. H o w e v e r, i t m a k e s n o s e n s e t o e n f o r c e d y s f u n c t i o n a l l a w. O t e r s b e l i e v e t a t t e s e r a i d s a r e t e w o r k o f t o s e i n g o v e r n m e n t w o b e l i e v e t a t e n f o r c e m e n t - o n l y m e a s u r e s w i l l s o l v e t e p r o b l e m s w i t o u r i m m i g r a t i o n s y s t e m b y e l i m i n a t i n g t e j o b s m a g n e t. N o t i n g c o u l d b e f u r t e r f r o m t e t r u t. a t i s t e S o l u t i o n? n o w y o u r r i g t s. I f y o u k n o w a n d a s s e r t y o u r r i g t s, y o u c a n p r o t e c t y o u r s e l f a g a i n s t s o m e a c t i o n s i m m i g r a t i o n K a g e n t s m i g t t r y t o t a k e. I m m i g r a t i o n a g e n t s w i l l n o t i n f o r m y o u o f y o u r r i g t s. I f y o u d o n o t k n o w a n d d o n o t a s s e r t y o u r r i g t s, y o u m i g t b e d e p o r t e d w i t o u t s e e i n g a l a w y e r o r a j u d g e o r d e n i e d i m m i g r a t i o n r e l i e f t a t m a y b e a v a i l a b l e t o y o u. n o w e b i g p i c t u r e. T e i d e a o f e n f o r c e m e n t a s b e e n d i s t o r t e d t o i n c l u d e m e a s u r e s i n t e p r o p o s e d b i l l s t a t K s e r i o u s l y j e o p a r d i z e n o n - c i t i z e n s d u e p r o c e s s r i g t s. T e s e m e a s u r e s m a k e i t m o r e d i f f i c u l t f o r u n d o c u m e n t e d i m m i g r a n t s t o l e g a l i z e a n d l e g a l i m m i g r a n t s r e s i d e n t s t o r e m a i n l e g a l o r b e c o m e c i t i z e n s. o t e. I f y o u a r e e l i g i b l e, b e c o m e a c i t i z e n a n d e x e r c i s e y o u r r i g t t o v o t e. B y v o t i n g, y o u c a n m a k e y o u r v o i c e V e a r d i n l o c a l, s t a t e, a n d n a t i o n a l e l e c t i o n s. A s a c i t i z e n, y o u a r e i n t e b e s t p o s i t i o n t o d e m a n d t a t e l e c t e d o f f i c i a l s c r e a t e i m m i g r a n t l a w s t a t a r e f a i r t o a l l o f u s. I m m i g r a n t L e g a l R e s o u r c e C e n t e r M a r c w w w. i l r c. o r g

3 From Raids to Deportation: Assert Your Rigts Te Immigration Service is currently conducting raids all over te country. Communities need to know tat te Immigration Service will not tell you wat your rigts are during tese raids, wile you are being arrested and eld by te Immigration Service or wile you are in deportation, so it is important for you to assert tem. Remember tat anyting tat you say can be used to try to arrest you, keep you detained, and even deport you. In all circumstances if you don t know wat to say, remain silent and do not speak or say tat you want to speak to a lawyer. Wat If te Service Comes to Your Home? Ask for an arrest or searc warrant. If te ICE agent does not ave one, ten you DO NOT ave to open te door. Te Immigration Service may portray itself as local police but even ten you are not obligated to open your door. Te Immigration Service may ask to come in to your ome if tey don t ave a warrant. We recommend tat you NOT allow tem to enter your ouse because you may be giving up some of your rigts if you do let tem in witout a warrant. Remain silent. Do not answer any of teir questions, or tell tem were you were born, or sign anyting. Do not sow any false documents. If you say anyting, tell tem tat you want to speak to a lawyer. Do not run, try to remain calm. Wat If ICE Raids Your Workplace? If possible calmly walk away from te raided area. If tey do not let you leave, ten do not answer any of teir questions, do not tell tem were you were born, and do not sign anyting. Do not sow any fake documents. Just as if tey stopped you on te street witout a warrant, te agent may not arrest you unless s/e as evidence tat you are a non-citizen. Immigrant Legal Resource Center Marc

