Elected officials and immigrant advocacy organizations in Queens are urging undocumented immigrants to familiarize themselves with their rights as the Trump administration prepares to conduct Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids in New York City.
Recent media reports suggest that ICE agents are set to begin raids in New York shortly after President Donald Trump’s inauguration. Trump, speaking just before taking office, pledged that his administration would “begin the largest deportation exercise in American history,” with raids reportedly planned to start in Chicago before expanding to Miami and New York City.
In response, the immigrant advocacy group Make the Road New York has been holding regular “Know Your Rights” workshops for local communities since last November’s election. These presentations aim to empower undocumented residents by educating them on their constitutional rights and how to respond in the event of an ICE raid.
Luba Cortes, civil rights and immigration lead organizer at Make the Road NY, said the organization has made significant efforts to make undocumented immigrants aware of their rights under the Fourth and Fifth Amendments of the US Constitution.
The Fourth Amendment, which protects people from unreasonable searches and seizures by the government, and the Fifth Amendment, which guarantees due process and protects people from self-incrimination, both apply to undocumented immigrants regardless of their immigration status, Cortes said.
Make the Road is urging any individuals experiencing an ICE raid to “plead the fifth and lawyer up immediately.”
The organization also advises undocumented immigrants to avoid answering knocks on the door, stating that opening the door to ICE agents gives them implied consent to enter their homes.
“If you see someone at your door, you don’t open it, ask who it is,” said Cortes, adding that if they’re not identifying themselves, you don’t have to engage with them. “If they say that they have a warrant, request to see the warrant either (by it) being slipped through the mail slot or under the door.”
She also encouraged undocumented immigrants to be aware of the difference between judicial warrants and administrative warrants, stating that judicial warrants contain a judge’s signature and give ICE agents the right to enter a home. Administrative warrants, on the other hand, contain a stamp and do not authorize a search.
Cortes added that ICE agents will possess an administrative warrant about “99%” of the time.
“People don’t know the difference, so they assume it’s a valid warrant and they let them in,” Cortes said. “We really want people to understand the difference between those two warrants and what gives ICE the power to come to your home.”
Cortes additionally warned of the dangers of spreading misinformation, stating that Trump’s previous term in office was marked by misinformation “spreading like wildfire.”
“We’ve seen that in the past, where an individual sees someone and assumes it’s ICE and then they will start spreading that information,” Cortes said. “People are not taking the subway because they think ICE is there, but it was actually just like a police officer.”
The spreading of misinformation can cause fear as well as cause people to avoid going outside, Cortes said.
Assembly Member Catalina Cruz, representing Assembly District 39, including parts of Corona, Elmhurst, and Jackson Heights, also warned of the dangers of spreading misinformation, stating that rumors can often provoke fear among New York’s undocumented communities.
“Over the next four years, there will be many rumors and much fear. We urge our neighbors to remain vigilant and not spread misinformation,” Cruz said in a statement. “They should, however, be prepared for whatever happens by reaching out to a local legal services organization to better understand their rights and options. We’ve survived this before. We will survive it again.”
Cortes believes that areas with significant undocumented populations will become much quieter during the Trump presidency due to the threat of ICE raids and deportation. She said such fears underline the importance of informing undocumented individuals about existing protections.
“We definitely know that people are afraid, and we really want to tell them that you should be going to school. You should be going to the hospital if you’re seeking emergency services. You should still do your day-to-day because there are protections in place.”
State Sen. Kristen Gonzalez, representing parts of Queens, Brooklyn and Manhattan, said New York City must do everything in its power to protect its vulnerable community members during the Trump presidency.
“New York is a sanctuary city, and we must do everything we can to stand by that title and protect our most vulnerable communities,” Gonzalez said in a statement. “All people deserve the dignity to live their lives without fear of displacement or deportation, and I’m committed to working alongside City and State leaders to protect NY immigrants.”
Gonzalez said she has seen firsthand the fear that the policies of the Trump administration have created among immigrant communities in New York. Like Cruz and Cortes, Gonzalez also underlined the importance of educating undocumented communities about their rights and protections.
“The best way to counter this distress is by educating the people, and my office will be sharing resources and information on protected rights and trusted organizations that are available to provide immediate help.”
On the other hand, Council Member Robert Holden, who represents the city’s 30th Council District including parts of Ridgewood, Glendale, Middle Village and Maspeth, welcomed reports that ICE raids are set to begin in New York City.
“ICE raids are long overdue to enforce federal laws and rid our cities of those here illegally and committing crimes—we have enough criminals, we don’t need to import more. The federal government must take swift action against blue city officials who defy federal law and shield illegal criminals from deportation,” Holden said in a statement.
Assembly Member Jessica González-Rojas, however, described immigration raids as “incredibly violent and disruptive” to local communities and the New York City economy. She said immigrants contribute billions in tax dollars to the state and make up huge portions of the state’s workforce.
“Migrants are also the only reason we have been able to mitigate our state’s population decline, which determines our congressional representation and the amount of resources we get from the federal government,” González-Rojas said in a statement.
She called on her colleagues in Albany to pass the New York for All Act, which will prohibit the NYPD from collaborating with ICE.
“Our local law enforcement is busy enough to be doing the bidding of the Trump administration.”
Cortes emphasized that it is extremely important that undocumented immigrants do not carry any fake documents with them, including fake social security numbers, stating that carrying fake documents will only exacerbate any charges they are facing.
Carrying fake documents can lead to additional charges of fraud and identity theft, Cortes said, which can result in severe punishments and even expedite the deportation process.
Meanwhile, Cortes also urged undocumented immigrants to understand the difference between public and non-public areas of their workplace, stating that it is important for employers to designate safe spaces in the workplace where they know undocumented workers will be safe in the event of an ICE raid.
Members of the community who are not at risk of deportation due to their immigration status can help their undocumented neighbors by making them aware of their rights, Cortes added.
Kcassman