Know Your Rights With the Police and Immigration Agents

The information on this page is general in nature and does not constitute legal advice. Consult an attorney for legal advice. Produced and distributed as a free public service by the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania Foundation, a non-partisan, nonprofit civil rights advocacy group.

You can find more Know Your Rights immigration resources from other organizations and National ACLU here.

Even if you know and exercise your constitutional rights, police officers or ICE might not honor them. It is never good to use force or physically resist police officers or ICE, even when you know they are wrong. Challenging misconduct cannot be done in the moment. It can only be done through legal and advocacy efforts afterwards.

If you think police or ICE have violated your rights, write everything down as soon as possible, including any identifying information about the officers and their vehicles. If the police or ICE stop you in violation of your rights, tell your lawyer. They may be able to use what happened to you in a defense against your deportation in immigration court. If injured, seek medical attention and take photos.