VivirLatino

If Immigration and Naturalization (ICE) show up at your door, do you know what to do? Do you know what your rights are? Most people don’t, especially in the current climate of fear, which is why NJ the May 1 Coalition and the New Jersey Civil Rights Defense Committee have launched a 24-hour free number (1-800-308-0878) covering New York and New Jersey that will provide immediate, contact with Spanish-speaking volunteers in the event of a raid.

“Most of the ICE raids on homes and workplace are fishing expeditions—ICE does not know who has documents and who does not,” explains Eric Lerner, a member of the NJ May 1 Coalition. “Immigrants are detained and deported mainly as a result of information that they are frightened into providing the agents. If immigrants call the hotline as soon as they hear that knock on the door, the volunteers will explain to them their rights so that they don’t inadvertently give out information that leads to detention.” Experience with Rapid Response Networks in other cities has shown that even immigrants who are aware of their rights can panic when confronted with armed ICE agents and forget those rights. The hotline provides a reassuring, knowledgeable individual who can remind the caller of their rights and encourage them to use them.

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