On Sunday, federal officials from ICE and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security raided the South Florida area, including the Brownville neighborhood. One man said his wife was "snatched' by agents just days before their 11th anniversary. The Miami field office has been tight-lipped about how many people were detained and arrested during their operations on Sunday, January 26.
Over the last two days, ICE arrested more than 2,000 people through their nationwide operations. As these raids can happen at any moment, here is what you should do in the event a loved one is detained by ICE.
Tracking Down Your Family Member
ICE will provide an arrestee with a nine-digit alien registration number (A-number) that can be used by loved ones to track down where they are being held. The A-number can be found on any documents from the U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services if the person previously submitted an immigration application. A detainee can also be located by searching their country of origin, date of birth, and full legal name on the ICE locator portal, which provides information about where a person is being held.Legal Help
Undocumented immigrants have the right to consult with a lawyer. Detainees can request a list of free or low-cost legal options. Most detainees have the right to request a court hearing before an immigration judge to apply for relief from removal. Those with expedited removal orders, aggravated felony offenses, outstanding removal orders, or prior deportations are not eligible for a hearing.Legal representatives are permitted to visit their clients seven days a week. They can also request video conference meetings or confidential legal phone calls with their clients.
Visitation
If you are looking for information about someone detained at a facility, be sure to have the person's biological information handy, like first, last, and hyphenated names, any aliases they may use, and their date and country of birth. Detainees cannot receive incoming phone calls. If you need to get in touch with a detainee to leave a message, you must call the facility, leave the detainee's full name, A-number, and your name and number.All family and other social visits are non-contact. Adult visitors must present a valid government-issued identification card to enter the facility.
Broward Transitional Center
On their assigned weekend, detainees are allotted one 45-minute visit session. A maximum of two visitors, including minor children, are permitted per detainee.
Krome North Service Processing Center
While friends and family visits are offered seven days a week, detainees are entitled to one weekly visit, not to exceed an hour.
Gather Documents, Report Raids
Keep a copy of your immigration documents with someone you trust. Collect any previously filed immigration applications, police reports, probable cause affidavits, charging, and sentencing documents. Be sure to write down any information about the raid, including the officers involved, where it happened, what transpired, and any other important information.There are hotlines dedicated to reporting raids. The Florida Immigrant Coalition offers a hotline at 1-888-600-5762. You can also report a raid and any immigration activity in the area to United We Dream at 1-844-363-1423.
