Know Your Rights

 Know Your Rights – what does that mean?   Do you know that immigrants who have not yet received a final status have legal rights?  They do.  So, Know Your Rights workshops are being conducted all over the country to inform immigrants of their legal rights when confronted by an ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) officer.   For instance, if an ICE officer comes to their workplace, they don’t have to answer any question other than their name.  They have the right to remain silent and to call an attorney, or a spouse or a friend.  

     In conjunction with with Re:Source Cleveland, Nueva Luz and Refine Church, AMIS sponsored our first Know Your Rights workshop on December 17 for Spanish and English speaking immigrants.  A second workshop for French and English speaking immigrants was held on January 11.  Attorneys from Catholic Charities Migration and Legal Services presented the material and answered questions at both workshops which were very well attended.

     During the first Trump administration, ICE conducted workplace raids, used ankle monitors to track immigrants who had not committed any crime, and deported individuals from Northeast Ohio along with other immigrants from all over the country.  We expect no less during the second Trump administration.  This time we will be better prepared.