Dear Editor,
Advice for Canadians, landed immigrants, and visitors wanting to visit the United States regarding encountering ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement).
Canadians, landed immigrants, visitors and, in particular, people of colour should know what to do if confronted by ICE officers.
First of all, make sure you carry the proper documentation with you, which includes a passport, proof of landed immigrant status, student visa or visitor visa.
Carry your return airline ticket with you.
If confronted by ICE, show ICE your empty hands. Then show ICE your return airline ticket.
Be polite. If you yell or swear that makes things worse for you. ICE officers will want your phone. Give ICE your phone. If you don’t give ICE your phone, they will take it by force and will probably arrest and detain you. They may label you as an “international terrorist.”
If you resist you could risk getting shot and even killed.
By showing ICE your empty hands, proper identification, return airline ticket, as well as giving ICE your phone, then ICE officials will either arrest and detain you, deport you, ban you, or let you go.
If you were arrested and detained then you politely ask the ICE officer to show you the arrest warrant. If ICE searches you and/ or your vehicle then you nicely ask ICE to see the search warrant.
Chances are the ICE officer will not have a search warrant and an arrest warrant. If that is the case you will probably be deported. If you protest ICE could ban you from entering the sovereign United States. To enter another country is a privilege not a right.
If you completely cooperate with the ICE officer chances, are you will be released. If you feel ICE and the ICE officer has violated your rights, then you sue ICE for violating your constitutional rights, civil rights, and human rights.
The United States Constitution applies, except the right to vote, to non-Americans.
However, the Trump administration is infamous for ignoring people’s rights and for ignoring court orders. So, your best course of action is to voluntarily leave the United States, that way you won’t be prosecuted, you won’t be deported, you won’t be banned from entering the United States, and you won’t be shot at.
Finally, there is no point in being dead right.
Linda Meyer, Maple Ridge