SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — On Thursday, Border Czar Tom Homan said more than 14-thousand undocumented immigrants have been arrested since President Trump started his second term.
Homan told ABC News in an interview Thursday that while the majority of the arrests involve criminals, thousands of other migrants without criminal records have also been arrested.
“The collateral arrests happen when we’re looking for the bad guy, and we find others with them," Homan said." We have told ICE officers that we’re going to enforce the law. We’re concentrating on public safety threats and national security threats, but if you’re in the country illegally, you’re not off the table, but you’re not going to be a priority.”
Homan was also asked if he had a quota for how many arrests he requires daily of undocumented immigrants.
Homan responded he has no quota and has sent no quota to ICE.
With immigration enforcement actions happening in cities across the country, including here in San Diego, a local non-profit wanted undocumented immigrants to know their rights if confronted by ICE.
Michelle Celleri is the Legal Rights Director at Alliance San Diego, a community human rights organization that has been out in the community for the past few weeks, educating immigrant families on how to be prepared if they encounter ICE.
"If you are undocumented, you will go through exercising your right to either remain silent, ask for an attorney, see if you are being detained, or if you're free to go," Celleri said.
Celleri said undocumented immigrants who’ve been in the United States for less than two years could face expedited removal orders.
"You don't have a right to see a judge, and if you're in the border region, you could be removed as soon as the same day," Celleri said.
As for undocumented immigrants who have been in the U.S. longer than two years, Celleri said they will need to have documents proving that, like an AB 60 driver's license.
According to California's DMV, an AB 60 driver's license doesn’t show legal status, but it does show proof of identity and California residency.
"The more official the documents, the better it is to prove that you've actually been in the United States for longer than two years," Celleri said.
Celleri said if ICE agents knock on the door, whether it be a home or business, people have a right to ask to see a warrant signed by a judge, otherwise known as a judiciary warrant.
"Make them show it to you through a window; make them slide that warrant under the door," Celleri said.
Celleri added that administrative warrants are not the same nor warrant the right for agents to come inside one's home or business.
Celleri also said that if an undocumented immigrant is detained, they will be given a bracelet with an ‘A’ number so they can be located by family and friends.
"They [will also be] allowed to make a phone call, and my recommendation is that you pick somebody to call that should not be your attorney. Attorneys can be busy and miss your call. Pick someone you've already talked to about your preparedness plan. They should know where all your important documents are located and who's picking the kids up from school," Celleri said.
