Trick used by ICE agents to confuse immigrants: “Police, open” | MAG

The migratory raids have been intensifying from the arrival of Donald Trump to the presidency of the United States, the agents of the United States Immigration and Customs Service (ICE, for their English) have been carrying out operations in public places and in homes, where they use, many times, of certain tricks when they intend to enter homes to arrest non-citizens. In this note, we tell you what they are so that you are not surprised.

ICE reported that January 26, 27 and 28, 2025, arrested an average of a thousand people daily and issued more than 800 retention orders. American media indicate that agents must comply with their quota of arrests and arrests.

He Immigrant Defense Project (Immigrant Defense Projt) recommends the immigrant community know your rights to exercise them If a raid or arrest operation by federal immigration agents is faced.

The Immigrant Defense Project (Immigrant Defense Proyect) indicated that when the Immigration and Customs Control Agents (ICE) go to homes or the community to arrest non-citizens, often, they say lies and use “tricks” to hide its identities and intentions. “ICE agents use tricks to enter houses without judicial orders, to obtain information, or to arrest people outside their homes”, Indicates the text. They also say lies to hide their identities and intentions. ”

• Pretend to be local police ICE agents usually present themselves as “police” instead of identifying themselves as immigration officers. They wear civilian or use uniforms that look like the local police, without visible ICE logos. “Have you seen this suspicion?“
• Use verbal deceptions to get access to homes “Police, open the door“”We are from ‘Warrant Squad‘”(Police unit looking for people with arrest for violence). “We are from the enclosure (x, y, z)” or “We are looking for (name) because he is a victim of identity theft, For example.
• False phone calls The Court or Prosecutor’s Officials are passed to confirm the address of the person sought. They intend to be employees of a government agency to obtain information. The lost identification trick apply: “We find a lost identification (…) Can we go through your house?“.

Immigrants have constitutional rights, regardless of their immigration status. These are some key measures to protect yourself:

• Do not open the door: Unless agents present a court order signed by a judge, immigrants are not obliged to open the door.
• Do not sign documents without legal advice: Not answering questions can avoid self -government or provide information that facilitates detention.
• Do not firm documents without legal advice: ICE may try that immigrants sign documents that renounce their rights without knowing it.
• Ask to talk to a lawyer: All immigrants have the right to legal assistance before making any decision.
• Show the “red card”: A document that explains the rights of immigrants in case of raids. Available in several languages ​​through the Legal Resources Center for Immigrants (ILRC).

Sileña Cisneros

• A common trick used by ICE agents is to pretend that they are local police.
• They say they are police and are not identified as ICE agents on purpose.
• This can be confusing since they are often dressed as civilians or use uniforms that seem to be from the police and do not indicate that they are ICE agents.
• ICE tricks can also occur by phone.

The guide launched by the project also includes some examples of phrases used by ICE agents to deceive immigrants looking to open the doors of their homes and can stop them:

• “Police, open”
• “I am the detective (name)”
• “We are from ‘Warrant Squad’” (Police Unit that seeks people with an arrest for violence)
• “We are from the enclosure (x, y, z)”
• “I call from (the local court) to confirm its address”
• “I am calling from the prosecutor’s office”
• “We are police looking for (name) for being a victim of identity theft”