Prepare Your Family for an Immigration Raid

As ICE actions increase, knowing how to prepare your family for an immigration raid in 2025 has become essential to protecting your well-being and rights. 

Having the support of our immigration attorneys in Los Angeles can provide peace of mind during such a critical time. At Lluis Law, we help you understand your rights and prepare for any eventuality.

Practical guide on how to prepare your family for an immigration raid in 2025

Preparing doesn’t mean expecting the worst, but rather protecting your family. Although talking about a possible separation can be difficult, having an emergency plan reduces anxiety and prevents your children from ending up in the child welfare system. Take action now:

• Keep important documents in an accessible folder. For example, passports, birth certificates, etc.
• Write down the contact information for an immigration attorney.
• Designate at least two trusted caregivers and document their complete contact information.
• Avoid carrying false documents. This can worsen your legal situation.
• Consider granting power of attorney to a trusted adult who can care for your children if you can’t.
• Save some money , if you can, to cover legal fees or possible bail.
• Have your A-number and immigration documents on hand .

Being proactive today can make a difference tomorrow. At Lluis Law, our Los Angeles attorneys can help you create this plan with confidence and security.

Why is it important to help families prepare for immigration raids and other law enforcement actions?

Immigration raids affect not only those detained, but also their children, neighbors, schools, and communities. 

Therefore, families, service providers, and community organizations must work together to be prepared. There are resources available to help:

• Provide emotional and legal support to affected children and families.
• Keep safe the spaces where families receive services, such as community centers or educational programs.
• Strengthen local support networks to respond quickly to a raid.

If you are a provider or community member, you can consult resource listings by location that offer legal guidance, emergency contacts, and response protocols. Working together can make a difference in a time of crisis.

What should your family know about immigration raids?

It’s critical to be prepared and know your rights in the event of a raid or any encounter with ICE or local law enforcement. 

Everyone, regardless of immigration status, has rights under the U.S. Constitution. Preparing ahead of time can prevent panic, reduce the risk of family separation, and protect your assets.

The following actions can help protect yourself during a raid:

• Stay calm and don’t run away: Acting calmly can avoid misunderstandings or unnecessary arrests.
• Remain silent: You can also say, “I wish to remain silent,” and you are not required to answer questions.
• Ask for a lawyer: You have the right not to sign anything or make a statement without legal advice.
• Do not sign documents without reading them and without the presence of a lawyer.
• Take note of the details: Record the time, place, and names of the officers if it is safe to do so.

These simple steps can make all the difference. At Lluis Law, our Los Angeles lawyers are ready to guide you if you or your family are facing a situation like this.

How to prepare your family before an immigration raid occurs

Staying informed and organized is essential to protecting your family and strengthening your community in the face of an immigration raid. To do this:

Stay informed

Raids can occur anywhere, whether at home, at work, on the streets, or at border crossings. 

In many cases, ICE, CBP, or even local police participate in these raids. Knowing your rights will help you act with clarity. 

Note: You can download a free ILRC red card to stay informed at all times.

Equip yourself and your community

Encourage other families to prepare. In fact, there are free guides online that explain what to do before, during, and after a raid. 

These guides help you gather documents, establish emergency plans, designate legal guardians for your children, and consult with trusted immigration attorneys. 

We encourage all communities to stay up-to-date, especially in remote areas such as rural areas. If you live there, you can find detailed information in our blog: Rights during immigration raids in rural areas.

Build a rapid response team

Arrests affect not only the detainee, but also children, schools, and communities. 

Therefore, forming a community team allows for immediate action and offers emotional and practical support to affected families. 

How can I form a rapid response team to prepare for an immigration raid?

Faced with the risk of an immigration raid, organizing a rapid response team with clear functions is an essential first step. 

Here’s how to structure it and assign key responsibilities.

1# Assemble a team

When an immigration raid occurs, everything usually happens very quickly. That’s why it’s key to have a team that knows what to do. For example, locating detainees, supporting their families, and contacting lawyers.

Each individual must have a clear role, such as the following:

• Coordinator: Organizes the team and ensures that everyone knows what to do.
• Community education: Inform the community about their rights.
• Case reception: Answer calls and collect important data.
• Arrest: Helps locate arrested individuals.
• Legal assistance: Connect with lawyers and manage legal processes.
• Basic Support: Find food, shelter, and help for families.
• Interpretation: Facilitates access to services for non-English speakers.

Having this team can make the difference between chaos and an effective response.

