The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has dramatically stepped up enforcement in the interior of the country. DHS agents of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Division are arresting immigrants at their homes, workplaces and on the streets in communities all across the country.
The numbers of immigrants arrested in ICE enforcement operations is staggering. For example, 4,077 workers were swept up in workplace raids and charged with administrative violations in Fiscal Year (FY) 2007. Already this year (through August 2008), roughly 3,900 workers have been arrested and more than 1,000 individuals have been criminally charged. Also, ICE’s Criminal Alien Program (CAP) initiated formal removal proceedings against 164,000 immigrants serving prison terms in FY 2007. This number is expected to grow throughout FY 2008 and FY 2009. Additionally, ICE’s Fugitive Operations Teams arrested over 30,000 individuals in FY 2007, double the number in FY 2006. These numbers also are expected to be higher in 2008 and 2009 as ICE added 29 new Fugitive
Operations Teams to its existing 75 teams in September of 2008.
Given this enforcement environment, it is important for members of our communities to know and understand their rights. This training curriculum is designed for trainers that will present “rights” and “safety planning” and “detention overview” training in their communities. Through this training, immigrants will learn about their legal rights and how to respond if they are approached, arrested, or detained by DHS or local police. They also will learn the importance of thinking about and developing a family safety plan if they are at risk for arrest and detention. Additionally, they will gain some basic understanding of the detention process and learn how to locate and help a loved one.
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| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
 Community Education Curriculum Oct. 2008 | 3.21 MB |