LA Rights Guide

Core rights, quick version

• You can remain silent.
• You can refuse consent to a search.
• You can ask: Am I free to leave?
• Do not physically resist. Say: I do not consent.
• If it is safe, record from a respectful distance and do not interfere.

Use these steps only when it is safe. This site is general information, not legal advice.

Sources, plain text

Reference names only. For clickable links, use the Sources tab.

• California Collaborative for Immigrant Justice, Rapid Response hotlines
• Immigrant Defenders Law Center, ImmDef Rapid Response hotline
• CHIRLA, contact and legal services
• CARECEN, legal services
• Esperanza Immigrant Rights Project
• Public Counsel, Immigrants’ Rights Project
• LAFLA, Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles
• Advancing Justice SoCal, immigration
• LA County Office of Immigrant Affairs
• ILRC Red Cards
• NILC, Know Your Rights guides
• ACLU, filming and photographing police
• ICE Online Detainee Locator and USA.gov detainee locator guide
• US Courts AO 93 warrant form
• Key cases: Riley v. California, Pennsylvania v. Mimms, Maryland v. Wilson
• California Penal Code 632 and 148(a)(1)

What to write down after, if safe

Recording safely, if it is safe

• You generally have a right to record law enforcement in public spaces. Do it only when it is safe.
• Record from a respectful distance. Do not interfere. Do not cross barriers or police lines.
• If an officer tells you to step back for safety or to keep an area clear, step back and keep recording from farther away.
• Do not physically resist. Do not argue at the scene. Keep hands visible and stay calm.
• California has strict rules about recording confidential conversations. Avoid recording private conversations where people reasonably expect privacy.

Protect your video so it is not lost

If your phone is lost, damaged, or taken, the safest plan is to get a copy off the device quickly.

• Fastest: Send the video to a trusted person right away by text or secure messaging.
• Cloud backup: Turn on automatic photo and video backup (iPhone iCloud Photos, or another cloud service you already use).
• Share a link: Upload to a cloud drive and share a private link with a trusted contact.
• Account safety: Use a strong password and turn on two factor authentication.
• Privacy: Think before posting publicly. Public posts can expose faces, addresses, and location data.

• Date and time.
• Agency, for example ICE, DHS, police.
• Names and badge numbers if visible.
• What document was shown, photo only if safe.
• What was said, what happened, who witnessed.

Warrant check, 10 seconds

Look for simple visual clues. Real documents vary.

A judicial warrant often has

• A court name at the top.
• A judge or magistrate signature.
• A case number and date.
• If it is a search warrant, your exact address.

An ICE administrative warrant often has

• DHS or ICE at the top.
• A form line, often I 200 or I 205.
• An immigration officer signature, not a judge.

Helpful tip

You can ask officers to hold the document to a window or slide it under the door so you can read it without opening.

Key phrase

Am I free to leave? If not, ask: Am I being detained?

After

• Write down date, time, and location.
• If safe, write down name and badge number.
• Seek qualified legal help if there was detention or a serious citation.

Law hierarchy

Top to bottom, who outranks who.

• US Constitution.
• Federal laws and treaties under the Constitution.
• California constitution and California state laws.
• County and city rules.
• School and workplace policies.

Immigration status

The home door rule and the right to remain silent matter for everyone.

Family plan, essentials

• Pick an emergency contact outside your household.
• Write down important phone numbers.
• Keep copies of key documents with a trusted person.
• Make a childcare plan and a backup caregiver plan.
• Practice the door script once, calmly.