KNOW
YOUR RIGHTS!
prepared
by the National Lawyers Guild
What
rights do I have?
The
Right to Advocate for Change.
The
First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects the rights of groups and individuals
who advocate changes in laws, government practices, and even the form of
government.
The
Right to Remain Silent.
The
Fifth Amendment of the Constitution provides that every person has the right to
remain silent in the face of questions posed by any police officer or
government agent.
The
Right to be Free from "Unreasonable Searches and Seizures."
The
Fourth Amendment is supposed to protect your privacy. Without a warrant, no
government agent is allowed to search your home or office and you can refuse to
let them in. Know, however, that it is easy for the government to monitor your
telephone calls, conversations in your office, home, car, or meeting place, as
well as mail. E-mail is particularly insecure. The government has already begun
stepping up its monitoring of e-mails.
CONSTITUTIONAL
RIGHTS CANNOT BE SUSPENDED -- EVEN DURING A STATE OF EMERGENCY OR WARTIME.
What
should I do if agents come to question me?
1. YOU
DO NOT HAVE TO TALK TO THE POLICE, FBI, INS, OR ANY OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENT
OR INVESTIGATOR. Other than providing your name and address to a police officer
who is investigating a crime, you are not legally obligated to talk to anyone:
on the street, at your home or office, if you've been arrested, or even if
you're in jail. Only a judge has the legal authority to order you to answer
questions.
2. YOU
DO NOT HAVE TO LET POLICE OR OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENTS INTO YOUR HOME OR
OFFICE UNLESS THEY HAVE A SEARCH WARRANT OR ARREST WARRANT. Demand to see the
warrant. The warrant must specifically describe the place to be searched and
the things to be seized. If they have a warrant, you cannot stop them from
entering and searching, but you should still tell them that you do not consent
to a search. This will limit them to the scope of the search authorized by the
warrant.
3. IF
THEY DO PRESENT A WARRANT, YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO MONITOR THEIR SEARCH AND
ACTIVITIES. You have the right to observe what they do. You have the right to
ask them for their names and titles. Take written notes including their names,
badge numbers, and what agency they are from. Have your friends who are present
act as witnesses. Give this information to your lawyer. A warrant does not give
the government the right to question, nor does it obligate you to answer questions.
4. IF
THE POLICE OR FBI OR INS OR ANYONE ELSE TRIES TO QUESTION YOU OR TRIES TO ENTER
YOUR HOME WITHOUT A WARRANT, JUST SAY NO! Police and other law enforcement
agents are very skilled at getting information from people. Many people are
afraid that if they refuse to cooperate, it will appear as if they have
something to hide. Don't be fooled. The police are allowed to (and do) lie to
you. Although agents may seem nice and pretend to be on your side, they are
likely to be intent on learning about the habits, opinions, and affiliations of
people not suspected of wrongdoing, with the end goal of stopping political
activity with which the government disagrees. Trying to answer agents'
questions, or trying to "educate them" about your cause can be very
dangerous. You can never tell how a seemingly harmless bit of information that
you give them might be used and misconstrued to hurt you or someone else. And
keep in mind that lying to a federal agent is a crime.
5. IF YOU
ARE STOPPED ON THE STREET, ASK IF YOU ARE FREE TO GO. If you are stopped by the
police, ask them why. If they do not have a good reason for stopping you, or if
you find yourself chatting for more than about a minute, ask ""Am I
under arrest, or am I free to go."" If they do not state that you are
under arrest, tell them that you do not wish to continue speaking with them and
that you are going to go about your business. Then do so.
6.
ANYTHING YOU SAY TO THE POLICE, FBI, INS, ETC. WILL BE USED AGAINST YOU AND
OTHERS. Once you've been arrested, you cannot talk your way out of it! Don't
try to engage the cops in dialogue or respond to their accusations.
