S U P P O R T

     E D U C A T I O N

     J U S T I C E

    .  PROTEJA SUS DERECHOS
    .  REALIDADES Y MITOS SOBRE
         LA INMIGRACION ILEGAL

    .  PROTECT YOUR RIGHTS
    .  ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION:
         FACTS AND MYTHS

  .   THE PART OF  "ILLEGAL"
         WE DON'T GET
         QUE PARTE DE  "ILEGAL"
         NO ENTENDEMOS

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         NOTICIAS / ACTIVIDADES
  .  ARTICLES
         ARTÍCULOS
  .  CONTACT US
         CONTÁCTENOS
  .  FAQ
         PREGUNTAS FREQUENTES

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      Protect Your Rights   

                                                                                      DOs and DON’Ts

            Immigrants are entitled to many of the same constitutional rights as are citizens of the United States. To protect your rights
            follow these recommendations on how to act, if questioned or detained by immigration, or other law enforcement authorities.
            Because of the increase in the level of immigration law enforcement in our area, we strongly recommend that you have a plan
            in place, if you are at risk for deportation. You should decide if you want your children to stay in this country, if you are deported,
            and, if so, prepare legal documents to assign the custody of your children and give a power of attorney to handle your financial
            affairs to persons you trust.

                                                                                                DOs 

            .      To check if you are at risk of deportation call 800-898-7180 (touch 2 for instructions in Spanish) and enter your alien
                    number  to hear a recorded message on your status. Seek legal advice if you have an outstanding order of deportation.
            .   If you have it, carry some legal form of identification issued in the U.S. (driver’s license, green card, employer or school
                    ID, tax payer ID).  Do not carry ID from another country.
            .     Carry a card with the name, address and phone number of an immigration attorney, minister, or community organization
                    that can advise you in case of detention. If you are detained, you have the right to make a phone call.
            .   Ask for, and write down, the names of any law enforcement agents who enter your house, with or without a warrant,
                    or who may stop you on the street, as well as the department or agency to which they belong  Get names and phone
                    numbers of any witnesses. If you think your rights have been violated, report, or ask a witness to report, the incident
                    to an attorney or community organization, like LALDEF, as soon as possible.
            .   If you are stopped on the street for no reason by law enforcement agents, you are not obligated to show identification,
                    but you should provide your real name if questioned, unless you have reason to believe it might incriminate you. If so,
                    you may chose  to exercise you right to remain silent and respond only by saying you wish to speak with an attorney.
                    If you are driving a car, you are required to have in your possession a valid driver’s license issued in the state where
                    you reside, a card from the insurance company, and the vehicle registration card, and you must show this documentation
                    to law enforcement agents, if asked. But you do not have to answer any questions, such as what is your
                    nationality, address, place of work, or whether you are in this country legally or have a green card. 
                    You are also under no obligation to provide information on the whereabouts of another person.  Don't be
                    intimidated if you have not done anything wrong, ask permission to leave, and walk or drive away.
            .     If you are told you are under arrest, ask where you are being taken and give the information to any relatives or friends
                   who might be present. If you have children, ask to be allowed to make arrangements to have someone take care of them.
            .     Ask a relative or friend who is a citizen or legal resident to keep copies of any documents you may have received from,
                   or filed with, immigration authorities, your passport, and the name and phone number of the immigration attorney who
                   is helping you. Tell other family members or friends where these documents are kept. If you have a pending case with
                   immigration, it is important to know what is the alien number you have been assigned (your “A” number).  If you are
                   detained this will facilitate getting assistance to you quickly.

