On Thursday, January 29, the Rapid Response Network (RRN) of Kern hosted a “Know Your Rights and Risk: Preparing for Increased Immigration Enforcement” workshop to help people understand their rights and what to do if approached by immigration agents.
RRN hosted the workshop both in person and via Zoom, providing attendees with a presentation outlining key steps to take if detained and educating participants about their Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, and Fourteenth Amendment rights.
RRN is a community organization made up of legal advocates and volunteers created to help and protect the immigrant community. During the workshop, volunteers stressed the importance of remaining calm, understanding the right to remain silent, and requesting legal assistance. Attendees were also informed about what legal documentation to carry and how to create a family plan.
“This is becoming increasingly difficult in real life, as we are seeing on the news and here in our own community. We want you to stay as calm as possible. The calmer you are, the more able you will be to remember your right to remain silent and to say, ‘I want to see that warrant,’” said Anna Huerta, a legal advocate volunteer with RRN.
Huerta emphasized that within the borders of the United States, every individual holds constitutional rights. These include the Fourth Amendment right to be free from illegal searches, the Fifth Amendment right to remain silent, the Sixth Amendment right to counsel, and the Fourteenth Amendment right to appear in front of a court.
“Every person in the United States—regardless of documentation status, citizenship status, language proficiency, educational level, disability, sobriety, or housing status—has rights in the United States as a person living within the jurisdiction of U.S. borders,” Huerta explained.
Throughout the session, attendees voiced their questions, allowing personal concerns to be acknowledged and clarified.
“If someone does not consent to a search in Spanish, does that matter? Or does it have to be said in English?” asked one community member. The question was answered promptly: no, the language used does not matter.
“As long as you are asserting your right in English, Spanish, or whatever language is best for you. That is why we have the red cards. We have them in Spanish and English, but they are printable in many other languages. These red cards are just a piece of paper that you can hand over to ICE agents,” Huerta responded.
Huerta also warned that anyone can be detained, including U.S. citizens and green card holders.
“Personal belongings, including IDs, passports, and green cards, can get lost during booking and transfer,” she said.
She also advised families to know their A-number, date of birth, and country of birth, which are essential for locating someone if they are detained.
“If I were to be detained and I got one phone call, who am I going to call? That person activates the plan,” Huerta said.
By the end of the informational session, volunteers noted that materials were available for those attending in person. These materials included red cards, one-pagers with additional information, and posters.
RRN volunteers are trained to respond quickly when there are reports of immigration activity in the community.
“Being ready before an emergency can save lives and protect families,” said Rosa Lopez, a community organizer with the network.
Residents can contact the Rapid Response Network to get involved or attend free training on how to safely respond to immigration enforcement on their website.
