Have you recently seen, interacted with, or been detained by Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE)?

ACILEP’s Rapid Response Hotline Coming Soon!
We are working around the clock to launch our hotline. Please check back soon for updates. In the meantime, feel free to explore our resources.

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How to Get Help

We are working around the clock to launch our Hotline and begin taking your calls as soon as possible. In the meantime, if you are in Alameda County and witness Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in action, suspect ICE activity in progress, or if you or someone you know is detained by ICE, please contact Centro Legal at (510) 437-1554 during the operating hours of 9AM - 5PM. Priority will be given to calls related to ICE arrests.

If you are in a surrounding county, please contact the rapid response hotline corresponding to your area. Below is a list of active hotlines in our region:

Contra Costa County: (925) 900-5151

Stand Together Contra Costa

Website: Standtogethercontracosta.org

San Francisco: (415) 200-1548

San Francisco Rapid Response Network

Website: http://sfilen.org/resources/sf-rapid-response-network/

San Mateo County: (203) 666-4472

San Mateo County Rapid Response Network

Santa Clara: (408) 290-1144

Santa Clara County Rapid Response Network

Website: http://www.amigoscenter.com/rapid-respon

The Alameda County Immigration Legal and Education Partnership (ACILEP) is a collaborative effort to provide critical legal, educational, and emergency support to our undocumented community. Our mission is to ensure that persons facing detention, deportation or immigration-related emergencies have access to high quality legal services, community education, and resources to fight for their rights.

We stand by Alameda County’s undocumented community in these challenging times, offering urgent support to address the systemic inequities in our immigration system.

Know Your Rights

If you encounter Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or other law enforcement officers at home, work, on the street or anywhere else, remember that you have rights. In today’s environment, some ICE officers may think they can overstep or violate your rights. Knowing your rights and taking proactive steps to protect yourself and your loved ones is critical!

You have the right to remain silent

• You have the right to remain silent and refuse to speak to immigration officers.

• Do not answer any questions, such as “Where are you from?”, “Where were you born?”, “What’s your nationality?”, and clearly state, “I want to remain silent”

• You cannot be deported without evidence proving that you are not a U.S. citizen. Therefore, avoid saying anything about where you are from, where you were born, what your nationality is or how you entered the United States.

• Carry a know-your rights card with you, and if stopped, show it to the officer. The card explains your right to remain silent and your wish to speak with an attorney.

You have the right not to disclose your identity to ICE

• You have the right not to disclose personal information about your identity. You cannot be deported without evidence that you are not a U.S. Citizen.

• Do not provide any personal documents to ICE that could be used to identify you as a foreign national, such as a birth certificate, passport, or consular ID card (matricula consular, for Mexican Citizens).

• If you have valid immigration status, you may carry a copy of your immigration documents, such as a green card. However, avoid carrying the original document to prevent them from being lost or stolen.

Do not open the door

• You have the right to refuse to open the door to an ICE agent who cannot show you a valid judicial warrant signed by a judge. If an ICE agent claims to have a warrant, request that they slide it under the door or hold it up to a window.

• An administrative warrant issued by ICE is not equivalent to a valid judicial warrant. A valid judicial warrant must be signed by a judge and have your correct name and address.

• Remember, you do not need to open the door to talk to ICE, and once the door is open, it becomes much harder to refuse their questions.

You have the right to speak to a lawyer and to refuse to sign any documents

• You have the right to speak to a lawyer. If you are stopped, you can simply say, “I need to speak to my attorney”

• Do not sign anything without first talking to a lawyer. ICE may pressure you to sign documents that waive your rights to see a lawyer or judge, so make sure you fully understand what you are being asked to sign.

If you have children and are worried about being arrested

• If you are the primary caregiver for a U.S. citizen or permanent resident child under 18, let the officer know you have children, ICE may “exercise discretion” and decide to release you.

Assessing Your Risk In Case of ICE Presence

Who might be at greater risk of being detained by ICE

• Individuals in criminal custody or with a criminal conviction on their record.

• Individuals who have received a final order of removal from an immigration court or one issued by ICE (possibly at the border).

• Individuals who do not assert their rights when confronted by ICE.

Who should not be in imminent danger of being detained by ICE

• Individuals currently in removal proceedings who have not missed any court hearings.

• Individuals with an upcoming hearing in immigration court

• Individuals released by Customs & Border Protection (CBP) at the border to pursue asylum or other claims in immigration court.

• Individuals with a pending application for an immigration benefit filed with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) (or such an application has been approved on their behalf)

• Individuals who are U.S. Citizens or hold valid immigration status (such as asylum, residency or a green card, or a visa)

• Individuals currently on valid DACA, TPS, or other protected status.

ACILEP will provide services to undocumented individuals and families with ties in Alameda County. Our priority will be to connect with individuals facing an imminent risk of arrest by ICE or placement in detention. Additionally, we offer consultations and prose legal assistance to individuals in removal proceedings who have upcoming hearings and lack legal representation. We also assist individuals with a final order of removal or those preparing for an upcoming check-in with ICE.

Understand Your Immigration Status

• Ensure you fully understand your immigration status. Consult with an immigration attorney to asses your risks and explore options for obtaining a more permanent or secure status, if necessary.

• If you have been placed in removal proceedings - or are unsure and would like to verify - you can check by calling the immigration court system or by visiting their website and enter your “A Number”

• For case status information, you can call the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) hotline at 1-800-898-7180 (toll free). This hotline is available 24/7.

Create a safety plan

Memorize the phone number of a trusted friend, family member, or attorney who can help if you are detained.

• If you care for children or dependents, make a plan to ensure they are cared for if you cannot return home.

• Keep important documents (birth certificates, immigration records, etc.) in a safe, accessible place where a trusted friend or family member can retrieve them if needed.

• Make sure your loved ones know how to locate you if your are detained. They can use ICE’s online detainee locator to find adults in custody or call the local ICE office. Be sure they have your alien registration number (A#), if you have one.

• Use this Step-by-Step Family Preparedness Plan from the Immigrant Legal Resource Center as a guide