Know your rights. Check out the BRC checklist of your rights when approached by police or ICE.
BRC KNOW YOUR RIGHTS CHECKLIST:
Don’t fall for their tricks they use to get you to incriminate yourself. They will try to act calm or nice. They will use small talk, as well as aggressive statements that are meant to get a threat response. However the answer is simple for both. DON’T TALK!!!
YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO:
Remain silent - YOU DO NOT HAVE TO TALK TO POLICE OR ICE
You do not have to answer questions about where you're from, where you're going, or who you are with.
YOUR POWER LIES IN SAYING NOTHING!!!
Refuse to consent to a search
You do not have to let them search your body, car, phone, or home unless they have a warrant or probable cause.
REMEMBER TO SAY THIS: “I do not consent to any searches.”
Record them
You have the legal right to film police or ICE in public spaces — from a safe distance.
Tip: Say clearly: “I am recording this for my safety and your accountability.”
Ask if you are free to leave
If you are not under arrest, you can walk away.
Say: “Am I being detained, or am I free to go?”
Refuse entry to your home without a signed warrant
ICE needs a judicial warrant (signed by a judge) to legally enter your home.
Administrative warrants (Forms I-200 or I-205) do not count.
Say: “I do not open the door without a judge-signed warrant.”
Call a lawyer
You have the right to speak with an attorney before answering any questions.
REMEMBER: WHAT NOT TO DO:
Do not lie.
Lying to law enforcement is a crime, remaining silent is not.
Do not run, resist, or fight.
Even if your rights are being violated, staying calm keeps you safer and strengthens your case later.
Do not hand over your phone unless they have a warrant.
You do not have to unlock your phone or provide your passcode.
Do not show ID unless required
In some states, you're only required to identify yourself if you are lawfully detained or driving.
IN YOUR HOME:
Don’t open the door.
Ask for the warrant to be shown through a window or slid under the door.
Only warrants signed by a judge allow ICE to enter.
You can say:
“I do not consent to entry. Please leave your information.”
AT WORK, ON THE STREET, OR IN PUBLIC:
ICE and police can’t detain you without reasonable suspicion or probable cause.
You do not have to answer questions about your citizenship.
If they try to intimidate or threaten you, record everything — or have someone else do it.
TERMS YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND:
Being Detained us when a law enforcement officer holds you in custody based on reasonable suspicion that you are invovlved in criminal activity, but you are not under formal arrest.
Next Reasonable Suspicion. This is the legal standard allowing law enforcement to briefly detain an individual for investigation based on specific, articulable facts suggesting a crime has been, is, or will be committed.
Lastly what is an Articulable Fact. This is a new executive order. They can say you look foreign, you have a strong accent, or you were standing with a bunch of people who were deemed illegal. It’s a single factor that is the perception of the officer.
IN A NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH TEAM OR AS A LEGAL OBSERVER:
Record from a safe distance — don’t interfere.
Speak calmly, clearly, and don’t engage physically.
Take notes: Time, place, badge numbers, what was said, who was present.
Document everything. Your footage can save a life — and win a case.
IF YOU ARE ARRESTED:
Stay calm. Ask for a lawyer immediately.
Do not talk about your case over the phone.
Make your one phone call count: call a lawyer, trusted friend, or family member.
Get a copy of the charges as soon as possible.