The American Council of Immigration does not approve or oppose candidates for elected offices. We aim to provide an analysis of the impact of elections on the US immigration system.
In a country built on the principles of freedom and justice, the specific fundamental rights of all individuals, regardless of their status of immigration, are protected under the US Constitution and Civil Rights Act. However, recent attacks by politicians and government leaders have distorted the meaning of these rights and discredited efforts to provide an education that “know your rights.”
Justice for everything
The US Constitution guarantees certain fundamental rights to all people in the United States, regardless of their status as immigrants. Whether a person is a US citizen, a legal resident or an undocumented individual, they are entitled to constitutional protections such as legitimate processes, freedom of speech, and protection against illegal searches and seizures.
Civil rights laws, such as the Civil Rights Act, further ensure that individuals cannot be discriminated against based on race, color, national origin, or other protected categories. The essence of these protections is that they apply universally and that everyone deserves equal treatment under the law.
The role of education “know your rights”
“Know Your Rights” services, such as clinics, presentations, and workshops, play an important role in ensuring that the immigrant community is aware of and empowered to exercise their legal rights. These resources provide accessible information about what law enforcement or other authorities can and cannot expose to an individual. For example, it provides the following information:
Many organizations have long held informative clinics to ensure information is spreading among their respective communities, including groups that partnered to provide three sessions that regularly provide these training at Neighbors Immigration Clinic, a nonprofit in Utah and Kentucky. Other organizations like immigrants, immigrants and refugee rights in Chicago continue to provide resources to their communities.
Schools, churches, state and local governments have led other opportunities to get information about “know your rights” that is essential to the community. The California Attorney General issued guidance to public agencies to protect immigration rights, while the Michigan Department of Education issued guidance to Michigan education officials on the legal responsibility for providing public education to students regardless of the immigration situation. The City of San Francisco has created an online hub for immigrant communities to provide information that includes legal resources.
The importance of these resources cannot be overstated. For many immigrants, especially those who have not been documented, interacting with law enforcement can be intimidating and confusing. A fundamental understanding of one’s rights can make a huge difference in how you navigate such encounters and can prevent constitutional and civil rights violations. The goal of a “know your rights” clinic is to ensure that all individuals are aware of the protections available and how to protect themselves when those rights are threatened.
Address misconceptions
In recent months, some officials have sought to trust education “know your rights” by portraying it as a tool to avoid destructive or law enforcement. President Trump’s “border emperor” Tom Homan said it was “very difficult to arrest” when immigrants were “educated” about their rights. Let’s be clear: it is not illegal to let people know their rights. In fact, freedom to share information, especially legal knowledge, is the cornerstone of democracy. Challenging this concept raises concerns about illegal activities that immigration enforcement mistakenly attempts to deem it “guaranteed.”
“Know Your Rights” education does not promote illegal activities or encourage individuals to avoid the law. Rather, it promotes informed and empowered communities within the law. “Know Your Rights” education and resources provide essential information that everyone should be able to access, regardless of the immigration situation.
Pushbacks to these resources are not based on law or fact. This is an attempt to silence those who work to ensure fair treatment and equal rights for all. Efforts to spin the education “know your rights” put the foundation of legal rights that everyone belongs to, for infringing in some way the federal government’s ability to make arrests. The consequences of allowing this misinformation to stand are serious. When communities are maintained in the dark about their rights, they are more vulnerable to abuse, exploitation, civil rights violations and illegal treatment. Ignorance of the law is not only dangerous. This will ensure that the fraud is not checked.
Knowing your rights is a fundamental right
Knowing your rights is not a luxury. It is an important safeguard of justice that everything within the US borders is entitled to. In countries that advocate for the justice of everyone, it is important that every individual understands legal protection and knows how to assert them when necessary. Rather than attacking these efforts, American leaders need to help everyone access knowledge that protects justice for all of us.
Submitted below: Kyr
