President Donald J. Trump made mass deportations a central promise of his campaign and has followed up with executive actions since his inauguration. In response, legal organizations have been working to provide information to immigrant communities. One session, led by two members of the Rutgers Child Advocacy Clinic, was held at Mercer County Community College on Tuesday, Feb. 24.
It was the first in a series called “Navigating Opportunities,” designed to encourage civil discourse on topics that affect the campus community. The event was organized by Student Access and Educational Equity at MCCC.
During the campaign, Trump made clear that if given a second term, his administration would focus on the removal of undocumented immigrants already in the United States. When asked when the law clinic began doing the presentations, attorney Jared Flanery said, “We basically started doing these at the [beginning of the] Trump administration.”
The presentation was led by Lilly Brown, a third-year Rutgers law student, and Flanery, an attorney with the clinic. Brown handled the slide display, while Flanery took most of the questions during the Q&A that followed.
The display stressed preparation for any possible encounters with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the agency responsible for deportations. Students were encouraged to organize important papers and recognize which were acceptable. Brown said a foreign ID, like a passport, is not recommended because it attracts ICE’s attention and can lead to further investigation.
Time was dedicated to recognizing the difference between an ICE arrest warrant and a search warrant. Flanery and Brown explained that an ICE arrest warrant does not permit agents to enter and search a residence. It is signed by an immigration agent, not a judge, whereas a federal search warrant must be signed by a U.S. immigration judge.
If ICE arrives at a home, the presenters said, residents should ask to see a search warrant. They also advised students that they can always exercise their right to remain silent.
Attendees were encouraged to carry a “Know Your Rights” card at all times, which instructs individuals on what to say if questioned by ICE. The cards, printed in English on one side and Spanish on the other, were offered at the end of the event.
When asked what part of the presentation was most impactful, Khrytal Jimenez, a legal studies and professional ethics major, said, “Showing a valid and invalid warrant… They can’t just barge in.”
Gloria Aduszi, a nursing major, said the most important information to her was, “The whole warrant signature. Seeing the difference up close.”
After the event, Brown said, “We get calls from schools to do presentations.”
Flanery added that churches have also requested these presentations, highlighting the broad demand for legal action on immigration rights. He spoke of leading talks all over the state, saying, “Hopefully we can just inform people of their rights and keep providing that as a service.”
Though the audience remained largely silent during the presentation, they became highly engaged in the Q&A, asking questions such as what to do if ICE threatens to break down a door.
Afterward, students spoke of their connection to the demonstration. Hannah Cha, a digital film major, said, “I just want to be informed not just [for] myself but for people who I care about and around me.”
Students had a variety of responses. Jimenez said, “It felt really personal.” She added, “I’m happy they went over specific things.”
The next event in the Navigating Opportunities series is with members of the New Jersey Office of Civil Rights. According to Al-Lateef Farmer, director of Student Access and Educational Equity, it is scheduled for March 26 at noon.
Farmer, who helped organize Tuesday’s event, said it was coordinated through Student Access and Educational Equity, “a department here at MCCC that houses EOF, Mercer 1st, CCOG, and other initiatives here at the college to support underrepresented students.”
He said his team began planning these events after the election, explaining, “We’re trying to identify ways to, one, support all of our students here at the college, and two, ensure that people are getting the correct and accurate information.”
As for Brown and Flanery, they say they plan to continue visiting schools and churches around the state. Brown noted the size of New Jersey’s immigrant community and said, “It’s important for people to be equipped with the knowledge that they need right now if the worst-case scenario were to occur.”
The Trump administration has directed ICE to meet arrest quotas and increase the number from a few hundred to more than 1,200 per day. According to a Washington Post report from Jan. 26, the New Jersey field office is expected to make a minimum of 75 arrests per day.
