Disappeared by ICE in L.A.: How to find detained relatives

For 22 days, those responsible for the application of immigration laws carried out sweeping in the communities of the Los Angeles region, arresting around 722 people between June 1 and 10.

For families and immigrant defense groups, determining the location of prisoners was difficult.

“In some cases, it’s been 72 hours when we could not identify where the family member is and when we do it, sometimes they are in the [Adelanto Detention Center]”Said Flor Melendrez, Executive Director of Clean Carwash Worker Center, a defense group for defenders of non -profit.

“Sometimes it is too late and [the detainee is] Calling Ciudad Juárez or Tijuana, where they have already been expelled, and it was within 72 hours. »»

Clean focuses on the representation of workers in the car washing industry for 18 years, but in the past three weeks, the group has moved to families to find workers who have been carried out during a raid and guide them to support and legal services.

“When children ask if we are going to bring their parents back home and we have no way to answer [with] Where they are, it’s heartbreaking, “said Melendrez.

Here are the immediate steps you should take if your parent is arrested and held by those responsible for the application of immigrants:

Take your hand to these organizations to get help

If your loved one has been held by agents of the application of immigration laws, contact the defense groups of immigrants who can provide references, information, resources (such as food and financial assistance) and, in some cases, direct support.

A network of local hotline lines has been created to document immigration application activity and help connect to legal services and other types of support, according to the collaborative California for immigrant justice.

The following quick local response hotline numbers are provided by the California Immigrant Policy Center and the Southern California Aclu:

Gather important documents and personal information

After or before, you have called for help, collect these important documents concerning the family member owned:

• Birth certificate
• Medical records
• Past visa applications
• Reception and approval notice for any immigration request that the person previously submitted

You will also have to gather the following personal information which will be used by you, either by your legal representation, to locate your dear detainee:

1. A-Numéro has, also known as the “foreign registration number”, which is awarded by the Ministry of Internal Security to non-citizens who apply to live and work in the United States, the nine-digit number can be found on a green card, a work permit or another immigration document.
2. Country of birth
3. Personal information including full name and birthday

Your options when looking for a legal representation

There is a coalition of professional organizations and lawyers who work to support the detained people, but it can be difficult to obtain immediate help because there is an overwhelming need.

Due to the high demand for legal aid, the public lawyer, a law firm of non -profit public interest, currently favors affairs based on extreme needs and cannot often take a bond case or help locate a detained person.

The public lawyer warned that families who have not been affected by the application of immigration but who need help for their immigration status should look for a lawyer now and start the immigration process in case they are held in the future.

Your legal aid options include:

• Immigrant Defenders Law Center, (213) 833-8283
• Public council, (213) 385-2977
• Los Angeles Legal Aid Foundation, (800) 399-4529
• Lalama Immigration Law, (833) 838-8472
• Esperanza Immigrant Rights project, (213) 251-3505
• Immigration center for women and children (Office de la), (213) 614-1165
• El SESCATE, (213) 387-3284
• Los Angeles Central Resource Center, (213) 385-7800
• USC Gould School of Law Immigration Clinic, (213) 821-9627
• International Institute of Los Angeles, (323) 264-6217

You can also search for an immigration lawyer through the online location tool for American Immigration Lawyers Association.

HOW to spot a false Immigration lawyer:

The crooks try to confuse immigrants by thinking that they are a lawyer by calling themselves as notario, public notary, accountant or consultant, according to the Federal Trade Commission.

In the countries of Latin America, a notario or a notary is a lawyer or has legal training, but this is not the case in the United States.

How to protect yourself from the scam:

• Do not engage an immigration consultant or a notary. Only lawyers, accredited representatives and recognized organizations can give you legal advice or represent you before the Immigration Court. Immigration consultants – who can be called Immigration Experts, Notarios, Public or Parajurists – cannot do so, according to California Atty. General Rob Bonta’s office.
• Do not give your important documents of origin to anyone, Unless you see proof that the government needs the original document, according to the FTC.

You can check if a lawyer is legitimate by looking for them on the website of the California state bar and determining if he has an active law license.

How to locate your detained family member

If your parent is arrested in Los Angeles, he will probably be taken to the federal detention center in downtown Los Angeles – sometimes called “B -18” – which is located at 320, rue Aliso, according to a public lawyer.

Call the detention center at (213) 830-4900 or (213) 830-7911 and provide the operator with the number of A of your parent, according to a public lawyer.

You can also try to locate your parent using the Ice Detainee location system from the Ministry of Internal Security online or call on (866) 347-2423, but be informed that immigration managers will often not provide information on the prisoner by phone and may not regularly update their data online.

Whether you use the locator or the call of online ice, you will have to provide number A and the country of birth of the prisoner, or their full name and the country and the date of birth.

If you cannot locate the family member via this process, you can contact the Office of Operations for Ice Ice implementation and Ice returning to the place where the person has been picked up.

There are three offices on the ground in California:

1. Los Angeles Field Office: 300 North Los Angeles St., Salle 7631, Los Angeles, CA 90012; (213) 830-7911. The area of ​​responsibility of this office includes the counties of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo.
2. San Diego field office: 880 Front Street, # 2242, San Diego, CA 92101; (619) 436-0410. The field of responsibility of this office includes the counties of San Diego and Imperial.
3. San Francisco field office: 630 Sansome Street, room 590, San Francisco, CA 94111; (415) 365-8800. The area of ​​responsibility of this office includes northern California, Hawaii, Guam, Saipan.

Another option to locate your detained parent is to contact the consulate in their country.

Here is a list of local consulate offices and contact numbers.

Several organizations offer free delivery of grocery stores and needs to families affected by the recent application of immigration.

Follow the organizations and social media accounts of the organization for up -to -date information on the availability of resources:

• The YMCA provides confidential delivery of the grocery store and other essential elements for affected families. Contact socialimepact@ymcala.org or call (323) 244-9077 for support.
• Innercity Struggle is an organization of East Los Angeles which helps grocery store and with rental. Call (323) 780-7605.
• No, we without offering you food to the members of the undocumented community. You can fill out their eligibility form for online help.
• COMUNIDADES NEVICENAS EN LIDERAZGO (CIELO) delivers food to the indigenous families it serves and to those of the community that are afraid of leaving for fear of being caught in ice raids. To see if you are eligible for help, fill out their online contact form.
• Raíces Con Voz is a basic organization at Boyle Heights which provides grocery stores and articles essential to those of the community which believe that they are unable to leave their house due to the activity of recent ice. To get help, send a direct message to the group on Instagram.
• World Harvest Charities and Family Services’ Cart with a heart program provides families who are in place with grocery carts full of fresh products, protein, pantry supplies and more. For help, call (213) 746-2227.
• Puente Mutual Aid offers essential elements to community members without asking for free name or address of the person in need. Send an email to lapuentedropbasket@proton.me with a code name, your neighborhood, a safe deposit point and necessary items.
• The El Monte Business Alliance provides food assistance and babies to those who need it thanks to their new El Monte Cares program. For help, call (800) 622-4302.
• Immigo Immigration Services offers the articles necessary for families in need. Call (818) 730-0140 to get help.