What to Do If ICE Comes to Your Home in California: April 2026

If immigration officers knock on your door, you have rights under the U.S. Constitution, no matter your immigration status. Knowing those rights before an encounter happens can change the outcome completely.

The most important thing to know: ICE cannot enter your home without a judicial warrant signed by a judge. An administrative warrant signed by an ICE officer, Form I-200 or I-205, does NOT give them the right to enter. Do not open the door until you see and verify the type of warrant they have.

Here is what to do: First, do not open the door. Ask them to slide the warrant under the door or hold it up to the window. Read it carefully. Does it have a judge's signature and a court name at the top? If not, you do not have to open the door. Second, stay calm. Do not run. Running can be used against you and can result in additional charges. Third, do not sign anything. Signing certain documents can mean you are accepting voluntary departure from the country. Fourth, exercise your right to remain silent. You do not have to answer questions about your immigration status, where you were born, or how you entered the country. You can say: 'I am exercising my right to remain silent. I want to speak with an attorney.' Fifth, call an attorney immediately.

If a family member is detained by ICE, your first step is to locate them using the ICE detainee locator at locator.ice.gov. You will need their full name, country of birth, and date of birth. Then call an immigration attorney immediately. Do not accept any plea or sign any document without speaking to an attorney first.

California has important protections for immigrants. Under California law, local police and sheriffs are generally prohibited from detaining people solely based on immigration status, from holding people in jail for ICE without a judicial warrant, and from participating in ICE enforcement operations without specific authorization. These state-law protections do not prevent federal ICE agents from operating in California, but they do limit local cooperation.

Prepare your family before a crisis happens. Talk to your children about what to do if a parent is detained. Designate a trusted person who can care for your children in an emergency. Keep copies of your immigration documents in a safe place outside your home. Write down the phone number of an immigration attorney and keep it where your family can find it.

For a full guide to your rights during an ICE encounter, including a downloadable rights card in Spanish, see our page on your rights if ICE comes to your home at graciejlaw.com/derechos-si-ice-llega.

For deportation defense and emergency detention cases, call Gracie Johnson Law at (310) 554-4630. Our Compton office serves families throughout South Los Angeles. Attorney Gracie Johnson handles emergency detention hearings and can act quickly when your family needs help.