If immigration agents come, what you can do

If immigration agents come, what you can do

As of October 18, 2026. General information, not legal advice. Some of these rules are being decided in court right now.

Update, October 21, 2026: we rechecked the court cases on this page and added new sections on warrants, schools, courts, recording and what happens after an arrest. Each change is dated below and listed in the Sources.

At a glance

• Does this apply to me? Yes. These rights belong to everyone in the United States, whatever their status. A few details are only for California.
• What can I do right now? Stay calm. Keep your door closed. Stay silent. Do not sign anything. Do not run or fight back.
• What should I prepare? A lawyer's number, a family plan, and a red card. Practice the words below.
• Who can help? A nonprofit immigration legal service or your county's rapid response network. See "Who can help."
• If that does not work? Write down what happened and ask for a second referral.
• What is still uncertain? Whether agents may force their way into a home with an immigration form. Courts have not settled it.

Words you can use

• "I am choosing to remain silent."
• "I do not consent to a search."
• "I do not consent to you entering."
• "I want to speak to a lawyer."

More words for other moments (added October 21, 2026):

• When you are stopped outside: "Am I free to go?"
• When someone hands you a paper: "I will not sign anything without a lawyer."
• When you do not know who stopped you: "Are you with the police or with immigration?"

Say out loud that you are choosing to stay silent, then stay silent. Do not give a false name, and do not claim to be a U.S. citizen if you are not.

If agents come to your home

• Keep the door closed. You can talk through it.

• Ask which agency they are from and whether they have a warrant signed by a judge. Ask to see it without opening the door.

• A judge's warrant names a court and is signed by a judge. Immigration forms such as the I-200 or I-205 are signed by immigration officers, not judges.

• Generally, agents need a warrant signed by a judge, or your permission, to come into a home. Opening the door can be treated as permission.

• You have no duty to open the door or to speak to officers who knock. You can ask them to slide a warrant under the door or hold it up to a window. (Added October 21, 2026; Kentucky v. King.)

• ICE has said in an internal memo that officers may force their way into a home with an I-205 form when the person named has a final deportation order. That is ICE's position, not a court ruling. It is being challenged in court, and later reports say these entries were paused.

  Update, October 21, 2026: on May 8, 2026, the Secretary of Homeland Security wrote to the U.S. Senate that ICE had not cancelled the memo, but that he had paused the practice while it is reviewed. When we checked on October 21, 2026, we found no later official update and no court ruling in the case, Gibson Brown v. Mullin (case record). The pause could end without notice.

• If agents come in anyway, do not resist. Say you do not consent, stay silent, and remember what you see.

If you or anyone in your home has ever had a final order of deportation, talk with a lawyer now, before agents ever come.

How to tell a judge's warrant from an ICE form

Added October 21, 2026. Look at who signed it and where it came from.

Check three things:

1. The signature. Is it signed by a judge, with the word "Judge" or "Magistrate" under the name? Federal rules list the officers who can sign an I-200 or I-205. No judge is on those lists.
2. The court. Is a court named at the top?
3. The details. Is your address correct? Is the person named someone who lives with you?

If the paper is a real judge's warrant with your correct address, do not resist. You can still stay silent, and you can still refuse to sign anything else.

What about my yard or porch? The federal rule for immigration officers says they may not enter a home, including the area right around it, to question the people inside about their status without a warrant or consent. A federal court in Los Angeles ruled in 2024 that ICE's own forms do not meet the Fourth Amendment for entering a home and the area around it (Kidd v. Mayorkas), but that ruling covered only the Los Angeles area. Everywhere else, the safest step is the same: stay inside, keep the door closed and talk through it.

After agents leave: write down the time, the agency, names or badge numbers, what they said, what they took and who they spoke to. Then call your county's rapid response line and a lawyer.

If you are stopped outside

• Ask, "Am I free to go?" If the answer is yes, walk away calmly.
• You can stay silent. Say so out loud.
• Do not run. Do not lie, and do not show false papers.

What agents are supposed to have. Added October 21, 2026. Federal rules say an immigration officer may briefly stop and question you only with a reasonable suspicion, based on specific facts, that you are breaking the law or are in the country unlawfully. To arrest someone without a warrant, the law expects the officer to have reason to believe the person is in the country unlawfully and would get away before a warrant could be obtained. Agents do not need a judge's warrant to arrest someone outside a home.

Do not consent to a search of your pockets or bag. Say: "I do not consent to a search." Do not physically resist.

If you are stopped while driving

• Pull over safely and keep your hands where they can be seen.
• In California, a driver must show a license and registration when a police officer asks. An AB 60 license is a valid license.
• You can say you do not consent to a search. Passengers can stay silent.

