Situation card · Know your rights
Can ICE enter my home? Your rights at the door
What to say and do if immigration agents knock on your door, whatever your immigration status.
The 10-second version: say this
- Please slide the warrant under the door.
- I do not consent to you entering my home.
- I am exercising my right to remain silent.
- I want to speak to a lawyer.
Keep the door closed. Speak through it calmly.
Do
- Keep the door closed and speak through it.
- Ask to see the warrant through a window.
- Check for a judge's signature and your address.
- Write down names, badge numbers, and what happened.
Don't
- Don't open the door.
- Don't lie or show false documents.
- Don't sign anything you don't understand.
- Don't run or physically resist.
These rights apply to everyone
The Fifth Amendment protects every "person," not only citizens. In Zadvydas v. Davis (2001), the Court said due process applies to everyone in the U.S., whatever their status. Courts generally apply the right to remain silent and the protection of the home to everyone in the U.S.
At the door
- You do not have to open the door.
- Opening the door can make it harder to keep agents from coming in.
- Ask who they are and why they are there.
- If you need an interpreter, ask for one.
- If they say they have a warrant, ask them to slide it under the door or hold it to a window.
Two kinds of warrants
Judicial warrant. This is signed by a judge. It names a court. A search warrant lists your address and what can be searched. An arrest warrant names a person.
Administrative warrant. This is signed by an immigration officer, not a judge. Examples are Form I-200 and Form I-205. They often say "Department of Homeland Security" at the top.
- Under the Fourth Amendment, a warrant signed by a judge is generally needed to enter a home without consent.
- Know-your-rights groups say an administrative warrant does not by itself allow agents to enter your home.
- In 2025, ICE told its officers they could enter some homes using an administrative warrant. At least one federal judge ruled that an entry like this violated the Fourth Amendment. Court challenges are ongoing.
If the warrant is not signed by a judge, you can say: "I do not consent to you entering my home."
If agents come in anyway
- Do not physically resist.
- Say: "I do not consent to you entering my home. I do not consent to a search."
- Say: "I am exercising my right to remain silent."
- Write down what you remember as soon as you can.
Talking to agents
- You have the right to remain silent. You can refuse to answer questions about where you were born or your immigration status.
- Do not lie. Do not show false documents. Both can be crimes.
- Do not sign anything you do not understand. Some forms can give up your right to see a judge.
- Ask to speak to a lawyer.
- If you are 18 or older and have valid immigration papers, federal law generally requires you to carry them.
Make a plan ahead of time
- Find a local nonprofit that gives free or low-cost immigration legal help.
- Write a lawyer's phone number somewhere you can reach it.
- Keep important papers in a safe place that someone you trust can find.
Common questions
Can ICE enter my home without a warrant?
Generally, no, not without your consent or a warrant signed by a judge. In 2025, ICE told its officers they could enter some homes using an administrative warrant. At least one federal judge ruled that an entry like this violated the Fourth Amendment. Court challenges are ongoing.
What is the difference between an ICE warrant and a judicial warrant?
A judicial warrant is signed by a judge and names a court. An ICE administrative warrant, such as Form I-200 or I-205, is signed by an immigration officer, not a judge. Know-your-rights groups say an administrative warrant does not by itself allow agents to enter your home.
Do I have to answer ICE questions?
Generally, no. You have the right to remain silent, whatever your immigration status. You can refuse to answer questions about where you were born or your status. Do not lie or show false documents, because both can be crimes. Adults with valid immigration papers generally must carry them. You can ask for a lawyer.
Do undocumented people have constitutional rights?
Yes, many of them. The Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments protect every "person," not only citizens. In Zadvydas v. Davis (2001), the Supreme Court said due process applies to everyone in the U.S., whatever their status. Courts generally apply the right to remain silent to everyone.
Do I have to open the door for ICE?
No. You do not have to open the door. Opening it can make it harder to keep agents from coming in. You can speak through the door and ask them to slide any warrant under it or hold it to a window.
What if ICE comes in without a judge's warrant?
Do not physically resist. You can say: "I do not consent to you entering my home. I do not consent to a search." You can also say you are using your right to remain silent. Write down names, badge numbers, and what happened as soon as you can.
Do I have to sign papers ICE gives me?
No. Do not sign anything you do not understand. Some forms can give up your right to see a judge. You can ask to speak to a lawyer first. Free or low-cost immigration legal help is listed in the National Immigration Legal Services Directory.
The law you are citing
Fourth Amendment (1791): The government cannot search your home unreasonably. Generally, a warrant signed by a judge is needed.
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation
Fifth Amendment (1791): You cannot be forced to be a witness against yourself. No person can lose their liberty without due process, meaning fair legal procedures.
nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law
Fourteenth Amendment (1868): States must give every person due process and equal protection of the laws.
nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.
Get help
- Find free or low-cost immigration legal helpNational Immigration Legal Services Directory
- ACLU: Immigrants' rightsaclu.org/know-your-rights/immigrants-rights