4 Wat If You Are Arrested and in te Custody of te Immigration Service? Altoug it will be difficult, try not to answer any questions te Immigration Service asks. Do not tell tem were you were born or ow you entered te United States. Do not lie. Do not sow fake documents. Do not say anyting. If you must say someting, ten say only I want to speak to a lawyer. Do not sign anyting, particularly a voluntary departure order witout talking to a lawyer first. Te Immigration Service may try to intimidate you or trick you into signing. Don t let yourself be tricked! You may be signing your deportation order. Tell te Immigration officers tat you request a earing at te nearest Immigration Court, so tey will not transfer your case to anoter area. Altoug te Immigration Service will make it seem like it, your arrest and detention does not mean automatic deportation. You may ave te rigt to remain in tis country. You ave a rigt to make a telepone call after you are arrested. Wat Are My Rigts If te Immigration Service Places Me in Deportation Proceedings? ICE must tell you wy you are in deportation proceedings by giving you a paper tat says Notice to Appear, witin 72 ours of your arrest. In most cases, ICE cannot deport you witout giving you te opportunity to talk to an immigration judge. If, owever, you are undocumented and you are found witin 100 miles of te border or ave certain criminal convictions, or ave a prior deportation order, you may not ave a earing before an immigration judge. You ave te rigt to an lawyer to represent you in deportation proceedings, but te US government will not pay for it. Te Immigration Service sould provide you wit a list of local, free legal services tat may be able to elp you wit your case. If you don t get it, ask for a copy. You ave a rigt to ave a translator at your earing and ave te rigt to contact your consulate. If te Immigration Service as arrested you and you are still being eld by te Immigration Service, you ave te rigt to a reasonable bond amount so you can be released to figt your case. If you tink your bond is too ig, you can ask for a earing wit a judge to lower or eliminate te bond. Immigrant Legal Resource Center Marc

5 Raids: Have a Safety Plan KNOW WHAT DOCUMENTS YOU SHOULD CARRY WITH YOU If you ave one, carry your valid state ID or driver s license at all times. Tese documents do not ave information about your immigration status or country of origin. Carry your green card or copy of immigration papers wit you if you ave tem. Do not carry false documents. Do not carry papers from your country of origin, suc as a matricula. HAVE A PLAN OF ACTION WITH YOUR CO-WORKERS AND FRIENDS Make a collective decision wit your co-workers and friends tat everyone regardless of teir immigration status will remain silent if questioned by te Immigration Service, for example, at work or on te street, and tat if detained will ask to speak wit an attorney. Tell co-workers and friends not to run and to remain calm if tere is a raid or if tey are questioned by ICE in te street. ICE cannot detain you witout a reason. If you run you are giving tem more of a reason to detain you. HAVE A PLAN FOR YOUR FAMILY IN CASE YOU ARE DETAINED If you ave cildren or elderly relatives, make plans in advance for a family member or friend to care for tem if you are detained. For cildren in scool, make sure tis person is registered wit te scool to pick up your cild if you are detained. Have te telepone numbers of tis relative or friend wit you at all times. RELATIVE / FRIEND S PHONE NUMBER: Make sure your family as your immigration number (if you ave one). You will find tis number on your work permission or your residency card. Te number begins wit an A. Tey will need tis number to locate you. A- NUMBER: BE PREPARED TO FIGHT YOUR DEPORTATION: Keep a copy of all immigration documents tat ave been filed wit immigration. Also, collect important papers, suc as birt certificates, marriage certificates and passports. Place tese documents in a safe and easy to find place. Make a list of te names and contact information of any lawyer wo as ever represented you. Give a copy of tese documents to a friend or relative wo you trust and could contact if you are detained. NAME: ADDRESS: PHONE: Find an attorney or list of attorneys wo are trustworty and wo specialize in deportation wo may be able to represent you if you are detained by immigration. Have te name and pone numbers of your immigration attorney(s) in your wallet: Have te names and pone numbers of several trustworty immigration attorneys wo specialize in immigration law posted near te telepone at ome so family members can call te attorney if you are detained. Immigrant Legal Resource Center Marc 2007

6 Resources For You and Your Family Locating a Person in te Custody of te Immigration Service Contact te local Office of Detention and Removal Operations of te Immigration Service (called te Immigration and Customs Enforcement or ICE). ((You can find tis information ttp:// or contact te eadquarters at to get te number for te local office.)) Don t include tis if te local office and contact is below. Field Office Director, San Francisco 630 Sansome Street, Rm 590 San Francisco, CA Pone: To find out wen a person in Immigration custody will ave teir next earing if one is sceduled call You will ave to ave te person s immigration identification number, A number available. Contact a Legal Service Provider or Immigration Attorney San Francisco Bar Association: (415) (lawyer referrals) CARECEN: San Francisco (415) Catolic Carities: San Jose: (408) Fresno: (559) International Institute: San Francisco: (415) ; Oakland: (510) Redwood City: (650) E. Palo Community Legal Services E. Palo Alto (650) Learn More about Enforcement and Compreensive Immigration Reform Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC)- Detention Watc Network (DWN)- ttp:// Immigrant Legal Resource Center Marc