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Rumored ICE Raids on Sunday: Community Resources and Know Your Rights

Jul
12

CPC issues the following resources in advance of the rumored nation-wide Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids slated to begin this Sunday, July 14th.
 

The following individuals and families will be affected by ICE raids this weekend:

Anyone WITHOUT lawful immigration status - this may be you if you entered without status, overstayed a visa, or if you have a final order of removal.

Anyone WITH lawful immigration status AND certain criminal convictions OR PENDING asylee status - this may be you even if you have a greencard, visa, are a refugee or have pending asylee status.

Immigrants who happen to “be on scene” at the time of arrests - these “collateral” deportations will include immigrants in the area of the arrest who may not otherwise be a target or do not have an active order of removal.
 

CPC reminds community members and families to:
1) Know your rights. You DO NOT have to open the door for ICE. You DO NOT have to sign anything. You DO have the right to a lawyer. You DO have the right to remain silent. 

2) Make a plan. Choose an emergency contact and memorize their phone number. Let this person know you have chosen them so they can answer any calls they receive. If you are a parent, choose a standby emergency caregiver who can care for children if you are arrested. If you are not at risk, offer to be the emergency contact for a friend or family member.

3) Remember legal assistance hotlines. Finding a loved one after arrest can be difficult and take time. The ActionNYC hotline can connect you to free legal help and is open through the weekend: 800-354-0365 or call 311 and say “ActionNYC.” 

In advance of the weekend, CPC’s Policy and Public Affairs Team offers the guidance and resources below.

I. How does this affect CPC?

II. What should I know?
III. What can I do?

 

How does this affect CPC?
During uncertain and anxious times like this, CPC believes in leading with and affirming our organization’s values. 

We embrace our community -- CPC will continue to be a safe space and place of trust for all community members, regardless of immigration status, country of origin, or native language. 

We empower our community -- CPC provides trusted, factual information so that all New Yorkers can understand, know, and stand up for their rights.

We are our community -- CPC is staffed by the very communities we serve. In times of danger and apprehension, those who are not at risk have added responsibility to stand up and fight for communities that are unfairly targeted by hateful, anti-immigrant, and anti-family policies.

 

While much media attention is rightfully focused on human rights abuses at the nation’s southern border, restrictive immigration policy and ICE raids are affecting families all across the nation, including CPC’s communities in New York. 

  • In a recent City Comptroller report, 21% of New Yorkers facing immigration proceedings are Chinese-American and other Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) groups comprise the remaining top 52%. ICE's deportation proceedings in NYC have increased 150% under the Trump Administration.

  • ICE intentionally targets immigrant neighborhoods, workplaces, and small businesses for raids, knowing that raiding these sites yield higher numbers of “collateral” arrests and deportations, especially in communities of mixed status families. AAPI families are most likely to live in mixed status households.

  • Foreign policy uncertainty about repatriation and poor administrative record and backlog has put many AAPIs, including those previously granted asylum or refugee status, or waiting for visa renewal or extension, at particular risk for ICE raids and removal.

  • Legal services and community-based sources of support are hard for many AAPI New Yorkers to access. Here in New York City, AAPIs make up 15% of the population but since Fiscal Year 2016, fewer and fewer AAPI-led organizations are funded by city dollars.
     

With a rise in ICE arrests and a reduction of resources, CPC stands with all community members to make sure communities stay informed and have a place to turn to for support. 
 

CPC condemns the Federal Administration’s choice to punish immigrant communities and deny constitutional rights to due legal process. Over the last 3 years, chronic underfunding and government shutdowns have created a historic backlog in naturalization and visa applications, unnecessarily putting pending applicants at risk. Simultaneously, the Federal Government has attempted to pass some of the most restrictive immigration policies in living memory, making it harder than ever before to seek, apply for, or maintain immigration status. 
 

CPC recognizes that these overlapping circumstances are part of a larger anti-immigrant agenda -- while some policies actively target communities through raids, arrests, and separations, other policies passively but intentionally erode existing pathways to immigration and naturalization.
 

What should I know?
Know your rights and make sure others know theirs. Please review, post, or share the resources below. If you have additional resources you would like to share with us, please be in touch!
 


What can I do?

If you are not at risk and see an arrest happening, you can document the arrest. You cannot physically interfere, but you have the right to take photos, video, or notes and you have the right to ask officers for their badge number. 
 

You can call a rapid response hotline (212) 725 6422 to report a raid that is happening. This helps lawyers, legal aid, and nonprofit groups direct staff and resources after people are arrested. 
 

You can register for upcoming Know Your Rights workshops. CPC Brooklyn will host a KYR training in August 15th.