What to Do When ICE Shows Up at Your Front Door?
In recent years, immigration has been one of the most controversial topics of discussion across the United States. With the Trump administration taking what seems to be a hardline stance on illegal entry, we have seen some of the biggest news stories, and moral travesties occur in US history. Children, of only a few years of even months old, being separated from their mother’s, families completely ripped apart and individuals who have lived in the country for years, being stripped of the life they have built and being deported to a “homeland” they haven’t seen in decades. According to the best immigration lawyer Miami has to offer, Steven Veinger, Esq. while it might seem like there’s too many immigration issues to even figure out what is worst – in recent news, the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers have been wreaking havoc in the streets of our country, and it seems that they have the Presidential approval to do so. President Trump’s order indicated that the US would now be actively searching the country for undocumented immigrants, and states like Florida have been prime targets, for the rich culture and racial diversity.
The fact is that while many of these officers simply claim they are doing their job, they are using tactics that are both inhumane and violent, to round up individuals who in many cases, aren’t even undocumented – they simply look to be “foreign”, and like everybody else in the world, aren’t carrying their papers on them. This is the most insane part, according to the best immigration lawyer Miami has to offer, Mr. Veinger, this is nothing more than racial profiling – grabbing up people on the street because their skin may be of a different color, or they may have an accent. In many cases, there is no probably cause or reasoning for the detention, but even when ICE makes a mistake, they can simply say its just a cost of doing the job and they are still allowed to hold you for up to 48 hours, even if you are a citizen.
While the actions of ICE seem completely unjust and violate a number of different state regulations, they have federal protection and are essentially able to act with impunity. As the best immigration lawyer Miami has practicing, Steven Veinger, Esq. has had to alert her clients of even worse news, as it seems that ICE has taken things a step further. These officers say it is part of their job to find and remove immigrants who entered the United States without proper documentation according to U.S. immigration law and while ICE generally focuses on places of business and other public areas in which people are gathering – often rallies and protests involving immigrants, they have recently started showing up on people’s homes, walking right up to their private doorsteps, completely unannounced. No matter what your immigration status is, if this happens to you, it is vital that you are prepared and know your rights. In many instances, there have been cases where ICE officers have shown up at someone’s home at 1 AM, and even used methods of coercion or physical force and threats of violence or arrest someone or to gain entry to private residences. If ICE does knock on your door, follow these steps, especially if you are an immigrant – but even if you aren’t.
· Don’t Open the Door!
Ask the agents for a warrant, if they say they have one, ask them to slip it under the door.Determine what kind of warrant you are being given and make sure your name, address, and a signature is on it. A search warrant that is signed by a judgeallows agents to search your house. If it’s an arrest warrant, step outside, but make sure everyone else remains inside the house. They may try to scare you in many ways, but unless they have a warrant, they cannot enter.
· Call Your Lawyer or Ask for a Lawyer
An immigration attorney like Mr. Veinger will be able to help you in such an instance, if they are outside your door, contact your attorney and they will be able to help as you have a right to counsel. If they are trying to gain entry, tell them you do not authorize their entry and that you want to speak with an attorney or your own attorney.
· Remain Silent
If you are being detained or arrested, exercise your right to remain silent and do not sign anything. Do not give your personal information or provide fingerprints. Do not provide your identification card or your papers. If you are in a public area, ask the officers if you are being arrested or detained, if they say yes, then also remain silent, until you have an attorney present. If they say no, you can leave. If they are detaining you, you have the right to request a bail.
· Document Everything
You have the right to take video and pictures. Note the officers’ license plates and badge numbers. You should also report the raid by calling the United We Dream hotline.
For more information on these raids, be sure to contact MR. VEINGER and his team today.