Having ICE show up at your house is intimidating and freighting. It’s important to know what you should do during this overwhelming time to protect yourself from getting deported. Thankfully, you have rights to protect yourself if ICE shows up at your house or your workplace. The Orange County immigration attorneys explain what to do if ICE shows up at your home.
If you fear of getting deported, you need strong legal representation. Removal proceedings can occur in a matter of weeks, so it’s essential to act as quickly as possible. Having an experienced attorney on your side will help you understand your rights. Our team of Orange County immigration attorneys has years of experience helping families with their immigration cases. Our team can develop a strong case to help you remain alongside your loved ones.
Contact our Orange County immigration attorneys today at (949) 478-4963!
Steps to Take If Immigration Agents Come to Your Door:
It’s important to understand what to do if ICE shows up knocking at your door. Below we explain step by step what you should and shouldn’t do if ICE shows up at your house.
- Don’t open the door: You aren’t legally required to let immigration agents in unless they have a warrant.
- Ask why they are there: You should ask them why they are there, and if you don’t speak English and you can’t understand them, you have the right to an interpreter.
- Ask to see a warrant: If they insist on entering your home, you need to ask to see their warrant. However, don’t open the door to see the warrant—ask them to slip it under the door.
- Refuse to open if they don’t have a warrant: You legally aren’t required to open the door if they don’t have a warrant signed by a judge. If the search warrant is signed, you need to make sure that the address listed is yours. If it’s not, you don’t have to open.
Types of ICE Warrants
It is important to understand that there are two different types of warrants that they may give you. If ICE gives you a search warrant, the police are allowed to enter the address listed on the warrant and search the areas and items listed.
If they hand you an arrest warrant, ICE is allowed to enter the home if they believe the person listed in the warrant is inside. A warrant of removal or deportation doesn’t allow the officers to enter the house without consent.
What Should I Do If ICE Has a Warrant?
If ICE does have a warrant, you legally have to let them in. If ICE forces its way inside your home, it’s best to remain calm. Anything you say or do could be used against you, so it’s best to keep your calm, protect your rights, and ask to speak with an attorney as soon as possible.
- You have the right to remain silent: If you are arrested, you have the right to remain silent. You shouldn’t give ICE your personal information or provide them with fingerprints or signatures. You also don’t have to provide them with your identification card or your papers.
- Document everything: It’s important to document everything during detainment. You have the right to take videos and pictures, plus you can also take notes of the officers’ license plate and badge numbers.
- You have the right to an attorney: It’s important to know that you are entitled to speak to a lawyer before sharing anything with immigration authorities. An experienced immigration attorney can guide you through the process and help prevent you or your loved one from getting deported.
What Can an Attorney Do For Me?
Deportation or removal hearings can be frightening, but with a skilled attorney on your side, you improve your chances of obtaining a favorable outcome. If you were convicted of a crime, you can’t afford to go through a removal hearing without aggressive legal representation. Thousands of immigrants are eligible for deportation relief, so it’s important to have an attorney who understands your rights and can help you obtain relief.
Below are common types of immigration relief available to those facing deportation:
- Bond
- Asylum
- Adjustment of status in immigration court
- Cancellation of removal for permanent residents
- Withholding of removal
- Wavers in immigration court
Call Our Experienced Orange County Immigration Attorneys Today!
At Yekrangi & Associates, we have extensive insight, experience, and knowledge in all things related to immigration. Our team genuinely cares about our clients, so we are dedicated to providing the guidance and representation they need. Our team takes time to understand your unique situations and develop a strong defense to help you get the best possible results for your case.
Immigration laws are constantly changing, so our team is continually staying up to date on the new immigration laws to understand how we can better help our clients. If ICE has shown up at your door and you fear deportation, our legal team is ready to help you. Our first goal is your satisfaction, so we work tirelessly to help you remain in the U.S. with your family.
Give our Orange County immigration lawyers a call today at (949) 478-4963 to schedule a consultation!