A list of local resources for knowing your rights, engaging in safe reporting and supporting your community
By THE EDITORIAL BOARD — opinion@theaggie.org
On Jan. 24, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents shot and killed Minneapolis resident Alex Jeffrey Pretti. While President Donald Trump’s administration claimed Pretti was “brandishing a gun” in an attempt to “massacre law enforcement,” video evidence from various angles directly contradict these accusations. Prior to being attacked, Pretti was engaged in his right to record officer activity, attempting to put himself between an ICE agent and a civilian woman when he was pulled to the ground.
Following the murder of Renee Good on Jan. 7, the federal government continues to defend the lethal force exercised by ICE in Minneapolis through a disgusting misrepresentation of the city’s residents. Vice President JD Vance called Good’s death a “tragedy of her own making.”
“This is a guy who’s actually done a very, very important job for the United States of America,” Vance said in a White House press conference, with regard to Jonathan Ross, the ICE officer who killed Good. “He’s been assaulted, he’s been attacked, he’s been injured because of it. He deserves a debt of gratitude.”
As federal agents run rampant through Minnesota, fear — and misinformation — is more widespread than ever. While civilians continue to mobilize, immigration raids also continue to escalate in violence across the country.
On the local level, Davis’ Human Relations Commission held an Immigrant Safety & Solidarity Forum on Jan. 22, highlighting the voices of both undocumented Davis residents and leaders of local support organizations. Community speakers expressed the need for a higher concentration of free legal support, amplified education through bilingual Know Your Rights training workshops and visible, symbolic support for immigrants as they navigate the fear of leaving their homes, sending their kids to school and continuing to show up to work.
As Davis community members, the Editorial Board urges you to educate yourself as much as possible. What should you do when you encounter potential ICE officers on campus or in your city? How can you protect yourself and your neighbors?
Your rights if ICE approaches you:
Regardless of immigration status, you have the right to remain silent under the Fifth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. You do not have to answer any questions about your citizenship status or where you were born — UC Davis Immigration Law Clinic Co-Director Amagda Perez advises that if you don’t fully understand a question or why officers are asking it, you should remain silent until receiving legal counsel.
ICE officers do not have the right to enter your home or business without a judicial warrant. ICE warrants of removal or deportation do not give officers the right to enter homes without consent, according to the UC Immigrant Legal Services Center.
You are not required to sign anything requested of you. Especially if you do not fully understand the forms being given to you by officers, exercise your right to refuse signing any forms without first acquiring legal counsel.
How to engage in safe, reliable reporting:
Contact your local Rapid Response Network Hotline, Migra Watch (RRN). Operated by NorCal Resist, the Sacramento Rapid Response Network Hotline will send trained legal observers to gather information and document ICE activity in reported areas. If you observe potential ICE activity, call the Sacramento RRN Hotline at (916) 382-0256 and provide them with as much information as possible in regards to what you saw and where you saw it.
Do not post unverified sightings to social media without confirmation. Vague social media posts and warnings spread without proper vetting can spread unnecessary fear and undermine the work of local organizations as they aim to keep people properly informed. If you record ICE activity, share your video footage with a local organization, like NorCal Resist, before spreading it on your own.
You have the right to record local police, ICE, state and federal officers as they act out public duties. Despite officers repeatedly knocking phones out of the hands of Minneapolis residents and claiming they cannot record, observers have the right to document what they’re seeing as long as they’re not interfering with the actions of officers.
If you feel safe enough, record activity at a distance, verbally narrate what you’re seeing and state the date and time. If an officer approaches you and tells you to step back, record yourself doing so, narrate your own actions and reiterate that you’re exercising your right to document public activity.
Other ways to support your neighbors:
Donate your time or money to amplifying local organizations. Groups providing financial assistance, free legal counsel and educational materials to their local communities are most often entirely volunteer-based. NorCal Resist, Yolo Interfaith Immigration Network, the UC Davis Immigration Law Clinic and Davis Phoenix Coalition are just a handful of groups currently accepting donations and volunteers.
Engage in local observer trainings and educational workshops. Both on- and off-campus organizations regularly host in-person and virtual legal observer trainings to better educate local residents on how to support their neighbors under the threat of ICE. On Feb. 3 at 4 p.m., the Undocumented Student Resource Center will be hosting their first Know Your Rights Workshop of the quarter in Suite 1003 of the Student Community Center.
Written by: The Editorial Board — opinion@theaggie.org
