Fanned by anti-immigrant extremists – and based largely on myths about immigration’s effects on the nation’s security and economy – a powerful anti-immigrant movement has been seeking to curtail the rights of many people living in the United States.
But the fundamental protections of due process and equal protection embodied in the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights apply to every person, regardless of immigration status.
That’s why the ACLU of Wyoming has developed and is distributing comprehensive materials – in English and Spanish – to ensure that immigrants throughout the state know their rights.
“Do you know what to do if ICE shows up at your door? If you get pulled over by the police when traveling? If you are questioned about your citizenship status at work? We want to ensure everyone understands their rights – and how to be better prepared to advocate for themselves, their family and their neighbors – in any language,” said Antonio Serrano, ACLU of Wyoming advocacy manager. “When the government has the power to deny legal rights and due process to one vulnerable group, everyone’s rights are at risk. The ACLU of Wyoming is dedicated to expanding and enforcing the civil liberties and civil rights of immigrants and to combating public and private discrimination against them.”
The ACLU’s resources for immigrants includes information on what to do:
- If you are questioned about your immigration status
- If you are stopped in your car
- If you’re stopped by police, immigration agents or the FBI
- If police or immigration agents come to your home
- If you are contacted by the FBI
- If you are arrested
- If you are taken into immigration (ICE) custody
- If you feel your rights have been violated
To request the Know Your Rights packet, email conozcasusderechos@aclu.org or call 307-637-4565.
About the ACLU of Wyoming
The American Civil Liberties Union of Wyoming is a non-partisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation and enhancement of civil liberties and civil rights. The ACLU of Wyoming is part of a three-state chapter that also includes North Dakota and South Dakota. The team in Wyoming is supported by staff in those states.
The ACLU believes freedoms of press, speech, assembly and religion, and the rights to due process, equal protection and privacy, are fundamental to a free people. In addition, the ACLU seeks to advance constitutional protections for groups traditionally denied their rights, including people of color, women and LGBTQ+ and Two Spirit communities. The ACLU of Wyoming carries out its work through selective litigation, lobbying at the state and local level, and through public education and awareness of what the Bill of Rights means for the people of Wyoming.
###
