Can ICE Detain Me at School or at Church?

Given the abrupt changes to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) written policies and guidance, as well as the proliferation of recent executive orders, it is no wonder that confusion exists about the “rules” for the enforcement of immigration laws. Immigrants without lawful status fear that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents will arrest them, no matter where they might be. As a result, some families are no longer sending their children to school and avoiding public places, even in order to attend church. In recent years, DHS policies have instructed ICE agents to avoid taking enforcement actions in “sensitive locations.” ICE enforcement activities include detaining, interviewing, searching, and apprehending individuals. In fact, the written guidance reads that agents should either get prior approval from a supervisory official or there should be exigent circumstances that require immediate action in order for agents to take any sort of enforcement actions in these so-called sensitive locations. These locations are generally construed to be places like schools, courthouses, hospitals, and churches. Furthermore, formal policy guidance instructs ICE agents to avoid taking enforcement actions during religious or civil ceremonies, during public demonstrations, and at events and activities where children are present. According to DHS officials, this guidance regarding sensitive locations has not changed. However, many individuals, including local government officials, have questioned whether this actually the case, in light of recent enforcement actions by ICE. Recently, ICE officials arrested a transgender domestic violence in a Texas courthouse. A California man was arrested by ICE while dropping off his daughter at school. When you or a loved one is facing deportation, you face the potential for a family separated by international borders, an inability to reunite, and the loss of the place that you may have called home for many years. The prospect for deportation can be terrifying, particularly if you must return to a country where violence, crime, and poverty are widespread, and one in which you may no longer have family and friends. Our goal is to avoid that possibility at all costs by developing a strong case on your behalf to defend you against deportation. Call Landerholm Immigration, A.P.C. today at (510) 756-4468, or contact us online in order to schedule a consultation with one of our skilled and experienced deportation defense attorneys. The sooner you contact us, the better we can represent your interests in your deportation case.