You're here because you are looking for resources and knowledge to protect yourself and others. Here is what we have found when doing the same. We hope it makes your search easier. It is not exhaustive; we are still working on it.
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Find allies
There is no better shield for your students than informed and willing allies, including peer students, housemates, teachers, professors, administrators, staff, neighbors, and members of campus-adjacent religious organizations. Spread information about enforcement activities, practice defense and resistance maneuveurs, and be loud together.
Talk about what's happening with the people around you. This is how you can find out who is willing to support you when trouble happens, and who is not.
Find legal support
Your university may provide legal support. Find the contact information for that legal support. If you are an immigrant student or ally, save the number to your phone and memorize it. If you are unable to memorize it, consider writing it on yourself in case of your arrest.
If your university does not provide legal support, find the contact information for an immigration lawyer in your area. Save their number to your phone and memorize it. If you are unable to memorize it, consider writing it on yourself in case of your arrest. Call them and introduce yourself to them or their receptionist, to make yourself braver about contacting them in the future.
Make sure that students under your care are informed of the contact information for legal support.
Know your rights
(but know that they won't stop you from getting arrested)
The University of California made these handy printable cards. You may wish to print one and keep it in your pocket or wallet. Link to PDF: UC Know Your Rights
The ACLU has the definitive advice about your rights. You may wish to read these in advance. Link: ACLU Know Your Rights
The National Lawyers Guild has made this helpful PSA about how to talk to the police. Link: NLG PSA
If a law officer asks you to admit them to a restricted area, give them information, or otherwise cooperate, first ask the officer for their documentation of their name, identification number, agency affiliation, and business card. Ask for a copy of a warrant, inform the officer that you are not obstructing their process but need to contact the Legal Counsel for assistance and before granting access. An administrative warrant may be titled something like "Warrant of Removal/Deportation," this still does not allow an officer to enter or search a controlled area or housing unit unless the resident gives consent. Do not consent. Practice saying "I do not consent to entry or search" out loud.
Talk to your housemate about what to do if law enforcement officers knock on your door.
Write a script for communicating with law enforcement. Tape it next to the door.
Stay updated on your university's policy
Some universities will cooperate with or assist ICE or other federal enforcement. Some will not. Be aware of your university's choice, but also be aware that even if your university instructs your campus police not to assist ICE, that does not mean individual campus police officers will ignore their personal convictions. The police are not your friends.
Your university cannot prevent federal law enforcement from entering the campus. Access restrictions only apply where 100% of the people holding a key or pass are willing to resist ICE bullying.
Make sure the students under your care know the university's policy about ICE / CBP on campus.
Know what they already know about you
If you are an immigrant present on any kind of visa, it is safe to assume ICE / CBP knows the address of your primary residence, your phone number, your email address, and any other information you have used in visa applications, including next of kin and their contact information.
Talk to your family, in the US or abroad, about what to do if law enforcement officers phone them or knock on their door. Write a script for them and tell them to tape it next to the door.
If you are an immigrant present on any kind of visa, the university is required to share information about you with the authorities. You can ask them for a copy of that information. That information belongs to you.
Protect Yourself From Surveillance
Use cash.
Turn off your phone or leave it at home when it's not vitally necessary.
Use 2 Factor Authentication on everything that supports it.
If you must use social media, use it from a desktop computer in a public library.
Be mindful of the routes you take between home, campus, friends' homes, shops, and services. Vary those routes and your schedule. Explore the areas around your common routes, in case something feels off and you need to walk away.
Practices To Protect Yourself Physically
Identify alternative locations to spend the night. Agree with friends or colleagues who are willing to let you stay at their place or in their garage. Find out how long you can stay there, and if they are willing to break the law to protect you. Practice how to get to their location without using a debit or credit card, a public transportation card or digital pass, or your cell phone. Talk to them about what to do if law enforcement phones them or knocks on their door. Write a script for them and tell them to tape it next to the door.
Travel in groups with allies. Witnesses are the first line of defense against the worst behavior.
Federal law prohibits you from hiding evidence, concealing or hiding individuals who are the subjects of law enforcement activity, or interfering with an arrest. If you are a US citizen, not a target for law enforcement, and occupy a position of privilege within society, you may elect to break the law to protect your friends or family. If that sounds like something you might do, identify a lawyer in your region and save their number to your phone and memorize it. If you cannot memorize it, consider writing the number on your person in case of your arrest.
If you have enough allies with you, you may consider forming a ring around the target of the enforcement action and linking arms. This will not protect the target or your allies from physical abuse. This will make the enforcement action more difficult and dramatic, and it will alert passersby that something is wrong.
Practice not talking to the cops. Say, “Am I being detained?” Say, “Am I free to go?” And then if you are not detained and are free to go, have it in mind to walk calmly home or to the home of an ally. Do not run.
Be ready to scream. Enforcement actions are now taking forms unidentifiable from kidnapping and human trafficking. Making as much noise as possible calls attention to the event, and there is a good chance a passerby will contact the regular police, generating a record of your removal. We are all socially conditioned to behave well, including not making a lot of noise in public, going where we are led, and obeying direct orders. Stop that shit immediately. Think through what you will do if you are the target of a removal action. Get comfortable with the idea of making a scene.
Additional Information
RM: OpSec: Free manuals and zines on security culture and OpSec
Surveillance Self-Defense (The Electronic Frontier Foundation)
Three Security Steps to Take Today
Why Defending Your Right to Privacy is Important
More Privacy Focused Resources
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