Reporting to ICE During Mass-Deportations

Date of Information: 09/20/2025

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You Are Not Alone, and You Have Rights.

If you are an asylum seeker or immigrant required to report to ICE during mass deportation operations, this site is for you. We can only imagine how stressful these times must be for you. We want to help in any way we can. This site is designed to help you:

  • Understand your rights,

  • Prepare yourself for what may come, and

  • Protect your dignity in all scenarios.

What’s Happening Right Now

Mass Deportations Are Rising. So Are Detentions. Over the past months, ICE has dramatically expanded enforcement actions. People who’ve checked in routinely for years are now being detained without warning — some held for months while their cases work through the courts. If you're reporting to ICE during this time, it is critical to prepare as if detention is possible and conduct yourself with dignity, strategy, and hope.

What To Do Before Your ICE Check-In

Prepare Like Your Freedom Depends On It — Because It Might:

  • ✅ Contact your immigration attorney in advance and let them know the date/time/location of your appointment.

  • ✅ Create written contingency plans with loved ones. Be sure to plan for:

    • Communications with loved ones, either from incarceration or from overseas

    • Child care

    • Healthcare

    • Housing—both for yourself, if you are released on bond, and any person dependent upon your care

    • Continued payment of financial obligations, if applicable

    • Disposition of property in the United States if you are detained for an extended period or deported (consider granting power of attorney to a trusted individual so he or she can transact on your behalf.)

  • ✅ Bring only essential documents: asylum receipt, government ID, bond paperwork, court filings — in a secure folder.

  • ✅ Show up to the ICE field office with your attorney’s contact information on your person

    • Charles International Law has made shirts available to its clients with the firm’s contact information and reminders of the clients’ legal rights vis-à-vis law enforcement. While these are not strictly necessary, it is essential to have similar information directly on your person in case ICE seizes your paperwork, purse, wallet, or other personal items.

    • Write your attorney’s contact information on your body if necessary.

  • ✅ Share your location live with a trusted contact. If you do not have the technology to share your location live, treat your ICE check-in like an expedition into the wilderness:

    • Tell a friend where you are going.

    • Give your friend your attorney’s contact information and information on how to contact your family.

    • Tell your friend when you plan to return.

    • Set a time after which your friend should alert your attorney if he or she has not heard from you.

  • ✅ Pack a bag with basic necessities that someone else can keep for you (medications, hygiene items, immigration documents).

  • ✅ In advance, provide your attorney with copies of the documents he or she will need to prepare a bond application if you are detained. For more information on preparing a bond package, please see our research guide on that topic.

⚠️ ICE Check-In Failsafe Appointment

(For Existing CIL Clients Only)

If you are required to report to ICE, it is critical to have a backup plan in case you are detained. This ICE Check-In Failsafe Appointment is a private tool for existing clients of Charles International Law (CIL). It acts as a silent signal to CIL that you may have been detained—and that emergency legal action should begin.

ℹ️ How it works:

  1. Schedule this appointment for approximately 24 hours after your ICE check-in.

  2. If you attend the ICE check-in and are not detained, you must cancel this appointment before the scheduled time.

    • ❗ Important: If you forget to cancel and don’t show up, CIL will treat your absence as an indication that you have been detained by ICE and will initiate emergency bond or parole proceedings—even if you are actually safe and free.

  3. If you are detained and cannot attend, CIL will use the missed appointment as a trigger to begin efforts to secure your release.

⚠️ This is a critical part of your protection plan. Please follow the steps exactly.

Know Your Rights at ICE

If You Are Taken Into Custody:

  • You have the right to remain silent. You do not have to answer any questions about your country, documents, or immigration status beyond confirming your identity.

  • You have the right to an attorney. You do not have to sign anything. You can say, “I want to speak to my lawyer.”

  • You can ask for parole or bond. Especially if you have medical conditions, family ties, or a pending asylum case. Your attorney can help file a request.

  • You have the right to a credible fear interview. If you fear returning to your country, state this clearly and immediately.

Emergency Resources

In Case of Detention:

  • National Immigration Legal Hotline: 1-800-298-2830

  • Charles International Law (Attorney Contact): www.charlesinternationallaw.com
    Office: 240-406-4977 | Mobile: 717-202-9407

  • Detention Watch Network: www.detentionwatchnetwork.org

  • Again, prepare with a digital copy of your documents, and share it with a trusted person or your attorney.

CIL’s ICE Check-in Shirt

Although not strictly necessary, Charles International Law has designed a polo shirt for its clients with our firm’s contact information, a QR code to its website, and a polite but firm message to law enforcement that our clients intend to exercise the full panoply of rights available to them by law. The shirts are for sale through our sister company, Resistance Supplies:

Asylum Seeker Protection Polo

A legal-rights shirt designed specifically for ICE check-ins during mass deportations. Includes bilingual statements, your attorney’s contact info, and a QR code linking to legal help. Durable, respectful, and powerful. Wear your rights.

Buy Now

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About ICE Check-Ins

  1. What is an ICE check-in?
    An ICE check-in is a scheduled appointment where you are required to appear at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office. ICE uses check-ins to monitor noncitizens who are not detained while their immigration cases are pending.

  2. What happens during a typical check-in?
    Typically, ICE will confirm your identity, check their records for updates on your case, and may ask a few brief questions. Some check-ins are routine and last less than 30 minutes, but ICE can detain individuals without prior notice, especially during mass deportation operations.

  3. Can ICE detain me even if I have always complied?
    Yes. Even if you have consistently complied with court dates and check-ins, ICE may still detain you due to shifts in policy, case status, or enforcement priorities. Preparation is essential.

  4. How can I reduce my risk of being detained?
    Bring proof of your pending immigration case, such as your asylum application receipt or hearing notice. Notify your attorney in advance, wear your Asylum Rights Shirt if available, and conduct yourself calmly and respectfully. These steps do not guarantee release but may help.

  5. What should I bring to my ICE check-in?
    Bring valid photo identification, a copy of your asylum application or other pending relief, proof of legal representation (such as a letter from your attorney), and any other documents showing strong ties or humanitarian factors. Keep everything organized in a secure folder.

  6. Can I bring someone with me?
    Yes. You may bring a friend, family member, or community member to wait outside the office. They can monitor when you go in and raise the alarm if you are not released within a reasonable time. In most cases, they will not be allowed inside the building.

  7. What if I am detained at my check-in?
    State clearly: “I want to speak to my lawyer.” You do not have to answer questions about your immigration history or country of origin without legal representation. If you fear returning to your country, say: “I want a credible fear interview.”

  8. What is a Failsafe Appointment?
    Clients of Charles International Law can schedule a Failsafe Appointment 24 hours after their ICE check-in. If the client is detained and cannot attend the failsafe, the missed appointment acts as a trigger for emergency legal action or bond advocacy.

  9. What if my address or phone number changes?
    You must notify both ICE and the immigration court of any address changes. For the court, use Form EOIR-33. For ICE, you can update your address online or in person. Failing to update your address could result in missing a court date and receiving a removal order.

  10. Can ICE deport me at a check-in?
    Not usually, unless you already have a final order of removal or are subject to reinstatement of a prior order. Know your current immigration status and whether any appeals, motions, or forms of relief are still pending.

  11. Is it safe to bring my phone?
    Yes, but keep it fully charged and consider turning off facial recognition or fingerprint unlock. ICE may ask you to turn your phone off or leave it with security while you're inside.

  12. I'm scared. What should I do?
    That is completely normal. The best way to deal with fear is to prepare. Make a safety plan, notify your attorney, carry important documents, and bring someone you trust. You are not alone.

Other Helpful Resources:

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