Police or immigration? Added October 21, 2026. Ask: "Are you with the police or with immigration?" California's license rule is for California peace officers, and state law says federal officers are not California peace officers. If immigration agents stop you, you can stay silent, and you can ask a lawyer ahead of time what you must show. If you are required to carry registration proof, read Papers: what to carry.

Can California police ask about my status? The California Attorney General says state and local police may not ask about your immigration status for immigration enforcement, may not share your home or work address with immigration agents except in limited cases, and may not help ICE with immigration enforcement except in very limited cases. Federal agents are not bound by these state limits.

For more about driving, see Getting a driver's license without papers (AB 60).

At work

• Agents can enter places open to the public, like a lobby. For private areas, they need a warrant or the employer's permission.
• You do not have to answer questions about where you were born or your immigration status.
• California employers must give workers a yearly notice of their rights. You can name an emergency contact, and your employer must tell that person if you are arrested or detained at work.

More on work, added October 21, 2026:

• Emergency contact, the details. If your employer knows you were arrested or detained during work hours somewhere other than the worksite, it must tell your contact too (California Department of Industrial Relations). Ask your employer for the emergency contact form and fill it in. Pick someone who will answer the phone and knows your family plan.
• If the company gets an I-9 inspection notice. California law says your employer must post a notice for workers within 72 hours of learning that immigration agents will inspect I-9 forms or other work records. The notice must say which agency is inspecting, when the employer got the notice and what the inspection is about, if known. If the results affect you, your employer must give you a copy within 72 hours and tell you what you need to fix and by when.
• If agents come while you are working: stay calm, do not run, stay silent, do not answer questions about your coworkers, and do not sign anything.

Your other rights at work, such as pay, breaks and safety, do not depend on your status. See Your rights at work, with or without papers.

At your child's school

Added October 21, 2026. California law protects students at school. Since January 1, 2026, school staff may not let immigration agents into non public areas of a school, or share student or family information with them, without a valid judicial warrant, a judicial subpoena or a court order (California Attorney General model policy).

• Parents come first. Staff need a parent's consent before an immigration officer interviews or searches a student, unless the officer has a warrant signed by a judge or a court order. Parents must be told right away.
• Schools must warn families. California K to 12 school safety plans must explain how the school will tell parents, guardians, teachers and staff when immigration enforcement is confirmed on campus. Plans were due by March 1, 2026 (SB 98 bulletin).
• Schools may not ask about status to enroll. See Every child can go to public school.

Update your child's emergency contacts at school, and add a trusted adult who can pick up your child. A Caregiver's Authorization Affidavit lets a trusted adult enroll your child and agree to school related medical care. It is free, needs no notary and is not filed with a court (California Courts).

To report a school that is not following these rules, contact the California Attorney General's Bureau of Children's Justice at (800) 952-5225 or BCJ@doj.ca.gov.

At court, church or the doctor

Added October 21, 2026. No place is fully safe from immigration enforcement. Some places have extra protection.

• Churches, schools and hospitals. On January 20, 2025, the Department of Homeland Security cancelled its earlier policy that limited enforcement at these "protected areas." ICE now decides case by case.
• Clinics and hospitals in California. Since September 20, 2025, California health care providers that receive public funding must mark their non public areas and may not let immigration agents into them without a valid judicial warrant or a court order, unless federal law requires it (California Attorney General). Your immigration status and place of birth are private medical information when your doctor has them. Keep going to the doctor.
• Immigration courts. On June 23, 2026, a federal court in San Jose vacated ICE's 2025 courthouse arrest policies and the matching immigration court policy (Pablo Sequen v. Albarran). That ended ICE's written policy. It does not promise that no one will be arrested at court.
• State courthouses. California law says a person may not be arrested on a civil matter in a courthouse while attending a court case or having legal business there, unless the arrest is made with a valid judicial warrant. Immigration arrests are usually civil. News reports say arrests at California state courthouses kept happening, and on October 15, 2026, California sued ICE to stop them (news report; we have not read the complaint, and there is no ruling yet). How California's rule applies to federal agents is still being decided, so we cannot promise it will protect you.

Keep going to every immigration court hearing. If you miss a hearing after you were given notice, the judge can order you deported without you there. Talk with a lawyer before you go, bring a trusted adult, and make sure the court has your current address. Notices go to the last address you gave.

Recording agents

Added October 21, 2026. In California, taking a photo or video of an officer in a public place, or from a place where you have a right to be, is not a crime by itself and is not, by itself, a reason to detain or arrest you (Penal Code 148(g)). Immigration agents are federal officers, and federal law makes it a crime to forcibly resist, block or interfere with them. Recording is allowed. Getting in the way is not.

If you are not a citizen, or you feel unsafe, stay back and call the rapid response line instead. If you do record: stay back, film openly, keep your hands where they can be seen, and step back if an officer tells you to. Give the video to the family or their lawyer instead of posting faces or names. See Who to call if you see immigration agents.

