Red Card Gets Red-Hot Reception
Red Cards ~ Know Your Rights
The wallet-sized Red Card has received a red-hot reception, as the fear of deportation impacts people who are unsure of their rights. Sr. Marie Chiodo, DW, leads the effort to share the card and information with those she ministers to in Silver Spring, Maryland—and beyond.
She had the cards in her hands for about a week before her stack of 500 was gone. When she tried to order more, the site was shut down because the inventory had been depleted. Three weeks later, the demand for Red Cards has been so great that people still await their initial orders.
The bulk of them were distributed to the parishioners of St. Camillus Parish, members of its JPIC committee, and the people coming to their Friday and Saturday food distribution days in Silver Spring, Maryland, reported Sr. Marie. She has been actively distributing Red Cards and materials related to the rights of immigrants since the mention of mass deportation and the confusion of who exactly is affected and how people should respond if detained. She sent Red Cards in Spanish and Haitian Creole to Daughters of Wisdom in the North and the South, who actively minister to immigrants and asylees; the cards are available in nineteen languages. Since the surge in demand, printable versions are now obtainable online.
Beyond that, the purpose of the cards attracted the interest of many friends, family members, and colleagues due to Sr. Marie's grassroots email sharing of information and willingness to discuss the reality of mass deportation.
The reactions of the people Sr. Marie encountered in Maryland were mixed. Several asked how they could obtain Red Cards. But she shared, "Two took me to task for not respecting the law...one demanded to know why I would defend rapists and murderers...hadn't I heard of Laken Riley? Another said the Constitution did not apply to illegals. His family came in according to the law. Why can't they?"
It seems that many people, in general, are unaware of their Constitutional rights and are much less aware of the rights of immigrants in America and how a blanket immigration crackdown can affect us all.
The Red Card helps people to defend their rights and assert themselves in many situations. Some of these rights and things to know and do include:
*All people in the United States, regardless of immigration status, have certain rights and protections under the Constitution to help them defend themselves against constitutional violations. Knowing and asserting rights can make a huge difference in many situations.
You have constitutional rights:
Do not open the door. Stay calm. ICE does not have the right to enter your home, vehicle, or workplace without a warrant signed by a judge. They must slide it under the door for you to review. Verify that it has your correct name and address.
Remain Silent. Do not answer questions about your immigration status or place of origin. Inform them that you have the right to remain silent until you can consult with your attorney.
Do not run or resist. If you are in a public space or in your vehicle, stay calm and avoid arguing. Running or resisting can escalate the situation and put you in greater danger.
Do not sign any documents. Do not sign anything without consulting a lawyer first.
Do not lie. ICE and the police may lie to obtain information, and the law allows them to do so. However, you must not lie or provide false information. Remain silent! Do not argue, insult, or physically resist. Do not claim to be a US citizen if you are not. Falsely claiming citizenship can lead to severe legal consequences.
Film and take photos. Document everything carefully. Record or take photos and detailed notes, including key information such as badge numbers, names or ID's of agents, the location, and the time of the encounter. Do not share or publish content until the facts have been confirmed to avoid spreading alarm or misinformation.
No abras la puerta. Manten la calma. ICE no tiene el derecho de entrar tu hogar, automovil o area privada de un lugar de trabajo sin una orden firmada por un juez, con tu nombre y direccion correctos, Diles que la pasen por debajo de la puerta para verificar.
Guard Silencio.No respondas a preguntas sobre tu estatus u origen. Diles que tienes derecho a permanecer callado/a hasta que puedas consultar con tu abogado.
No corras ni resistas. Si estas en un lugar publico o en tu vehiculo, permanece quieto/a y no discutas. Correr o resistirte puede empeorar la situacion y ponerte en peligro.
No firmes ningun documento. No firmes nada sin consultar con un abogado.
No mientas. ICE y la policia pueden mentirte para obtener informacion y la leyse los permite. Tu no debes mentir ni proporcionar informacion falsa. Mantente callado/A! No discutas, insultes o agredas. Nunca digas que eres ciudadano/a si no lo eres. Mentir sobre tu estatus migratorio peude tener graves consecuencias legales.
Filma y toma fotos. Documenta todo, graba, o toma fotgrafias y notas de los detalles importantes, como numerous de placa, nombres o identificaciones de los agentes, el lugar y la hora del encuentro. No compartas o publiques sin asegurarte que los hechos sean verifcados para evitar alarma o falsa informacion.
This information was adapted from public information developed by the ACLU, ILRC, and United We Dream "Know Your Rights" initiative.
As the mass deportation effort is affecting more than just violent criminals, its immediate impact is already being seen at the church's food pantry that serves asylees, immigrants, and undocumented people. Sr. Marie added, "I do know that there were fewer families this week as churches in our area may be under surveillance, and the people are so fearful."
Sr. Sara Proctor, DW, shared that it has similarly impacted the people in Florida, where she lives in a rural farming area where the strawberry season has begun. "The berries must be promptly picked when they are ripe, or they will begin to rot. The county here produces the second most strawberries in the US! There is a county in California that produces the most. Without workers to pick the berries, the farms may go under. Most of our fruits and vegetables are hand-picked. There are NO machines that can do the work."
The Food Pantry where she volunteers serves farm workers who are planning for the unknown and have requested double the amount they usually get "because they are very concerned about the future: if they will be able to work, if they will have to leave and go to another State, if they will have to hold up in their houses. And, there are rumors that they may not be free to go to work."
In Amityville and Huntington Station, NY, immigrants also share a common fear of the unknown.
Sr. Marie-Josee Seide, DW, shared, "The families are very grateful for the cards and have taken them for other family members or friends. They fear possible encounters with ICE agents. They are frustrated because many of them have been in the US for over 15 or twenty years but have never had the proper mentoring to guide them on the right path to finding good attorneys who are not solely fooling them just to make money. So they've been turning in a circle.
Most have Social Security cards and driver's licenses and pay taxes. However, they still don't have their permanent residency card or the TPS."
Sister added, "Above all, I encourage them to try their best to remain calm, to know their rights, and to pray.
Sister added in her work in the Church's Parish outreach, "I see such innocence when I look at the little ones that accompany them! I pray to God that he turns things around for the best for them."
Sr. Maria Jesus Pinedo, DW, shares that in Huntington Station, NY, the consensus is the feeling of fear among the people. "Last week, I prepared and photocopied the message of the Red Cards, and on Sunday, January 26, I handed them out. People are very sad and afraid to leave their homes, and some people are in a state of panic."