7. THE
FBI MAY THREATEN YOU WITH A GRAND JURY SUBPOENA IF YOU DON'T TALK TO THEM. They
may give you a subpoena anyway, so anything you tell them may permit them to
ask you more detailed questions later. You may also have legal grounds to
refuse to answer questions before a grand jury. If you are given a grand jury
subpoena, you should call a lawyer immediately (see contact information at the
end). Tell your friends and movement groups about the subpoena and discuss how
to respond. Do not try to deal with this alone.
8. IF
YOU ARE NERVOUS ABOUT SIMPLY REFUSING TO TALK, TELL THEM TO CONTACT YOUR
LAWYER. They should stop trying to question you once you announce your desire
to consult a lawyer. You do not have to already have one. Remember to get the
name, agency, and telephone number of any investigator who visits you, and
contact the National Lawyers Guild for help getting a lawyer.
How
should I respond to threatening letters or calls?
If your
home or office is broken into, or threats have been made against you, your
organization, or someone you work with, share this information with everyone
affected. Take immediate steps to increase personal and office security. You
should discuss with your organization and with a lawyer whether and how to
report such incidents to the police and the advisability of taking other legal
action. If you decide to make a report, do not do so without a lawyer present.
What if
I suspect surveillance?
Prudence
is the best course, no matter who you suspect, or what the basis of your
suspicion. Do not hesitate to confront suspected agents politely, in public,
with at least one other person present, and inquire about their business. If
the suspect declines to answer, he or she at least now knows that you are aware
of the surveillance. If you suspect government agents are monitoring you, or
are harassing you, report this to the National Lawyers Guild.
What if
I am not a citizen?
1. YOU
DO NOT HAVE TO REVEAL YOUR IMMIGRATION STATUS. We cannot count on the police to
honor local sanctuary ordinances, and the fact that the INS obtained your name
in violation of a sanctuary ordinance will NOT prevent you from being deported.
2.
FOREIGN NATIONALS WHO ARE ARRESTED IN THE U.S. HAVE THE RIGHT TO CALL YOUR
CONSULATE or to have the police inform your consulate of your arrest. The
police must allow your consul to visit or speak with you. Your consul might
assist you in finding a lawyer or offer other help, such as contacting your
family. You also have the right to refuse help from your consulate.
3. DO
NOT TALK TO THE INS, EVEN ON THE PHONE, before talking to an immigration
lawyer. Many INS officers view ""enforcement,"" meaning
deporting people, as their primary job. They do not believe that explaining
immigration options is part of their job, and most will readily admit this.
(Noncitizens who are victims of domestic abuse should speak with an expert in
both immigration law and domestic violence.) A noncitizen should always speak
with an immigration law expert before speaking to the INS either in person or
by telephone.
4. KNOW
AND ASSERT YOUR RIGHTS! All noncitizens have the following rights, regardless
of your immigration status: a. The right to speak to an attorney before
answering any questions or signing any documents; b. The right to a hearing
with an Immigration Judge; c. The right to have an attorney at that hearing and
in any interview with INS (however you do not have the right to a free,
government-paid lawyer); and d. The right to request release from detention, by
paying a bond if necessary.
Noncitizens
must assert these rights. If you do not demand these rights, you can be
deported without seeing either an attorney or a judge. Leaving the U.S. in this
way may have serious consequences for your ability to later enter or to gain
legal immigration status in the U.S.
5. TALK
TO AN IMMIGRATION LAWYER BEFORE LEAVING THE U.S. Anyone not a U.S. citizen may
be barred from coming back to the U.S. if they fall into certain categories of
people barred from entering. This includes some lawful permanent residents and
applicants for green cards. Some noncitizens that have been in the U.S. without
INS permission may be permanently barred from re-entering. In addition, some
noncitizens that leave the US and return with INS permission may be swiftly
removed from the U.S. if they end up in immigration proceedings.
CONTACT INFORMATION
National
Lawyers Guild National office: (212) 627-2656, www.nlg.org
National
Immigration Project: (617) 227-9727
Immigration
Law Center Immigration law information is available on www.nilc.org
American
Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee Report hate crimes and harassment against
Arab Americans and Muslims to ADC: (202) 244-2990.