By Micaela McConnell | IMMIGRATION IMPACT
In a country built on the principles of freedom and justice, certain fundamental rights for every individual—regardless of their immigration status—are protected under the U.S. Constitution and civil rights laws. However, recent attacks by politicians and government leaders have sought to distort the meaning of these rights and discredit efforts to provide “Know Your Rights” education.
Justice for All
The U.S. Constitution guarantees certain fundamental rights to all people in the U.S., regardless of their immigration status. Whether a person is a U.S. citizen, a legal resident, or an undocumented individual, they are entitled to constitutional protections including due process, freedom of speech, and protection against unlawful search and seizure.
Civil rights laws, such as the Civil Rights Act, further ensure that individuals cannot be discriminated against based on their race, color, national origin, or other protected categories. The very essence of these protections is that they apply universally and that everyone deserves equal treatment under the law.
The Role of “Know Your Rights” Education
“Know Your Rights” education services, like clinics, presentations, and workshops, play a critical role in ensuring that immigrant communities are aware of their legal rights and empowered to exercise them. These resources provide accessible information about what individuals can and cannot be subjected to by law enforcement or other authorities. For example, they provide information about:
- The right to an attorney.
- Protections against unlawful detention or deportation.
Many organizations have long held informative clinics to ensure information is disseminated amongst their respective communities, such as groups that partnered to provide three sessions across Utah and the Lexington, Kentucky-based nonprofit the Neighbors Immigration Clinic which regularly provides these trainings. Other organizations, like Chicago’s Office of Immigrant, Migrant, and Refugee Rights, have continued to provide resources to the community.
Schools, churches, and state and local governments have also spearheaded other opportunities to get essential “Know Your Rights” information into their community. California’s attorney general issued guidance to public institutions to protect immigrant rights, while Michigan’s Department of Education issued guidance to Michigan education officials on their legal responsibilities to provide public education to students, regardless of their immigration status. The City of San Francisco created an online hub that provides information, including legal resources, for immigrant communities.
The importance of these resources cannot be overstated. For many immigrants, especially those who are undocumented, interacting with law enforcement can be intimidating and confusing. Having a basic understanding of one’s rights can make a significant difference in how a person navigates such encounters, potentially preventing violations of their constitutional and civil rights. The goal of “Know Your Rights” clinics is to ensure that all individuals are aware of the protections available to them and how to defend themselves when those rights are threatened.
Addressing the Misconceptions
In recent months, some officials have attempted to discredit “Know Your Rights” education by portraying it as subversive or a tool for evading law enforcement. Tom Homan, President Trump’s “border czar,” stated that immigrants are “very difficult to arrest” when they are “educated” about their rights. Let’s be clear: it is not illegal to inform people of their rights. In fact, the freedom to share information—particularly legal knowledge—is a cornerstone of democracy. To challenge this notion raises concerns about any illegal actions that immigration enforcement may try to wrongly deem as “warranted.”
“Know Your Rights” education does not promote illegal behavior or encourage individuals to evade the law; rather, it fosters informed, empowered communities within the law. “Know Your Rights” education and resources provide essential information that everyone should be able to access, regardless of their immigration status.
The pushback against these resources is not based on law or fact; it is an attempt to silence those working to ensure fair treatment and equal rights for all. Efforts to spin “Know Your Rights” education as somehow infringing upon the federal government’s ability to make arrests jeopardizes the very foundation of legal rights that belong to everyone. The ramifications of allowing this misinformation to stand are severe. When communities are kept in the dark about their rights, they are more vulnerable to abuse, exploitation, civil rights violations, and unlawful treatment. Ignorance of the law is not only dangerous; it allows injustice to persist unchecked.
Knowing Your Rights is a Fundamental Right
Knowing your rights is not a luxury—it is a vital safeguard of justice that all within the United States’ borders are entitled to. In a country that claims to uphold justice for all, it is crucial that every individual understands their legal protections and knows how to assert them when needed. Rather than attacking these efforts, U.S. leaders should be supporting them to ensure that everyone has access to the knowledge that protects justice for us all.