Bakersfield College hosted a community forum titled “Your Constitutional Rights and Immigration Enforcement” to educate the public on how to safely respond during encounters with immigration officials on July 9.
The event featured attorneys H.A. Sala, Gabriela Lopes Garcia, and Ma. Sofia Corona G., who shared legal guidance during encounters with immigration authorities.
The event was part of a community conversation series hosted by Bakersfield College in collaboration with advocacy groups, including the UFW Foundation, LUPE, Rapid Response Network of Kern, Building Healthy Communities Kern, and AB540 SSSP.
Attorney H.A. Sala opened the discussion by addressing the fear many immigrants may feel when facing law enforcement or immigration agents. He wanted to remind the community that everyone in the United States, regardless of immigration status, is protected by the U.S. Constitution.
“This is not a police state,” Sala said. “They’re trying to intimidate people, and we’re here to reduce that fear by informing you of your rights.”
Sala said that the Fourth Amendment protects all people from unreasonable searches and detentions.
He mentioned a 50-year-old Supreme Court case, United States v. Brignoni-Ponce, that ruled immigration officers cannot stop people based solely on appearance or skin color. He also cited California’s Values Act of 2017, which prohibits local law enforcement from helping federal immigration agents.
Sala also mentioned a recent federal court ruling in California’s Eastern District, which found that immigration agents had violated constitutional protections by targeting people based only on appearance.
The court now requires immigration officers to document a factual basis for believing someone is in the country unlawfully, and silence alone does not qualify.
“You have the absolute right to say nothing,” Sala said. “Do not tell them where you’re from. Don’t show documents unless you’re required to. Just be polite and ask for a lawyer.”
He warned people not to show AB 60 driver’s licenses because they could tip off immigration agents about someone’s legal status.
Sala also advised that immigration officers cannot enter private areas at workplaces, homes, or campuses without a warrant.
“The best protection is staying silent and asking for an attorney. That’s saved many people. Don’t argue, don’t resist, just assert your rights,” Sala said.
Attorney Sofia Corona, with the UFW Foundation, said that what happened in Bakersfield and Los Angeles during recent immigration raids shows widespread constitutional violations.
“We’re documenting cases of racial profiling,” she said. “People are being targeted because they ‘look Latino’ or are in certain places like Home Depot, car washes, or farm fields.”
Corona said her organization is currently involved in lawsuits against ICE and Border Patrol over how agents have used force, intimidation, and deception.
She advised the community who may interact with ICE to mentally prepare for aggressive behavior from officers. “We’ve seen people roughed up, yelled at, searched without cause,” she said. “Even elders, abuelitas pushing paleta carts, are being harassed. It’s painful and real.”
Corona also said to avoid carrying documents like birth certificates or foreign passports. “Only carry what you need, like your license. Keep sensitive papers at home. We’ve seen ICE pull items from wallets and use them against people,” she said.
She also warned that people held in immigration detention centers, like the one known as “B-18” in Los Angeles, often face crowded, inhumane conditions and are pressured to sign deportation papers under false promises.
“They’re told things like, ‘If you sign this, you can legalize later,’ which is a lie,” she said. “You must wait for your attorney. Don’t give in.”
Corona said it’s important to practice with family how to handle possible encounters with immigration and reminded everyone never to sign anything without a lawyer.
“We are fighting these violations in court,” she said. “But you must stay calm and hold the line. Do not let fear or intimidation make you give up your rights.”
Immigration attorney Gabriela Lopes Garcia agreed with the other attorneys and said that it’s important to stand up for your rights, even if they might be ignored.
“Justice may be slow, but it comes,” she said. “If we don’t assert our rights, we lose them before we even have a chance to fight.”
Garcia said that while raids and arrests are frightening, there are people and legal organizations working daily to support immigrants, especially in communities like Bakersfield.
“There are many people working day in and day out to inform the community, to show up when something happens,” she said. “That’s why it’s important not only to know our rights but to prepare for the possibility of rights being violated and still hold fast.”