                                                                                           
                                                                                             DON’Ts

      .    DON’T ignore any documents you receive in the mail from the immigration department.  Show them to your attorney,
                  or go to a legal services agency for advice as soon as possible.
            .    DON’T let immigration agents or officers from any other law enforcement agency, enter your home without
                  a search or arrest warrant.  A warrant is a document signed by a judge that allows the arrest of specific person(s), or
                  the search of specific premises.  You should ask the person(s) named in the warrant to exit the house and give themselves
                  up, but you don’t have to allow the officers inside the house.  Once you do, they may question everyone inside and search
                  for documents to prove you are in the country illegally.  You can ask the officers to leave if the person(s) named in the
                  warrant are not in the house. Opening the door without a clear agreement that the officers will not go inside, can be
                  taken as giving consent to their entering.  You can speak with them through a closed door or window.
            .  DON’T offer any physical resistance if you are arrested, or if law-enforcement agents enter your home, even without a
                  warrant.
            .   DON’T carry or present false documentation Never give a false name, or lie, as you would be breaking the law.
            .  DON’T sign any documents you don't understand without the advice of an attorney.  You might be told that you should
                  sign a "Stipulated Request for Removal and Waiver of Hearing".  This will expedite your deportation without a hearing in
                  front of a judge. Don’t be intimidated by threats of long incarceration, or high bail. If you do not have a prior order of
                  deportation, you have the right to a hearing in front of a judge, to request to be released, with or without bail, and to
                  hire an attorney to argue your case.  If you had previously received a deportation order, you no longer have the right
                  to a hearing. However, if you think your circumstances warrant it, you can ask for time to look for an attorney to petition
                  to have your deportation stopped. Keep in mind that immigration agents are under no obligation to inform you of your
                  rights.

            These general recommendations are not a substitute for legal advice for your particular case which only
            a licensed attorney can provide.

            COMMUNITY AGENCIES THAT PROVIDE REPRESENTATION AND ADVICE ON IMMIGRATION MATTERS:

            AMERICAN FRIENDS SERVICECOMMITTEE
            Immigrants Rights Program
            Director: Amy Gottlieb
            89 Market Street
            Newark, NJ 07102
            (973) 643-1924.

            CAMDEN CENTER FOR LAW AND SOCIAL JUSTICE
            Immigration Service Office
            1845 Haddon Avenue
            Camden, NJ 08103
            (856) 342-4160

            And

            15 North California Avenue
            Atlantic City, NJ 08401
            (609) 348-2111

            CATHOLIC COMMUNITY SERVICES
            976 Broad Street
            Newark, NJ 07102
            (973) 733-3516

            CATHOLIC FAMILY & COMMUNITY SERVICES
            24 DeGrasse Street
            Paterson, NJ 07505
            (973) 279-7100

            EL CENTRO HISPANO AMERICANO
            525 East Front Street
            Plainfield, NJ 07060
            (908) 753-8730

            THE HEBREW IMMIGRANT AID SOCIETY
            333 Seventh Avenue
            New York, NY 10001-5004
            (212) 613-1420

            HUMAN RIGHTSFIRST
            333 7th Avenue, 13th Floor   
            New York, NY 10001
            (212) 845-5200
            (212) 629-6170, Detention

           BHANU B ILINDRA, ESQ.
           Pasricha & Patel, LLC
           1794 Oak Treet Rd.
           Edison NJ 08820
           (732) 593-6200

           INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE
           880 Bergen Avenue, 5th Floor
           Jersey City, NJ 07306
           (201) 653-3888 Ext. 20

           LA CASA DE DON PEDRO
           39 Broadway
           Newark, NJ 07104
           (973) 481-4713

            LA CASITA IMMIGRATION LEGAL SERVICES    
            First Hispanic Baptist Church
            123 Butler St.
            Trenton, NJ 08611
            (609) 858-2885

            LEGAL SERVICES OF NEW JERSEY
            100 Metroplex Drive
            Plainfield Avenue
            Edison, NJ 08818
            Hotline: 1-888-576-5529

            LUTHERAN SOCIAL MINISTRIES OF NEW JERSEY
            189 South Broad Street
            Trenton, NJ 08601
            (609) 393-4900 

PREPARED BY



The Latin American Legal Defense and Education Fund (LALDEF)

PO BOX 80, PRINCETON NJ 08542  INFO@LALDEF.ORG

Call toll-free: 1-877-4LALDEF (1-877-452-5333)

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