Papers: what to carry

This depends on your situation.

• If you are 18 or older and have a green card, a work permit, an I-94, or proof that you registered: federal law requires you to carry it. Not carrying it is a misdemeanor.
• If you have none of these: ask a legal provider what to carry. Showing a passport or ID from another country can tell agents where you were born.
• A red card explains your rights in English. You can hand it over instead of speaking. The Immigrant Legal Resource Center offers free printable cards in many languages.
• AB 60 driver's licenses are open to Californians regardless of status. State law says the license cannot be used as proof of status and the application information is not a public record. No record system is fully safe from federal legal demands.

More on papers, added October 21, 2026:

• The full list of registration documents is longer. It also includes some immigration court papers, such as a Notice to Appear (Form I-862), and a valid, unexpired entry or parole stamp in a foreign passport (8 CFR 264.1). A lawyer or accredited representative can tell you which of your papers counts. We could not find an official statement that says a copy is enough.
• If your passport holds your entry or parole stamp, it may be the proof you are required to carry, so ask before you leave it at home.
• If you have DACA, your work permit counts today. The government has asked for comments on removing work permits from the list, so this could change.
• Never carry false papers. A false document can bring criminal charges and give agents a reason to hold you.
• AB 60 and data sharing. A 2026 California law, SB 169, limits what the DMV can share through a national license data system, including whether a person holds an AB 60 license, unless federal law requires it.

About registration. The federal government requires many noncitizens 14 and older who are not already registered to register. The rule became final on June 29, 2026, and court challenges continue. Registering affects people differently, so get advice from a qualified immigration lawyer or accredited representative before you register.

Update, October 21, 2026: the pending appeal (CHIRLA v. DHS) is about the 2025 version of the rule. When we checked on October 21, 2026, we found no decision and no court order stopping the rule (case record).

More on registration, added October 21, 2026: parents register children under 14, and a child who turns 14 has 30 days to register (8 U.S.C. 1302). Not registering on purpose, when you are required to, is a federal misdemeanor (8 U.S.C. 1306). If you are required to be registered and you move, you must tell USCIS your new address within 10 days, and you can do it online (8 U.S.C. 1305). DNLH does not advise anyone to register or not to register.

Prepare now

• Write down a legal provider's number and a family member's number. Keep the list where you can reach it without your phone.
• Make a family plan: who picks up the children, who can reach your papers, and who to call. The Immigrant Legal Resource Center has a free Step by Step Family Preparedness Plan in English and Spanish.
• Keep important papers together in a safe place that a trusted person can reach.

Also, added October 21, 2026:

• Keep proof of how long you have lived here, in a place your family can reach: leases, pay stubs, school records, medical records, tax filings and bank statements with your name and dates. It can matter for bond and for fast track removal. See After an arrest.
• Name an emergency contact at work and update school emergency contacts for each child.
• Print red cards. Keep one by the door and one in your wallet. See Get a free know your rights red card.

Questions to ask a legal provider

• Do I have any immigration options?
• What should I carry when I leave home?
• Should I register, and what could happen if I do?
• What should my family do if I am detained?

Added October 21, 2026:

• Am I already registered?
• Do I, or anyone in my home, have a final order of deportation?
• Could I ask for bond if I am detained?

Who can help

Please contact them first to confirm costs, languages and openings. Being listed here is not a referral or a promise of service.

• Nonprofit legal services near you: the U.S. Justice Department list of recognized organizations and accredited representatives, by state and city. justice.gov/eoir
• Immigrant Legal Resource Center: know your rights guides and red cards. ilrc.org
• Informed Immigrant: plain language guides in English and Spanish. informedimmigrant.com
• San Mateo and Santa Clara counties: county immigrant services and rapid response pages. smcgov.org/ceo/immigrant-services and sacredheartcs.org/rapid-response-network
• At work: Legal Aid at Work, workers' rights during raids. legalaidatwork.org

Phone numbers, added October 21, 2026:

• San Mateo County Rapid Response Hotline (Faith in Action, funded by the County): (203) 666-4472, 24/7
• Santa Clara County Rapid Response Network: (408) 290-1144, 24/7
• Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto (CLSEPA): (650) 326-6440. Walk in Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., 1861 Bay Road, East Palo Alto. For low income residents of San Mateo and Santa Clara counties.
• Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County: (650) 558-0915
• Immigration Institute of the Bay Area, Redwood City: free first consultation by appointment, (650) 587-1558
• San Mateo County Immigrant Services: (650) 363-4194
• Bay Area Legal Aid advice line, all languages: 1-800-551-5554
• Santa Clara County: Asian Law Alliance (408) 287-9710; Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County (408) 468-0100
• Legal Aid at Work, workers' rights clinic, East Palo Alto line: (415) 404-9093. Free and confidential.
• More groups: Free or low cost immigration legal help in the Bay Area

A notario is not a lawyer in the United States. Only a lawyer or a DOJ accredited representative may give you immigration legal advice (State Bar of California). See How to find a lawyer you can trust.

