Know Your Rights - Immigration
Know Your Rights and Be Prepared for an Emergency
Are you looking for information or support for someone who is in immigration detention in Colorado?
Click Here for the USCIS Online Detainee Locator System
Call a lawyer for someone who is detained:
Call RMIAN: (303) 866-9308
Call Elevation Law: (970) 455-1013
Call Meyer Law Office: (303) 831-0817
Call Mountain Dreamers (970) 368-6354
Recommended Immigration Attorneys: CO American Immigration Lawyers Assoc.
Know of suspected ICE activity? Click on the buttons to call the Hotline
Know Your Rights - The Basics
If you think ICE agents are at your door
Stay Calm. Do not open the door. Talk to the officers through the door.
Stay Silent. Do not answer questions. You do not have to say where you were born or how you entered the U.S.
Ask if they have a warrant signed by a judge. (SAMPLES with notes in English and Spanish). If they say yes, ask them to slide it under the door or hold it up to a window so you can look at it. They cannot enter your house without an arrest warrant or search warrant signed by a judge and which states the full name of the person they are looking for.
They cannot enter your home with an administrative ICE warrant. (SAMPLES with notes in English and Spanish).
Don’t give a false name or show any false papers or IDs.
If they force their way in, do not resist, and tell everyone in the house to remain silent.
If you are arrested, say you wish to remain silent and ask for a lawyer immediately, even if you don’t have one. Don't give any explanations or excuses.
Don't sign anything without a lawyer.
If you are stopped in your vehicle
Stop the vehicle in a safe place as soon as possible. Turn off the car, turn on the interior light, open the window a little, and place your hands on the steering wheel.
If asked, show the police your driver's license, registration, and proof of insurance.
If a police or immigration agent asks you to search the inside of your car, you can deny permission. However, if the police believe your car contains evidence of a crime, they can search it without your permission.
Both drivers and passengers have the right to remain silent. If you are a passenger, you can ask if you are free to leave. If the officer says yes, sit quietly or calmly leave. Even if the officer says no, you have the right to remain silent.
If you are asked about your immigration status
You have the right to remain silent and do not have to talk about your immigration or citizenship status with police, immigration agents, or any other officials. You do not have to answer questions about where you were born, whether you are a US citizen, or how you entered the country. (Different rules apply at international border crossings and airports, and to individuals with certain nonimmigrant visas, including tourists and people on business trips.)
If you are not a US citizen, and an immigration agent asks for your immigration documents, you must show them if you have them with you. If you are over 18 years of age, carry your immigration documents with you at all times. If you do not have immigration documents, say you want to remain silent.
Do not lie about your citizenship status or provide false documents!
For Employers and Employees:
What to Do If Immigration Comes To Your Workplace - English
Qué Hacer Si Viene Inmigración A Su Lugar De Trabajo - Español
Cuando ICE está afuera de nuestras puertas
Cuando ICE está dentro de nuestros hogares
Cuando ICE está en nuestras comunidades, en nuestras calles
Si ICE nos arresta
When ICE is inside our homes, English version
When ICE is outside our doors, English version
If ICE arrests us, English version
When ICE is in our communites, in our streets, English version
Colorado-Specific Protections
Colorado has some of the strongest protections for immigrant rights in the nation, ensuring that families are kept together and communities are safer. Here are key protections and laws that every Coloradan should know:
Prohibitions on ICE Activity Around Courthouses:
ICE cannot make arrests in or around courthouses or when someone is on their way to or from court.
Probation officers are prohibited from sharing information with ICE.
Protections for Individuals in Jail Custody:
You must be informed of your right to refuse an interview with ICE while in jail.
If you post bond for someone who is then deported, you are entitled to a full refund.
Anti-Extortion and Coercion Protections:
It is illegal to threaten to report someone’s immigration status to force them to pay money, do something illegal, or prevent them from reporting a crime.
Limits on Collaboration with ICE:
Police departments cannot hold someone for ICE beyond their scheduled release date and police cannot arrest someone based solely on their immigration status.
IGSA contracts (allowing local jails to rent beds to ICE for detention) are prohibited.
Protection of Personal Information:
State agencies cannot share personal identifying information with ICE unless ICE provides a warrant or subpoena.
Third-party entities can only access state databases if they sign an agreement not to share information with ICE.
State agencies can only collect immigration status when required by state or federal law.
Driver’s Licenses for Undocumented Residents:
Colorado provides the ability for ALL residents, regardless of their immigration status, to obtain a driver’s license.
How to Create a Family Preparedness Plan
Justice and Mercy Legal Aid Center (JAMLAC) - Family Protection Plan - English
Centro de Asistencia Legal Justicia y Misericordia (JAMLAC) - PLAN DE PROTECCIÓN FAMILIAR - Español
Delegation of Power by Parent or Guardian - Delegación de poderes por el padre or tutor (poder notarial) and Instructions (English)
