U.S. Immigrant Resource Hub

It is possible ICE could conduct an immigration enforcement action at these locations, but you still have rights in these areas.

On January 20, 2025, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security rescinded a policy of the Biden administration that protected certain “sensitive” areas (schools, healthcare facilities, places of worship, playgrounds, bus stops, social service facilities, weddings, funerals, parades, etc.) from most immigration enforcement actions.

Areas of a church where all are welcome, such as worship spaces and lobbies, would generally permit entry to anyone, including law enforcement. You should be prepared to exercise your rights (see “What rights do non-citizens have?” above) if questioned by ICE in one of these areas. ICE will still need consent or a judicial warrant to enter private areas (such as staff offices) within these spaces to conduct a search or arrest.

If you are concerned about how a pastor, school administrator, or other staff in a sensitive location may respond to an immigration enforcement action, you can ask if they have a plan. You can also point them to resources such as the Know Your Rights materials above and this new resource developed by National Immigration Law Center.

Expedited removal is a process in which the U.S. Department of Homeland Security seeks to quickly remove unauthorized immigrants without a hearing before an immigration judge. During the Biden administration, expedited removal was limited in scope and mainly applied to certain individuals at or near the border. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has now designated expansion of expedited removal “to the fullest extent authorized by Congress.” This includes people who entered without inspection and have not been continuously present in the U.S. for at least two years.

If I was not admitted or paroled into the U.S., how can I prepare to prove that I have been in the U.S. for at least two years? 
Collect strong evidence that you have been present in the U.S. for at least two years. It is important to select documents that do not mention your country of birth or your immigration status, as that information could be used against you. Evidence may include school records, utility bills and other mail showing your name and address, leases, tax returns, date-stamped photographs of you at locations in the U.S., and more. We recommend consulting a qualified immigration attorney or Department of Justice-accredited representative if you need help determining which documents to use. Carry this information with you or ensure that your loved ones know how to access these documents quickly if you are detained by ICE. Be sure to keep extra copies of all documents.

If I am placed in expedited removal proceedings, what can I do?
You will likely have very little time to prepare to speak with the immigration officer making a decision about your case, so it is important that you:

1. Request to speak with your lawyer or Department of Justice-accredited representative right away. Keep their phone number with you or memorize it so you are able to contact them as soon as possible.
2. Ask if you are in expedited removal or regular removal proceedings. If you are in expedited removal, you should receive Form I-860, “Notice and Order of Expedited Removal.” If you are being placed in regular removal proceedings, you will receive Form I-862, “Notice to Appear.”
3. If you have lawful immigration status, tell the officer and provide proof of your status.
4. If you have been in the U.S. more than two years, tell the immigration officer that and provide the officer with the evidence you prepared. If the documents are not with you, contact a trusted loved one who has lawful immigration status to submit them for you.
5. If you are afraid of returning to your home country, it is important that you tell the officer “I am afraid to return to my country” so you have an opportunity to have a Credible Fear Interview. If you pass the Credible Fear Interview, you will have an opportunity to apply for asylum or other forms of relief from removal.

U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has indicated it will seek to place some individuals granted humanitarian parole into expedited removal proceedings. This is likely to face legal challenges, but individuals with humanitarian parole should prepare for the possibility of expedited removal (see “What is expedited removal . . .?” above).

An individual paroled into the U.S. for humanitarian reasons is still considered an “arriving” noncitizen under the immigration regulations. Certain arriving noncitizens are who are inadmissible due to willful misrepresentation or insufficient entry documents are subject to expedited removal.

As DHS reviews parole cases, it is likely to prioritize:

1. parolees who entered with an appointment made by the CBPOne app (especially those who have not applied for asylum within one year of arriving) and
2. parolees it believes submitted fraudulent documents.

If you are already in regular removal proceedings before the immigration court, DHS may seek termination of your court case so it can quickly handle your case under the expedited removal process. If you are currently in removal proceedings, it is important to consult with an experienced removal defense attorney or fully accredited Department of Justice representative to strategize about how to respond if DHS seeks to move your case into expedited removal.

Here are some links to templates and other resources:

• Family Preparedness Plan - available in English, Chinese, and Spanish. Focuses on California residents.
• Safety Planning
• Emergency Planning Guide – available in English and Spanish
• Create an Emergency Plan - available in English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole
• Make a Plan: Essential Steps for Migrant Parents for Preventing Family Separation – available in English and Spanish
• Families United DC Metro - focuses on DC metro area but much is relevant for other geographic areas. Translation available into 14 languages by clicking in the upper right corner. 

What can I do if my loved one is detained by ICE?

Consult the plan

If your loved one provided you with an emergency preparedness plan, consult the plan and follow the action steps.

