At her weekly press conference, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi gave illegal immigrants who may be subject to upcoming Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids advice on how to avoid arrest.
“An ICE deportation warrant is not the same as a search warrant. If that is the only document ICE brings to a home raid, agents do not have the legal right to enter a home. If ICE agents don’t have a warrant signed by a judge, a person may refuse to open the door and let them in,” Pelosi said, reading from a card.
“If ICE agents don’t have a warrant signed by a judge, a person may refuse to open the door and let them in,” Pelosi says of the #ICEraids
— TicToc by Bloomberg (@tictoc) July 11, 2019
“Families belong together, everyone in our country has rights” pic.twitter.com/PJrcYedVgq
The comments came after it was reported that ICE will begin raids on Sunday that could target at least 2,000 illegal immigrants across the U.S. who have been given deportation orders.
Pelosi said she's hoping that by appealing to religious groups she can get President Trump to call off the operation.
“I’m going to appeal to people of faith, faith-based organizations, to appeal to the president. I think that they put him in office and they have a better voice for that,” she said, describing the raids as "heartless."
Pelosi isn't the first Democrat to give illegal immigrants advice on what to do if ICE agents come to their doors.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez offered similar advice on Twitter Thursday morning, and California Gov. Gavin Newsom even prepared a video last month about the topic.
ICE will launch raids across 10 major cities this SUNDAY.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) July 11, 2019
Check your neighbors & know your rights.
Remember: no one can enter your home without a *judicial warrant.*
Sometimes ICE will try to show other papers to get in your house. Judicial warrants are from a court. /1 https://t.co/g2yktrX3Bw
CA will always defend the rights of our immigrant communities.
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) June 22, 2019
If ICE agents show up at your door, know your rights:
-You do not have to open the door—you have the right against unlawful searches.
-You have the right to speak to a lawyer.
-You have the right to remain silent. pic.twitter.com/wNokTSPdhD
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