New York Businesses Gear Up for Holiday Crowds, Sales, and Potential ICE Raids as Immigrant Rights Advocacy Groups Sound the Alarm.
As the holiday season approaches, business owners in New York City are preparing not just for a surge in foot traffic, but also for potential visits from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. Mutual aid and immigrant advocacy groups have been canvassing local businesses, handing out pamphlets and signs to inform workers and managers of their rights in the event of an ICE raid.
According to the New York Immigration Coalition, a statewide nonprofit organization, over 1,000 businesses have received visits from ICE agents this year alone. The group is urging business owners and employees to take steps to protect themselves and their workplaces from potential raids.
"Know your rights and post the information in the workplace," advises Wennie Chin, senior director of community and civic engagement at the NYIC. "Every individual in this country, regardless of their immigration status, has the right to remain silent and not answer any questions that they don't want to." Employees have the right to refuse a search of their person and belongings, to ask if they're being detained, and to record interactions with ICE agents.
Business owners are also advised to label private areas where ICE cannot freely enter. "ICE can enter a public space without express permission, but within private spaces, they cannot enter without a judicial warrant or your express consent," Chin explains.
The group is distributing signs that delineate employee-only spaces and storage facilities, which may not be immediately apparent to visitors. If an ICE agent attempts to enter a private space, business owners should stress that the space is private and that they're not allowed to enter without a judicial warrant.
Chin also emphasizes the importance of understanding the difference between a judicial and administrative warrant. "Administrative warrants are not the same as judicial warrants," she notes. "They don't have the same credibility or legal weight, but individuals in the moment might not be able to distinguish the difference."
As the holiday season approaches, business owners and employees in New York City should be aware of their rights and take steps to protect themselves from potential ICE raids. By knowing their rights and taking proactive measures, they can help ensure that their workplaces remain safe and respectful for everyone.
As the holiday season approaches, business owners in New York City are preparing not just for a surge in foot traffic, but also for potential visits from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. Mutual aid and immigrant advocacy groups have been canvassing local businesses, handing out pamphlets and signs to inform workers and managers of their rights in the event of an ICE raid.
According to the New York Immigration Coalition, a statewide nonprofit organization, over 1,000 businesses have received visits from ICE agents this year alone. The group is urging business owners and employees to take steps to protect themselves and their workplaces from potential raids.
"Know your rights and post the information in the workplace," advises Wennie Chin, senior director of community and civic engagement at the NYIC. "Every individual in this country, regardless of their immigration status, has the right to remain silent and not answer any questions that they don't want to." Employees have the right to refuse a search of their person and belongings, to ask if they're being detained, and to record interactions with ICE agents.
Business owners are also advised to label private areas where ICE cannot freely enter. "ICE can enter a public space without express permission, but within private spaces, they cannot enter without a judicial warrant or your express consent," Chin explains.
The group is distributing signs that delineate employee-only spaces and storage facilities, which may not be immediately apparent to visitors. If an ICE agent attempts to enter a private space, business owners should stress that the space is private and that they're not allowed to enter without a judicial warrant.
Chin also emphasizes the importance of understanding the difference between a judicial and administrative warrant. "Administrative warrants are not the same as judicial warrants," she notes. "They don't have the same credibility or legal weight, but individuals in the moment might not be able to distinguish the difference."
As the holiday season approaches, business owners and employees in New York City should be aware of their rights and take steps to protect themselves from potential ICE raids. By knowing their rights and taking proactive measures, they can help ensure that their workplaces remain safe and respectful for everyone.