2# Create an action plan

When a raid is reported, your team needs to know exactly what to do. A clear plan allows you to mobilize quickly, avoid confusion, and provide effective assistance. Therefore:

• Define a meeting point where the team can meet in person if necessary.
• Create a group chat to communicate instantly. Use WhatsApp or whatever channel works best for your community.
• Assign roles in advance based on your team’s capabilities. This prevents improvisation.
• Write a response plan . Establish how reports will be received (calls, forms, social media) and how the team will be kept informed.
• Organize your resources . Use secure and accessible digital folders and limit who can see confidential information.

With a well-defined plan, your team will be ready to act when you need them most.

3# Activate your equipment during a raid

When a raid is confirmed, the team must be activated immediately to assist those affected. Actions must be swift and organized:

• Confirm what happened. Gather key information such as location, time, rights violations, etc.
• Gather testimony and evidence. Identify witnesses who can tell what happened.
• Contact family members and lawyers. Coordinate with them to provide legal and emotional support.
• Receive requests for help. Be available by phone, social media, or web forms to assist those in need.
• Organize all your information in one place. Use an internal group or secure folder to record all data and actions.

What can community service providers do in the event of an immigration raid?

Since January 2025, official protection for schools, churches, and hospitals has been eliminated. This has increased the risk for many immigrants and created fear in accessing basic services. 

Still, community providers can take steps to protect those they serve. These include:

• Healthcare facilities, schools, and places of worship should be aware of the privacy laws that protect them (such as HIPAA, FERPA, or the attorney-client privilege) and avoid sharing information without a court order.
• Create internal protocols: how to respond when ICE arrives, what information can be disclosed, and who is responsible.
• Train staff on immigrant rights and how to respond without putting them at risk.
• Keep informational materials visible and accessible to the people served.
• Evaluate each visit by immigration authorities with legal advice. They are often not authorized to enter without a warrant signed by a judge.

Typically, each institution has specific legal resources and guidelines you can follow to remain a safe space.

Where can I find up-to-date resources to protect immigrant children and families?

The Children Thrive Action Network (CTAN) has developed a useful and constantly updated tool to support: 

• Service providers; 
• Families; and 
• Communities facing the effects of immigration laws on children.

Its goal is to expose immigration policies that harm children and help prevent family separation due to deportations or ICE raids. This resource set includes practical materials for:

• Supporting children with parents facing deportation.
• Assist families with mixed immigration status.
• Provide tools to healthcare, education, and childcare providers.
• Prepare for workplace raids.
• Know and exercise legal rights in the U.S.
• Educate the public about the effects of these policies.

Where can I find resources to prepare for raids and protect immigrant families?

Having practical materials can make a difference in an immigration emergency. These organizations offer reliable, informative, and up-to-date resources:

• ACLU: Clear guidance for immigrants in case of detention, home raids, traffic stops, or arrests near the border.
• CLINIC: Action plans for communities facing raids, guides for forming response teams and preparing families.
• ILRC : Includes red cards, family emergency plans, and community training materials.
• ZERO TO THREE: Resources for addressing trauma in children following family separations and a state-by-state directory of professionals.
• CLASP: Guides for creating safe spaces, protecting school data, and responding to raids on educational or childcare centers.
• Women’s Refugee Commission: Essential information for parents at risk of deportation on how to plan for their children’s care.
• CTAN: Resources organized by topic (mixed-status families, schools, health, etc.).

These resources do not replace legal support, but they do help you be better prepared. 

If you’re facing deportation, it’s essential to know that you can appeal the decision and present your case to the authorities. With good advice, you can win an immigration appeal process.

What should I do if I am stopped by immigration agents?

In immigration detention, what you say or do can have consequences. Act calmly and follow these key steps:

• Don’t share your country of origin or how you entered the US. That information can be used against you.
• Say out loud, “I want to speak to my lawyer,” and don’t answer any further questions. You have the right to remain silent.
• Call your emergency contact as soon as possible and share your location.
• Do not sign any documents, especially voluntary departure documents, without having them reviewed by an attorney. Signing them may mean accepting deportation without defense.

For more information on what to do in these scenarios, see our guide: If ICE agents show up at your door.

Contact our attorneys today to help you prepare your family for an immigration raid.

Now you’re better informed about how to prepare your family for an immigration raid today. 

This isn’t alarmism, it’s prevention. Having a plan, knowing what to do, and having legal support can make all the difference in critical moments.

At Lluis Law, we’re here to help. If you or a loved one needs personalized guidance, contact us today. We’ve been advocating for the immigrant community in Los Angeles for over 50 years.