Protect Our Community:
Know Your Rights

Stay informed about ICE activity in the Twin Ports. Learn your rights, download signage, and access community safety resources.

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What’s Happening

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, a Department of Homeland Security agency, commonly known as "ICE," has conducted and continues to conduct raids in the Twin Ports. See our full Community Impact Statement.

Every person—regardless of immigration status—has rights when interacting with ICE or law enforcement.

This page provides simple, practical steps to help APIDA and immigrant community members stay safe, make a plan, and know what to do during an encounter with authorities.

Multiple Agencies: 

  • There may be multiple named agencies coming in - ICE, Border Patrol, IRS, or HSI

    • HSI is Homeland Security - they are approaching businesses to perform “audits for IRS”

    • HSI is targeting day care centers and are asking for I9 verification for every employee, often within 3 days.

    • HSI/IRS can NOT detain someone  

  • ICE is frequently showing up in plain clothes. Some ICE agents are presenting Hispanic and speaking Spanish.

Safety and planning Tips for the Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) Community

Fill out this form to be added to a private chat group to share up-to-date information on activity (APIDA-identifying members only)

Save this number on your phone: Twin Ports Rapid Response (TPRR): (218) 213-5009. If you see unmarked cars or unusual activity, this is the number to call. You can leave a text on the hotline phone if you can’t get through.

Carry your documentation (U.S. passport, Certificate of Citizenship/U.S. citizenship certificate, green card, and/or other current documentation of legal residence) with you at all times if you know you can keep it safe, and

  • Scan/photograph/make copies to share with trusted folks.

  • Do not carry foreign documents such as a non-U.S. passport.

  • Legal immigrants: Make sure your A-number (which is on your current immigration document) is known by trusted folks; your lawyer & loved ones will need it to locate you in case of detention.

Make a safety plan. Your Safety Plan could include these elements:

  • Establish a text group of trusted friends to share your daily plans and locations with

  • Ask for rides/escorts for yourselves and your families where possible

  • Set up a shared document, to share with a circle of trusted friends, that include:

      • Emergency contacts

      • Arrangements for children and pets (short-term and long-term)

      • A link to scanned copies of legal documents to share with trusted folks

      • A physical copy of legal documents to share with one trusted person

  • Reach out to neighbors, if comfortable, to ask for some extra support in looking out for activity around your home

  • Add a few trusted friends to your phone’s SOS emergency contacts, and learn to use the SOS system

  • Consider adding these emergency phone shortcuts in case of emergency, or use an app like this to discreetly alert your emergency contacts.

  • Consider carrying any life-saving medication with you in case you are detained.

Talk to your children about what is happening and make sure they know their rights - what to do if they are approached without you around. 

  • Memorize your phone number

  • Ask to call a parent

  • Do not run or talk back

  • Consider carrying identification if going out alone

  • Know what to do if they are approached driving, in their home, or in public

  • Know your safety plan

What should I do if I find myself in a situation?

 Resources & Links

What Can Allies Do?

TPAC ALLY MEMBERS who would like to provide rides/escort services to APIDA community members, please fill out this form to be added to a list. Thank you!

  • Complete the Twin Ports Rapid Response’s Constitutional Observer Training to join the Rapid Response team. Register for one of the upcoming trainings (next one is 1/29/2026).

    • See slides from the Twin Ports Rapid Response training to learn more about opportunities to help by volunteering to take a dispatch shift, be a constitutional observer, or be a tail, monitor, or educator.

  • Check in on your APIDA/BIPOC friends and neighbors.

    • Offer rides or basic assistance (grocery shopping, emergency housing, child care, etc.). If you offer, please be reliable and available.

  • Patronize APIDA/BIPOC-owned businesses! They need your support more than ever. 

  • Ensure your APIDA/BIPOC neighbors and friends KNOW THEIR RIGHTS. 

    • ***StopAAPIHate has a really good list of potential scenarios to keep in mind!

  • Check out this helpful article: How to Support Immigrant Communities During ICE Raids

  • Consider posting a sign or flyer to help people feel safe in your business or office—or inviting business and property owners to do the same. The more places we feel safe and supported, the better.

