Being stopped by the police can sometimes be a scary situation. You need to know what rights you have if you are ever stopped. Director of Center on Immigration Abel Rodríguez had a workshop in Iadarola on Monday, Sept 23. Rodríguez wants everybody to know how important it is for everybody to know their rights.
In your home
When you are in your own home and the doorbell rings and the police or ICE are at your front door, you do not have to open the door for them. Make sure that you ask them to see proof of who they are and if they are trying to come in if they have a warrant. Leanne Timko, sophomore business major, said that she would not have anybody come into her house without a warrant. She would ask the officers if she could see a warrant.
Try to see if you can abide by the warrant without opening the door. If they force you to open the door and show you the warrant, make sure that it is the correct address and it is signed by a judge.
Driving in your car
If you are in your car driving and you see sirens behind you, make sure when you pull over you pull over where there are plenty of lights. When your car is pulled over, make sure to turn your overhead lights on, crack the window enough for your license and registration to go through, and put your hands on the steering wheel.
If the police officer asks you to step out of the car, you have to do so. You want to turn off your car and make sure to close the door behind you and lock it. Generally, the police do not have a right to search your car without a warrant. Unless they see any type of drug or weapon, they cannot ask you to step out of the car and search the vehicle.
On your street
Encounters on the street are different than when you are in the car or in your house. If police officers are thinking you look suspicious, they will come up to you and start talking to you. You do not have to answer any of their questions because you do have the right to remain silent.
A key thing to remember is to keep calm and do not run. If you start running then it will make the police think that you are doing something wrong and they can arrest you.
Getting arrested
If you get arrested make sure that you do not say anything that you will regret.
“Never fight in the moment, fight on paper or in the court,” Rodríguez said.
Make sure that you do not resist because resisting will make the situation worse. Also, do not discuss your immigration status with anybody else. You have the right to remain silent, so make sure you do not say anything without a lawyer present.
Detained by ICE
Should you be detained by ICE make sure that you give them your alien registration number. It’s important that you give them your right alien registration number so they do not think you are pretending to be somebody else. You have the right to call your consulate to tell them that you have been detained by ICE.
