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

This page explains how to read the paper. It is general information, not legal advice. DNLH is not a law office. Some of these rules are being decided in court right now, and we tell you which ones. For the full steps when agents come to your home, see Your rights if immigration agents come.

Why does the kind of warrant matter?

Because it decides whether you have to let anyone in.

The Fourth Amendment protects your home from unreasonable searches. The Supreme Court has said that, generally, officers need a warrant from a judge, or your permission, to cross into a home. There are rare exceptions, such as a real emergency.

Immigration agents often carry their own forms that are also called "warrants." A judge does not sign those. An immigration officer does. That difference is the whole point of this page.

You also do not have to open the door or speak to officers who knock. The Supreme Court has said so.

What does a judge's warrant look like?

A judge's warrant comes from a court. Federal court warrants use national forms. Here is what they show:

• The court's name at the top. It says "United States District Court" and names the district, such as the Northern District of California. A state warrant names a state court, such as a Superior Court of California.
• A judge's signature. The federal search warrant form has a line marked "Judge's signature," with the judge's printed name and title.
• Who it names. An arrest warrant names the person to be arrested. A search warrant describes the place to be searched and what may be taken.
• Time limits. A federal search warrant must be used within the time it states, no more than 14 days, and usually in the daytime, 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., unless the judge allowed any time.

What does an ICE warrant look like?

ICE uses two forms that it calls warrants. Both come from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), not a court.

The sample copies we checked are marked Form I-200 (Rev. 09/16) and ICE Form I-205 (8/07). ICE may use other editions. Do not rely on the date. Rely on the signature and the agency.

Federal rules list which immigration officials can sign these forms. No judge is on those lists.

A tricky detail on the I-205. The form has boxes that say the removal order came from an immigration judge, the Board of Immigration Appeals, or a federal judge. That does not make the I-205 a judge's warrant. The I-205 itself is still signed by an immigration officer.

How do I check the paper without opening the door?

Take your time. You do not have to hurry because someone is knocking.

1. Ask who they are. "Which agency are you with?"
2. Ask for the paper. "Please slide it under the door," or "Please hold it up to the window."
3. Look at the top. Does it name a court, or does it say Department of Homeland Security?
4. Look at the signature. Does it say "Judge" or "Magistrate" under the name? Or does it say immigration officer?
5. Look at the details. Is your address correct? Does the person named live with you?
6. Take a photo of the paper if you can, front and back.
7. Decide, then speak through the door. If it is not signed by a judge, say: "I do not consent to you entering. I am choosing to remain silent."

What if it is a judge's warrant?

Do not block the door or resist. You still keep your other rights.

• A search warrant lets agents search the places it lists, for the things it lists. Say, "I do not consent to a search beyond the warrant." Stay silent.
• An arrest warrant from a judge can let officers enter the named person's own home if they have reason to believe that person is inside.
• If the person named does not live with you, the Supreme Court has said officers generally need a search warrant, consent or an emergency to enter your home to look for them.

Even with a real warrant, you can stay silent and refuse to sign anything. Ask for a lawyer.

What if it is only an ICE form?

Keep the door closed. An ICE form is not signed by a judge.

• The federal rule. ICE's own regulation says an immigration officer may not enter a home, including the area right around it, to question the people inside about their status without a warrant or the consent of the person in control.
• A court ruling in Los Angeles. In 2024, a federal court in Los Angeles ruled in a case called Kidd v. Mayorkas that ICE's administrative warrants do not meet the Fourth Amendment's warrant requirement for entering a home and the area around it. That case was settled in 2025, and it covered only the Los Angeles area.

What if agents come in anyway?

Your safety comes first.

• Do not block the door, and do not resist.
• Say clearly: "I do not consent to you entering or searching."
• Stay silent. Do not sign anything.
• Keep children close and calm.
• Watch closely. When they leave, write down the time, the agency, names or badge numbers, what they said, what paper they showed and what they took.
• Call your county's rapid response line and a lawyer as soon as it is safe.

Agents going too far is something a lawyer can raise later. Fighting at the door can bring new charges.

What about an ICE detainer?

A detainer, Form I-247A, is different again. It is a request from ICE to a jail, asking the jail to hold a person, tell ICE a release date or hand the person over. It is not signed by a judge. In California, local jails may not keep a person past their release time because of an ICE hold request. See What an ICE hold is, and whether a California jail can keep you.

What mistakes should I avoid?

• Opening the door "just to see." You can read the paper through a closed door. A closed door keeps your choice clear.
• Trusting the word "warrant." Both kinds of paper say it. Check the signature.
• Lying or showing false papers. Silence is your right. A lie can bring new charges.
• Signing anything. Not at the door, not later, not before you talk with a lawyer.
• Paying someone who says they can "cancel" a warrant. That is a scam. See Warning signs of an immigration scam.

Questions people ask

The agent says he is "police." Does that change anything? Ask, "Which agency are you with?" Whoever they are, your rights at the door are the same. A badge or a vest does not replace a judge's signature. Check the paper.

Can I ask them to hold the warrant up to a window instead? Yes. Sliding it under the door or showing it through a window both work. You do not need to open the door to read it.

What if the name on the warrant is wrong? Say, through the door, that the person named does not live there. Do not say where that person is. Stay silent after that.

Can local police use an ICE warrant to arrest me? California limits how local police help immigration enforcement. See Does California law stop local police from helping ICE?

What if agents wait outside until I leave? An ICE form can be used to arrest the named person outside a home. Agents do not need a judge's warrant for that. See What to do if ICE or police stop you on the street or in your car.

Who can help?

Contact them to confirm hours, languages and openings. Being listed here is not a referral or a promise of service.

• Rapid response lines, open 24/7: San Mateo County (203) 666-4472; Santa Clara County (408) 290-1144. Call to report agents at a home or a detention.
• Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto: (650) 326-6440. Walk in Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., 1861 Bay Road.
• Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County: (650) 558-0915.
• Free red cards to hand through the door, in many languages: Get a free know your rights red card.
• More groups: Free legal help in the Bay Area.

Is there a card I can keep by the door?

You are not powerless at your own door. A closed door, a calm voice and one careful look at a piece of paper can protect your family.