  • Have age-appropriate conversations with your children about how they can support APIDA/BIPOC friends and neighbors. 

  • This form is for reporting incidents or effects related to or caused by recent federal actions in Minnesota, including but not limited to: violations of constitutional rights (racial profiling, excessive force, retaliation against protestors, observers, and media), business closures, reduced healthcare access, reduced education access, other issues impacting public safety and civil liberties, federal funding cuts, federal grant terminations, terms and conditions tied to federal program participation, other administrative actions by Federal agencies. The information you provide may be used by the MN Attorney General to support its current lawsuit challenging the DHS surge, as well as future actions to enforce the law.

  • Check out resources from Minnesota 8 (MN8), available in multiple Asian languages. Access their guide for what to do if detained.

    In the last couple of weeks, several US citizen protestors/observers in MN have been arrested by ICE. Here's what we learned from these situations:

    • With the exception of one person who was taken to the hospital, the rest have been taken to the Whipple Federal Building (Minneapolis) immediately after their detention by ICE. They have not been "booked" or recorded in any jail roster or other public list of detainees. No one has been able to get confirmation of their whereabouts over the phone or email. 

    • Detainees have been held for approximately 4-6 hours and then released. Two things seem to have affected when and whether they are released from custody: (1) detainees asking for a lawyer and saying they are not going to answer questions (right to attorney, right to silence); (2) lawyers showing up and demanding to see their clients being held in detention. Hopefully this will not happen to any more community members, whether citizens or not. But if it does, detainees should ask for an attorney and tell ICE you will not answer questions or sign anything. They should also try to get in contact with an attorney as soon as possible. People on the outside should communicate with a trusted attorney and request they go down to the Whipple Federal Building and ask to speak with the detained person. As much information as possible about detainees (name, DOB, place of detention, time of detention, medical status) should be shared with attorneys.

    • Lawyers to contact are Anna Hall (Legal Rights Center), 612-337-0133; Kevin Riach, 612-203-8555; and/or National Lawyers Guild hotline, 612-444-2654.

    • An administrative warrant DOES NOT grant permission for anyone to enter a business. Only a judicial warrant signed by a judge with the business name *and* address would grant permission, but it is highly unlikely for anyone to have that. If your business name and address are not listed, they do not have consent to enter. They may have a judicial warrant with a person’s name - this does not give them permission to search your business for that person.

    • ICE DOES NOT have legal authority for traffic stops, as only border patrol, police and troopers have legal authority to pull someone over. 

    • DO exercise your right to remain silent (especially if you do not have status) and DO NOT lie, as lying to federal officers is a felony.

    • DO post signs that say, "Private space: Only staff and authorized visitors beyond this point." Document (e.g., photograph, video) that you have those signs in place before anything happens.

    • DO train your staff on which areas are “private”, what to do if ICE comes, what rights they have, not to run/resist, how to document via video/photos, and how to read warrants. Identify 1-2 people that are willing, able, and comfortable speaking with ICE if they come. Consider taking a constitutional observer training.

    • If your space DOES NOT sell anything (e.g., a church), then it can be considered a private space in which you DO NOT need to let anyone in. 

    • DO a practice ICE Raid drills at your workplace, ensuring that folks know what to do in different scenarios. 

    • DO record (video, audio, photo) as soon as any potential ICE encounters appear to be taking place. Focus recordings on the ICE agent and not bystanders. DO NOT livestream. Share videos with legal representatives.

    • DO NOT sign anything without legal counsel. 

    • DO memorize phone number(s) of an organization/individual who can provide access to legal support if detained (e.g., local Rapid Response number, ACLU Minnesota) or your attorney.

    • DO request trained legal observers (by calling Twin Ports Rapid Response 218-213-5009) to keep watch on your business, safely escort staff to their cars, etc. 

    • DO consider installing cameras in and around your business.

  • TPAC Board and Community are here for you! Please reach out to us at twinportsapidacollective@gmail.com if you have questions, needs, or simply to be in-community.