If that does not work

• If agents came in without permission, or someone was hurt: write down the time, place, agency, names or badge numbers, and exactly what was said. Ask witnesses to do the same. Record video only if it is safe.
• If someone was detained: a lawyer or rapid response network can help you find where the person is held. Do not sign papers for them.
• If the first legal provider is full: ask who they recommend, then try the next organization on the Justice Department list.

After an arrest

Added October 21, 2026. The first hours matter most. Ask for a lawyer, sign nothing, and let your family start the plan.

If you are the one arrested:

• Stay silent and ask for a lawyer. Say: "I want to speak to a lawyer." In immigration court you have the right to a lawyer you choose, but the government does not pay for one (8 U.S.C. 1362).
• Do not sign anything before you talk with a lawyer.
• Know what agents must tell you. If you are arrested without a warrant and placed in an immigration court case, federal rules say you must be told why you were arrested, that you may have a lawyer at no cost to the government, and that anything you say can be used against you. You must also get a list of free legal services. A decision about keeping you in custody or releasing you is generally made within 48 hours. These rules do not cover expedited removal.
• Memorize two phone numbers, a family member's and a lawyer's, and your A number if you have one.

If someone you love was arrested:

1. Call the rapid response line. San Mateo County (203) 666-4472. Santa Clara County (408) 290-1144. Both are open 24/7. Teams help connect detained people to lawyers.
2. Find where the person is held. Use the ICE Online Detainee Locator. Search by A number and country of birth, or by name and country of birth. A person may not show up right away. Children under 18 are not listed (ICE brochure).
3. Call a lawyer right away. If the person has an immigration court case, the Department of Justice pro bono list shows free providers by court.
4. Gather papers the lawyer will need: full name, date of birth, country of birth, A number, any immigration papers, proof of how long the person has lived in the United States, and proof of family ties.
5. Care for the children. Follow your family preparedness plan.
6. Watch for scams. No one can buy a fast release. See Warning signs of an immigration scam.

Can my loved one ask for bond? Bond means paying money so a person can be released while the case goes on. This changed several times:

• In September 2025, the Board of Immigration Appeals said in Matter of Yajure Hurtado that immigration judges could not give bond to people who are in the United States without having been admitted, such as people who crossed without inspection.
• On July 30, 2026, the federal appeals court that covers California (the Ninth Circuit) ruled in Rodriguez Vazquez v. Bostock that people present without admission who are arrested inside the country fall under the law that allows bond.
• On October 1, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear a case (Rhoney v. Barbosa da Cunha) on the same question. No argument date was set when we checked on October 21, 2026. Its decision could change the rule in California too.
• Ask a lawyer about a bond hearing right away.

Fast track removal (expedited removal). Since January 2025, the government has used expedited removal more widely. It can apply anywhere in the country to some people who were not admitted or paroled and cannot show they have lived in the United States for two years without a break. In expedited removal, an immigration officer can order a person removed without a hearing before an immigration judge, unless the person says they want to apply for asylum or are afraid of persecution (8 U.S.C. 1225). On June 23, 2026, a federal appeals court lifted the order that had paused the expansion (Make the Road New York v. Mullin). The challengers asked the full court to rehear the case on July 27, 2026; no ruling has been reported. If agents say you are in expedited removal, say you want a lawyer, tell them if you have lived here two years or more, and tell them if you are afraid to go back to your country.

What is still uncertain

• Forced home entry with an I-205 form. This is ICE's position, and a court case challenges it.

• The registration rule. It is final, and lawsuits continue.

• California rules on masks and ID for agents. Federal courts have blocked or limited them for federal officers. Do not assume a masked agent is breaking the law. You can still ask for a name and badge number and write down what you see.

  Update, October 21, 2026: these rulings cover federal officers only. The Ninth Circuit's October 14, 2026 decision blocks California's ID rule for federal officers; the rule still applies to state and local officers. The cases are not finished.

• Court orders on street arrests in parts of Southern California. They apply only there and may change.

Also uncertain, added October 21, 2026:

• Bond. The Supreme Court will decide whether people who entered without inspection can get a bond hearing.
• Expedited removal. The request for the full appeals court to rehear the case is still pending.
• State courthouses. How California's courthouse rule applies to federal agents, and how California's October 2026 lawsuit ends.

We check these points again before this page is published, and the date of the last check appears at the top.

Print: what to say

Print: after an arrest

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