On Wednesday, the office of Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) conducted a live webinar titled “Know Your Rights With ICE,” aimed at informing migrants in her district about their legal protections during encounters with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. The event was broadcast on Ocasio-Cortez’s Facebook page and featured speakers from the Immigrant Defense Project, a Manhattan-based nonprofit organization.
The webinar provided guidance on how to respond if ICE agents approach individuals at their homes or workplaces. Participants were advised on the importance of understanding the distinction between judicial warrants, which are signed by a judge, and administrative warrants, which do not grant ICE the authority to conduct searches without consent. The hosts emphasized that the Fourth Amendment’s protection against unreasonable searches and seizures applies to all individuals, regardless of immigration status.
Genia Blaser of the Immigrant Defense Project highlighted that even if ICE targets someone for deportation, it does not necessarily mean the individual lacks legal avenues to contest their case. She stressed the importance of being aware of one’s rights during ICE encounters.
Although Rep. Ocasio-Cortez did not participate directly in the webinar, she shared informational posters in both English and Spanish on her Instagram account. She encouraged followers to disseminate these materials widely and to keep them accessible.
Ocasio-Cortez wrote, “Our strategic advantage in this moment is our strength in numbers. It is time to use it. In nearly every way, we outnumber those who want to abuse their power and keep people in fear. The truth is, they cannot come after us all. That is why they actively USE and create fear: to get us to give up in advance and withdraw from public life without them lifting a finger.”
This webinar comes as the Trump administration intensifies its immigration enforcement efforts, including deploying additional troops to the southern border and reinstating the “Remain in Mexico” policy, all as a means to bolster national security.
