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Know Your Rights resources prepared by GAPA Coalition
Click here to report all CPD/ICE interactions to Civilian Office of Police Accountability
Report ICE Sighting, get connected with legal, social, and family PREPAREDNESS resources with ICIRR (who connects with on the ground rapid response groups) at their hotline:
855-435-7693
Legal Representation:
Cook County Public Defender's Arrest Response Hotline:
844-817-4448
National Lawyers Guild Chicago Hotline:
872-465-4244
First Defense Legal Aid Hotline:
800-529-7374
National Immigrant Justice Center:
312-583-9721
Are you protesting? You have rights:
Under Federal Law:
- The 1st Amendment protects your right to protest
- The 4th Amendment protects you from unreasonable searches, seizures, and unlawful arrests.
- Note: Protestors who assault, intimidate, or interfere with an officer or employee of the US government while they are engaging in their official duties, or protestors who are preventing ICE operations, can be convicted of a crime
In Illinois:
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- Law enforcement cannot participate in civil immigration enforcement per the IL TRUST Act, including:
a.) Helping federal agents conduct civil immigration enforcement operations.
B.) Stop, arrest, search, detain, or continue to detain anyone solely based on citizenship or immigration status.
C.) Ask anyone in custody or who has otherwise been stopped or detained about their citizenship or immigration status.
- The right to protest extends to public spaces (sidewalks, parks, streets).
- Protestors do not need a permit to march in public spaces as long as they do not block cars or pedestrian traffic.
Note: if you do not have a permit, the police may ask you to move for "safety reasons."
- Need consent from both parties to record private conversations. You do not need consent for public interactions with law enforcement.
Local law:
- You can Report city employee violations through IL Attorney General's Civil Rights hotline 877-581-3692, by sending an email civilrights@ilag.gov, or submitting a civil rights complaint form
- Report CPD officer/employee violations by filing a complaint with COPA
- Report a non-CPD employee violation to the Office of the Inspector General by filing an intake form
Local law enforcement may not:
a.) Prevent anyone who is lawfully present in a public space from photographing anything in plain view
B.) Search individuals, their belongings, or their phones without consent if they are not under arrest.
C.) Use disproportionate force in responding to alleged criminal activity
D.) Arrest anyone for violating a lawful dispersal order without 1) communicating that order and 2) providing a reasonable opportunity to comply
If you are stopped & you do not know whether it is police/ICE/military
Regardless of immigration status, these are your rights:
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1.) You have the right to remain silent. If you wish to exercise that right, say so aloud.
2.) You have the right not to share your immigration status.
3.) If you are asked about your status, where you were born, or how you entered the country, you have the right to remain silent.
4.) You have the right to tell other people about their rights.
5.) You have the right not to consent to a search of yourself, your car, or your home. If you wish to exercise that right, say so aloud.
6.) You have the right to photograph or film anything in plain view, including federal officers and federal buildings.
7.) You can ask officers for their names, badge numbers, and who to call with questions about an arrest or any action by federal agents.
8.) If you are not under arrest, you have the right to calmly leave.
If you are unsure, you can ask, "Am I under arrest?" or "Am I free to go?"
9.) If you are under arrest, you have the right to a lawyer. Ask for one immediately.
Note: Even if the stop/arrest/search is illegal, physically resisting an officer is illegal and can lead to charges.
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If police/ICE/military come to your home:
10.) You do not need to open the door.
11.) Ask, "Do you have a warrant signed by a judge?"
12.) If they say "yes" --> ask officers to slide the warrant under the door, hold it up to a window/ peephole
13.) If they do not --> they cannot enter your home without consent.
14.) If they enter the home, you still have the right to remain silent. Express this right out loud.
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If you witness someone being detained:
15.) If possible, ask the person for their name, date of birth, and a loved one you can contact.
16.) Report to the hotlines below under “Reporting.”
17.) If ICE has detained someone for longer than 48 hours, you can locate them using the Online Detainee Locator System
18.) Complete the Resurrection Project detained loved one form
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"Know Your Rights" One-Pagers when Interacting with ICE
What law enforcement agency is this?
Identifying Different Agents:
- Chicago Police Officers: wearing blue & black, will have a star-shaped badge, should not be wearing a mask
- ICE Agents: typically wearing plain clothes & face masks, a vest that says “police” but sometimes can read “ICE,” “HSI,” “CBP,” “ERO,” or “Federal Agent.”
- National Guard: military uniforms, can carry a rifle/pistol
Other Resources
Local Rapid Response Teams:
ICIRR's Illinois "Eyes on ICE" Text Network will alert participants of local ICE activity near your area, tips and reminders to keep you and your neighbors safe, and opportunities to take action.
Northwest Side Rapid Response Team
Southeast Side Rapid Response Team
Chicago Far South Side Rapid Response
Berwyn-Cicero Rapid Response Network
Aurora Rapid Response Tea
Making a Family Safety Plan:
-Organized Communities Family Preparedness Package
-Resurrection Project Family Safety Plan
Trainings:
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HANA Center Know Your Rights workshop: Thursdays at 1 p.m., online | Register
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The Resurrection Project - Immigrant Justice: Tuesdays at 2 p.m. (English); Thursdays at 6 p.m. (Spanish) | Sign up for a virtual training or request a training
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Equity and Transformation and Black Voter Project are hosting Know Your Rights training sessions in West Englewood and West Garfield Park. Sign up here.
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The National Lawyers Guild of Chicago offers Know Your Rights trainings for groups upon request. Email chicago@nlg.org to request training.
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CAIR-Chicago offers Know Your Rights trainings upon request. You can fill our their online form at cairchicago.org/request-a-speaker to request a speaker.
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PUÑO organizes Know Your Rights Community Canvassing. The volunteer effort involves 15 minutes of training followed by 60- to 90-minute canvassing shifts in pairs. Check out upcoming dates and sign up for slots here.
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Palenque LSNA hosts virtual Know Your Rights trainings upon request bit.ly/PLSNAVolunteer
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