By Brian Wright O’Connor
Families worried about increased scrutiny of immigrants from newly empowered federal authorities received a series of practical tips on Thursday’s edition of La Hora del Café.
Lidice Samper, a veteran immigration attorney based in Malden, shared steps that households should take before federal agents come knocking—or if they show up at your home or workplace.
“There are things you can do right now to be better prepared, whether or not you’re undocumented,” said Samper during a live appearance on El Mundo Boston’s streaming news and talk show.
“And you need to know what to do if they appear at your front door or show up at your workplace. It’s important that you know your rights,” she said.
Concerns about raids and heightened enforcement of immigration laws have skyrocketed in the wake of President Donald Trump’s accession to the White House on a platform of mass deportations and sending federal troops to the southern border to stem the flow of migrants.
Long before agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conduct raids or inquiries, concerned households should take a number of steps, said Samper:
- Gather all your important documents.
- Let a trusted family member know where to find them.
- Talk with your family about what to do if you or someone in your family is detained by ICE.
- Give your child’s school a list of trusted adults who can pick up your child if you are detained by ICE.
- Consult with an immigration attorney.
If ICE shows up at your door, keep in mind the following tips, added Samper:
- Don’t open the door without a valid warrant signed by a judge.
- Remain silent. You have the right not to speak.
- Ensure everyone in the home remains calm, and don’t attempt to interfere with an ICE officer.
- Don’t sign anything without speaking to an attorney.
- Call your attorney or seek legal help by calling the Lawyers for Civil Rights hotline at (617) 988-0606.
Finally, if immigration agents appear at your workplace, follow these steps, said Samper:
- Don’t provide false documents, and don’t carry them with you.
- Don’t attempt to interfere with an ICE officer.
- Tell them you’d like to speak to your attorney, and don’t sign anything without speaking with one.
- Keep important numbers with you.
- If ICE detains you while at work and you have children at home, make sure you inform ICE.
Trump’s immigration advisers have emphasized that ICE’s priority is to go after criminal aliens, but that hasn’t soothed the fears of law-abiding documented and undocumented immigrants, hundreds of whom flooded La Hora del Café’s chatline with questions and comments.
Shortly after the conclusion of the morning segment, ICE reported that its latest sweep in East Boston resulted in the arrests of eight individuals, seven of whom had serious criminal records, including multiple MS-13 gang members, individuals wanted for murder and rape, and a Haitian national with 18 prior convictions. These claims from ICE are sure to be disputed by those who have been consistently skeptical of ICE’s self-reporting.
The Trump crackdown, said Samper, “is going to clean up a lot of people off the streets,” but she warned of “collateral damage” in the form of detaining those without criminal records who are in the company of targeted migrants. “But remember,” she added, “when ICE asks questions about your immigration status, you are under no obligation to answer.”
No one knows for sure how far the new administration will go to achieve its promised massive deportation goal, but the uncertainty has left immigration advocates and vulnerable families fearful about the outcome.
