Know Your Rights: Will Your Family Know What to Do?

Unidos MN underwrote a project with Minnesota Women’s Press that enabled us to create a 28-page magazine, in English and Spanish, about constitutional rights, especially impacting immigrants and allies who stand up against unlawful detentions and deportations. Future translations are expected in Creole and Ukrainian.

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The Best Protection Is Our Power

Minnesotans are people who find a way. Through resilience and ingenuity, we carve prosperity from hardship, learning from the hard lessons of the past. The resilience of Indigenous people, descendants of enslaved people, and generations of immigrants are the backbone of the abundant multiracial democracy that we deserve.

Right now, some politicians are undermining the U.S. Constitution and electoral rules, attacking freedom of speech and the press, and scapegoating immigrants, blaming them for the inequality that has not been solved. Meanwhile, the power for unelected billionaires continues to grow.

At Unidos MN, we believe Minnesotans will defeat authoritarianism and build self-government. This special magazine issue is more than a guide to protecting immigrants. It is a solidarity pact, a commitment to deepen our bonds, and a plan to protect one another and lead in unity.

Together we can expose the cruelty of family separation — which destroys communities.

It also is imperative to relate to people who don’t agree with us, those who have been misled into voting against their own interest, and those who are willing to repair our democracy together.

We are ordinary people willing to step up and fight for the future we deserve. This is the battle of our lifetime, and we were born to win it.

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Emergencies happen quickly, and it is important to be ready. Keeping essential items and contact information in one place will help you and your family respond if someone is detained or needs help.

 

Step 1: Keep an Emergency Bag Ready

An emergency bag will help if you or a loved one are detained or need to leave home unexpectedly. Keep it in a place where a trusted person can access it if needed. Pack:

• Copies of important documents to prove identity and legal status.
• Cash in small bills and a prepaid debit card in case bank accounts are frozen or unavailable.
• A week’s supply of medications and a list of allergies or medical conditions.
• Snacks, bottled water, and an extra set of clothes.
• A prepaid cell phone or calling card if a personal phone is taken.
• A written list of emergency

 

Step 2: Store Important Contacts in One Place

Having emergency contacts written down ensures you can reach the right people if your phone is lost or unavailable. Store copies in your emergency bag, at a trusted person’s home, and on a small emergency card in your wallet. Write down the names and phone numbers of:

• An immigration lawyer or legal aid organization
• A trusted family member or friend
• Your child’s school or day care
• A family doctor or clinic
• Community and  advocacy groups that provide emergency help

 

Step 3: Post Important Information at Home

Everyone in your household should know where to find critical information in an emergency. Talking through these details in advance will help your family stay calm and take the right steps if something happens. Make sure your family knows where to find:

• Emergency phone numbers posted in a visible place, such as the refrigerator.
• The emergency folder with important documents and legal forms. (See page 6 for what to include.)
• Instructions on who to call first and where to go for help if someone is detained.

Being prepared does not mean expecting the worst. It simply means having a plan in place. Taking these steps will help your family feel more secure if an emergency happens.

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What to Do in an Interrogation

The key to handling an interrogation is staying calm and saying as little as possible. You are never required to discuss your immigration status or sign anything without legal advice. Repeat the one phrase that protects you: “I am exercising my right to remain silent and want to speak to a lawyer.”

 

Step 1: Ask If You’re Free to Leave

• If an agent approaches you, ask: “Am I being detained or am I free to go?”
• If they say you are free to go, leave You are not required to stay and talk.
• If they say you are being detained, remain silent and do not answer any further questions.

 

Step 2: You Are Not Required to Answer Questions

• You do NOT have to say where you were
• You do NOT have to say how you entered the S.
• You do NOT have to share your immigration
• Instead, say: “I am exercising my right to remain silent and want to speak to a lawyer.” If they keep asking questions, repeat the same phrase.

 

Step 3: Do NOT Sign Anything Without a Lawyer

Agents may try to pressure or trick you into signing documents. Some documents waive your right to a hearing before a judge. If you are given a document, say: “I will not sign anything without speaking to a lawyer.” Even if agents say signing will “make things easier,” do not sign.

 

Step 4: Be Careful What You Carry

• Do NOT carry false This can lead to serious legal consequences.
• Do NOT carry foreign documents (such as a passport from another country). ICE may use them as evidence in deportation proceedings.
• If you have valid immigration documents, you may choose to show them, including your MN-issued driver’s license or Minnesota state ID.
• If you have a Know Your Rights card, show it.

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What Happens If You Are Arrested

Being arrested, whether by local police, ICE, or another law enforcement agency, can be stressful and confusing. Committing a crime can increase your risk of deportation, but no matter the circumstances, you still have constitutional rights.

• Do not argue, fight, or run. Resisting arrest can lead to additional charges that may hurt your case. Keep your hands visible and stay still. If asked about your immigration status, remain silent.
• If stopped by local police, ask: “Am I under arrest, or am I free to go?” If they say you are not under arrest, walk away calmly. If arrested, ask: “What are the charges against me?”
• Say, “I want to speak to a ” Do not discuss your immigration status or how you entered the country. Anything you say can and will be used against you.
• Law enforcement may pressure you to sign documents that could harm your case. Some documents waive your right to see a Say: “I will not sign anything without speaking to a lawyer.”
• Ask to call a lawyer, a family member, or someone you trust. Memorize important phone numbers in case your phone is taken away, and if denied a phone call, keep asking and document the refusal.
• You have the right to contact your home country’s consulate. Your consulate may provide legal support to notify your family.

If ICE Issues a Detainer

If arrested by local police, ICE may ask them to hold you for up to 48 hours after your scheduled release. If ICE does not pick you up in 48 hours (not counting weekends or holidays), you must be released. If held longer, ask a lawyer for help.

• Request a Bond Hearing: Even if ICE says you do not qualify for bond, always request a hearing. A judge, not ICE, makes the final decision on bond eligibility.
• Ask for a Notice to Appear (NTA): This document lists the immigration charges against you.
• If You Are Accused of a Crime: The police may inform ICE of your immigration status. If you have a prior deportation order, ICE may detain If you believe you are being held unlawfully, seek legal help immediately.

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When You Encounter an ICE Checkpoint

ICE and Border Patrol sometimes set up checkpoints on highways, at bus stations, and near border areas.

• Carry a ‘Know your Rights’ card (see page 5).
• If you are driving, you MUST have a valid driver’s license, vehicle registration, and proof of insurance.
• You MUST follow traffic rules and wear a seatbelt.
• You do NOT have to answer questions about your immigration status.
• You do NOT have to consent to a search of your car, bags, or belongings.
• Passengers who are not driving are NOT required to show their driver’s license.
• If detained, ask for a lawyer and do NOT sign

What to Say at a Checkpoint

• If an agent asks, “Are you a US citizen?” you can say: “I choose to remain silent.”
• If they ask to search your car or belongings, say: “I do not consent to a search.”
• If you are not being detained, ask: “Am I free to go?”

Stay calm. Stay silent. Do not volunteer information or sign anything without a lawyer.