Legal guidance for immigrants encountering police or immigration officials. Stay calm, keep hands visible, and know your right to remain silent. Never discuss immigration status without a lawyer, and understand that agents need consent or probable cause to search.
Stay calm. Don't run. Don't argue. Don't resist or obstruct the officer, even if you believe your rights are being violated. Keep your hands where the police can see them. Don't lie about your status or provide false documents. Here are your rights. You have the right to remain silent and do not have to discuss your immigration or citizenship status with police, immigration agents, or other officials. Anything you tell an officer can later be used against you in immigration court. If you are not a U.S. citizen and an immigration agent requests asks for your immigration papers, you must show them if you have them with you. If an immigration agent asks if they can search you, you have the right to say no. Agents do not have the right to search you or your belongings without your consent or without probable cause. If you're over 18, carry your papers with you at all times. If you do not have them, tell the officer that you want to remain silent or that you want to consult a lawyer before answering any questions. What to do with such an encounter?
