After federal immigration agents shot and killed two people in Minneapolis, many people across the country and in our own backyard are asking: What can I do to help? Here are a few impactful action steps.
Know Your Rights
One of the simplest and most powerful ways you can support your neighbors is to understand your rights during interactions with ICE. The ACLU of Utah offers practical guides if you’re being detained or you’re a bystander. Here are some key points to remember:
- You have the right to remain silent.
- You have the right to call a lawyer and you don’t have to sign anything without a lawyer.
- You have the right to access information in a language you understand.
- Immigration agents cannot access private areas (your home, your business) without a judicial warrant signed by a judge with the date and full name of the person they seek.
Support Local Organizations
You can make a big impact by donating, volunteering, or simply sharing these resources with your network.
- Wasatch Immigration Project: Provides pro bono and low-cost immigration legal services in the Wasatch Back.
- Comunidades Unidas: Connects immigrant communities in Utah with resources to build their social and political power.
- Utah Immigration Collaborative: A network of nonprofits working to expand immigration legal services and representation for those in need across Utah.
- Salt Lake Community Bail Fund: They’ve launched a Court Support Program, where trained volunteers offer support and resources at court or immigration hearings. The next volunteer training is Sunday, Feb. 15.
Call Your Representatives
Let your elected officials know your stance, like demanding they vote no on funding the Department of Homeland Security. Websites like 5 Calls make it easy to find your representatives and provide ready-made scripts tailored to the issues that matter most to you.
Put our U.S. senators on speed dial:
- Sen. John Curtis, R-Utah: 801-524-4380
- Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah: 801-524-5933