Locate them:

• If you are not sure where they are being held, search the ICE Detainee Locator for persons 18 years or older. You will need their A-number (an 8 or 9 digit number assigned by the U.S. government) and country of birth, or all of the following: first name, last name, and country of birth (date of birth is optional). Please note the online Locator will only work if the information you input matches ICE’s information exactly.
• When you locate your loved one, you can contact the detention facility to schedule calls or visits. The facility may only allow for virtual visits.
  • You can also ask the facility the processes for (1) setting up phone accounts for your loved one to call you, and (2) sending your loved one money for any food or basic necessities while in detention.

Exercise caution in conversations with them: If your loved one contacts you after apprehension by ICE, do not discuss their country of birth or immigration status over the phone. ICE can listen to these conversations. Your loved one should only discuss these topics, as well as any criminal history, with their attorney or DOJ Accredited Representative.

Connect them with legal assistance: If your loved one does not already have an experienced immigration law practitioner assisting them, contact a qualified practitioner to discuss how you can assist your loved one with obtaining representation while they are detained. Here is a nationwide directory of low-cost and free immigration legal service providers.

Check to see if they have a case pending before the Immigration Court:

• Locate their immigration court hearing information at EOIR Automated Case Information by inputting their A-number. Keep checking this regularly if information does not appear initially.

Some individuals do not have a right to a hearing before the Immigration Court.

• If your loved one has an outstanding removal order or prior removal from the U.S., they do not have a right to a hearing and can be deported without a hearing before the judge. You can check for outstanding removal orders and prior removals at EOIR Automated Case Information
• If your loved one does not have lawful status and was convicted of an offense considered an aggravated felony under immigration law, they are not entitled to a hearing before removal.
• However, if individuals in the above categories express a fear of return to their country, they are eligible for a Reasonable Fear Interview (RFI) with an Asylum Officer. If they pass the RFI, they can then seek protection from removal in immigration court.
• Individuals who may be subject to expedited removal include those arrested at or near the border without permission to enter the U.S. In expedited removal proceedings, the individual does not have the right to a hearing before the immigration court. If the individual expresses a fear of returning to their country and pass a Credible Fear Interview, they will either move on to an immigration court hearing or an Asylum Merits Interview.
  • Expedited removal proceedings can happen very quickly, with very little time (often just a few hours) to obtain legal counsel.
  • Expedited removal is anticipated to expand under President Trump and could include individuals who entered without inspection and have been in the U.S. less than two years.
    • If your loved one may be subject to expedited removal, it is important that ICE receives evidence right away of their continuous presence in the U.S. for at least the two years prior to their apprehension.
      • Evidence of presence may include school records for them or their children, birth certificates of children born in the U.S., receipts, leases, utility bills, mail or other documentation with name, tax returns, and more. Do not submit items showing the detainee’s country of birth or immigration status unless they have lawful status.

Report raids: If your loved one was apprehended during an immigration raid to a workplace or other location, report this to your city or state’s rapid response network, if there is one. Some networks include:

• California Rapid Response Networks
• Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights
• Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition
• Florida Immigrant Coalition
• Search this list for other hotlines

It is important to consult with a person who is qualified to practice immigration law – either an attorney licensed in the U.S. or a Department of Justice (DOJ) Accredited Representative. You can search for nonprofit, qualified practitioners in the World Relief Legal Support Network or National Immigration Legal Services Directory. You can also ask check the provider’s name on the DOJ Accredited Representatives Roster or ask to see their law license.

Beware of individuals and businesses that are not authorized to practice law. Here are some websites to help you avoid immigration scams and notario fraud:

• Tips to Avoid Common Immigration Scams - available in 20 languages
• Stop Notario Fraud - available in 7 languages
• Resources for Victims of Notario Fraud

The Laken Riley Act is a law that was signed by President Trump on January 29, 2025, that requires detention of noncitizens who entered unlawfully AND are arrested for, charged with,  convicted of, or admit to committing certain crimes like:

• Theft;
• Burglary;
• Shoplifting;
• Larceny;
• Assaulting a law enforcement officer; or
• Any crime that causes serious bodily injury or death.

The law also allows states to take legal action and sue the federal government if an individual without legal status commits a crime that financially or physically harms the state or any of its residents.

Does the Laken Riley Act apply to me?

If you entered the United States lawfully, then the law does not apply to you.

If you entered the United States unlawfully AND have criminal conduct related to the crimes listed above, then the law does apply to you.

It is not yet clear if this law will be applied retroactively and affect people with a criminal history prior to January 29, 2025. We encourage you to visit with a qualified legal representative if you have prior criminal history to best assess your case and potential options for relief.

What happens if I am undocumented and arrested for one of the crimes mentioned in the Laken Riley Act?

It is likely that you will be detained at an immigration detention facility and will not have the chance to request a bond. Under the law, you will not be released from immigration custody while your case before the Immigration Court is pending.