For the past month, with no end in sight, under the orders and presidential authority of Donald Trump, masked Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents have been conducting mass sweeps in communities across Los Angeles.
In addition to federal operations, there are groups of unidentified men who are also masked, traveling in unmarked cars, possibly acting outside of official capacity or authority, who are apprehending and taking people into custody. At this time, it’s unclear who, beyond the federal agents, is involved in these sweeps. The sweeps can be very aggressive – chasing and tackling people to the ground, breaking car windows and entering homes and businesses without judicial warrants.
For families and immigrant advocacy groups, determining the location of detainees has been difficult. Some people have been in detention centers for months, transferred to facilities out of state or even deported, before they have been located.
The following is information to help you understand who is conducting immigration enforcement in LA, how you can support the community and what you can do if someone you know is taken into custody.
Know Your Rights
Everyone in the United States has constitutional protections, including the right to remain silent when questioned or arrested by immigration officers.
During any encounter with immigration enforcement, stay calm, even if you believe your rights are being violated. If you have lawful immigration status, show your passport, resident card, work permit or other documentation of your status. If you are undocumented, you have the right to remain silent and do not have to discuss your immigration or citizenship status with the police, immigration agents or other officials.
Do not open the door if an officer arrives at your home. Immigration agents must have a warrant signed by a judge to enter your home. Be careful, ICE “warrants” are not signed by judges, and do not grant authority to enter a home without consent. Have the agents hold the warrant up to a window or slip it under the door.
You can download and print a “Know Your Rights” card from the Immigrant Legal Resource Center.
Who is Conducting Raids in LA?
Different federal agencies are currently carrying out immigration enforcement in LA County. Within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), there are three main agencies that manage immigration: ICE, CBP and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The latter oversees lawful immigration services, while the former two deal with enforcement.
Generally, CBP is designed to focus on enforcement at the border, while ICE enforces immigration laws in the nation’s interior.
ICE has the authority to conduct raids at workplaces, homes or public locations, but they require consent or a judicial warrant to enter a private home or business.
CBP conducts inspections at the border and runs the U.S. Border Patrol, the enforcement arm of the agency. Since 1953, Border Patrol has been authorized to operate within 100 miles of any U.S. border, including coastal borders. LA falls within the 100-mile jurisdiction.
CBP officers can stop and search vehicles, individuals and belongings without a warrant or probable cause within the 100-mile zone if they have “reasonable suspicion” of immigration violations or criminal activity. They can arrest individuals suspected of immigration violations or for crimes committed in their presence. CBP is not allowed to enter private homes or businesses without consent or a judicial warrant.
How to Notify the Community
Throughout LA, there are rapid response networks and hotlines that you can call to report ICE and CBP sightings in your neighborhood.
False reports or spreading misinformation can cause more fear and harm, so providing detailed, accurate information is key when reporting a sighting. Note the date, time and location of any activity. Note how many agents there are, what they were doing and what they are wearing. CBP will typically wear green or camouflage clothing, while ICE will be dressed in blue or black.
Document thoroughly by taking photos and videos when safe to do so. Do not interfere with the investigation or put yourself in harm’s way.
People’s Struggle San Fernando Valley Rapid Response Network
(562) 977-8118
Union Del Barrio Rapid Response Network
(213) 444-6562
Los Angeles Rapid Response Network
(888) 624-4752
Navigating the System
Immigrant advocacy groups can help provide information, resources and often direct support for you and those who are detained by immigration enforcement.
Gather personal information about the person who is detained that will help locate them: A-Number, also known as “alien registration number” assigned by the DHS to noncitizens; country of birth; full name; and birthday. Collect the importation documents for the detained individual, such as their birth certificate, medical records, past visa applications and any approval notices for immigration applications.
Legal resources include:
Immigrant Defenders Law Center
(213) 833-8283
Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA)
(213) 353 1333
Public Counsel
(213) 385-2977
Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles
(800) 399-4529
Central American Resource Center of Los Angeles (CARECEN-LA)
(213) 385-7800
Esperanza Immigrant Rights Project
(213) 251-350
Locating a Loved One
It can be difficult to locate someone once they are detained by immigration enforcement, but the above immigrant advocacy groups can help.
If your loved one is arrested in LA, they will likely be taken to the federal detention center downtown. You can reach the facility at (213) 830-4900 or (213) 830-7911 and provide the operator with your relative’s A-Number.
You can also try to locate someone by using the DHS Online Detainee Locator System and entering your loved one’s A-Number and country of birth, or their full name and both country and date of birth.
If you are unable to locate them in the above form, you can try to contact the ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations field office closest to where they were arrested.
ICE Los Angeles Field Office
300 North Los Angeles St., Room 7631,
(213) 830-7911