What You Must Do To Prepare Before ICE Detention
We often explain to people what to do when you are approached by ICE or what will happen after they are in ICE custody but this video is a little different. In this video, immigration attorney, Andres Mejer, explains what you should do in case you are detained by ICE in order to protect yourself and your loved ones. He tells you what documents are important to have and why you need a power of attorney to ensure your children’s safety. If you need a power of attorney, his office will give you a copy of one for FREE. Call (888) 695-6169 to have one provided to you.
Transcript (Transcripción):
Andres Mejer: How can you prepare if you’re worried about being detained. So we talked today. Three examples of three stories of people around the country who were detained by ICE Ellie and Fnu. A Mexican woman who’s afraid to go pick up her kids at the airport and Trevor James Green Card older that was picked up by ICE when he didn’t file timely paperwork. We then talked about what happens after a ICE arrest. What happens if you haven’t heard deportation. What happens if you don’t have an order of deportation? How long the process is going to take for you to be able to get out of jail? Now we’re going to talk about what you can do today to prepare. In case you get picked up by ICE. We’ve talked about in the past we’ve had know your right segments where we talk about what are your options to try to prevent being arrested when, you’re , when you have contact with ICE now we’re talking about well in advance what to do. To hopefully avoid that scenario. But listen you’ve got to prepare for the worst and hope for the best not the opposite. So worst case scenario you’re going to be detained by ICE what would you want if you were detained by ICE what would you have wanted to have done before today in order to hopefully avoid the situation or to make it. Better. If there is such a thing. So first is obviously me with an immigration attorney. Don’t wait until you’re detained. It’s going to be more expensive it’s gonna be harder. Find out if you qualify for some form of relieves and number one is know your options. Number two is get to safeguard get the red card. That’s the Know Your Rights card has it on the back of the card it’s in English and Spanish you can. You could show it to the officer show it to the, to the ICE agent so that hopefully prevents you being arrested or at least prevents you from volunteering information that puts you in a worse scenario. 3, you should gather all your necessary documents and put it in one place, identity documents and talk about birth certificates, passports, for you and your whole family. Tax returns if you file them, if you haven’t. You should start, proof of how long you’ve been in the U.S. , bill’s, statements from from bank accounts, medical records for you and for your family, school records for you or for your kids. Proof of how long you’ve been in the U.S. you do it from documentation and letters of support. People that know you care for you like you. And we’ll say good things about you. No I’m not talking about, yeah Andres Mejer is a good guy I’ve seen for five years he deserve to stay in this country. That says nothing, you should say well Andres Mejer always that the person who’s gonna go first. Whenever I have a problem he reaches out to me. He helps me out. Here’s a scenario in which this is what he did. Change my life. Wow. That’s awesome. That’s a good letter. Now another thing you could do. Power of Attorney. This is a document that where you can set forth what your desires are in the event that you child get, that you get detained.
Andres Mejer: What do you think to think about who’s going to take care of your kids. Who’s going to pay your bills. Who’s going to get. If you want to. If you if you get deported who’s going to take your kids back to your country. These are the things you need to talk about and you need to prepare for in the event you’re detained.
Andres Mejer: So the power of attorney is temporary. It’s not a custody petition. D.C. BNP Division of Child Protection and placement, only recognize it for six months. So you got to do it every six months. Really. Now we give them away for free, if you want us to fill it out, we charge you to fill it out but you can fill it out just as easily. We have we prepared it in English and in Spanish. Now it says who has acts who can act on your behalf for your children. Who do you want your kids to stay with? Your brother your sister your grandmother your cousin your friend whomever but you set forth your intention is that somebody I know and trust that I want to be with my kids when I can’t be. Bank accounts, they can have access to open accounts, close accounts, children’s passports, take them to the doctor, again, this document gives them that authority. Again it’s only temporary if they’re going to want full custody or guardian of the children. They have to make an application in front of a judge and the judge has to sign an order giving them that, this does not replace a judge’s order. This is only what to do in a short period of time rather than your children winding up in foster care which nobody wants.
Andres Mejer: It’s much harder to get them out.
Andres Mejer: Thank you for listening to us. My name is Andres Mejer, if you have any questions you can always find us on social media, on Facebook, on our Web page Andrés Mejer law or you can call the office for a private consultation. 8 8 8 8 8 8 0 3 0 7. I’m Andres Mejer, until next time.
