Immigrant support groups in N.J. helping people who are arrested by ICE

Araceli Argueta, organizing and advocacy director for the American Friends Service Committee’s Immigrant Rights program, said if an immigrant is taken into custody, the Constitution guarantees they have certain rights.

“They have the right to make a call, they have the right to an attorney, to have representation, and that representation to be facilitated for a due process,” she said.

However, she noted that immigrants are sometimes not given these rights.

“Right now, what we are doing is we are collecting all the data from people that have been detained, and we get the information, and we ask for an intake interview with these people who have been detained,” Argueta said.

Morales said many immigrants that are picked up in ICE raids aren’t aware they have any rights.

“You have the right to remain silent, not speak to an ICE officer, you have the right to not allow ICE agents into your home or into your business,” he said.

He added that when 10 or 15 armed ICE agents show up at the front door, many people get intimidated and scared.

White House “border czar” Tom Homan has repeatedly stated that ICE operations are focusing on going after immigrants who are wanted killers and gang members with criminal records, but Morales insisted many people who have been picked up in sweeps are not criminals.

“A lot of innocent people in a lot of communities are going to be hurt by this,” he said. “It’s going to erode the trust communities have in government.”

He urged New Jersey lawmakers to pass proposed legislation called the Immigrant Trust Act, which would create privacy protections for immigrant communities.