Immigration checkpoints in Los Angeles: What you need to know

During a recent interview about the protests in Los Angeles, California Governor Gavin Newsom criticized one of the strategies used by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to identify and arrest migrants. “People are scared to walk down the streets. Not just at Home Depot or a car wash. We have incidents—I didn’t believe it, ICE said ‘This is not true’—but then I saw videos of them doing checkpoints, checking people’s IDs. We’ve never seen such a deployment. There is mass panic out here in the nation’s largest county, in the nation’s largest state.”

Newsom confirms what several citizens had already reported on social media: areas where people are stopped to verify if they are U.S. citizens, and where authorities detain those they suspect of being undocumented immigrants to later deport them, like the hundreds who are expelled from the country every day under the Trump administration’s immigration policy.

Checkpoints in California

For months, social media users have posted warnings that there are ICE checkpoints on some of the busiest streets in some California cities, such as Sacramento and San Diego. A guide for immigrants, published by the organization Immigrants Rising, identifies at least 10 of these checkpoints, including some in San Clemente, Escondido, Pine Valley, and Sunshine Summit.

At these checkpoints, cars are stopped and passengers are asked for their names or to provide proof of identity, according to reports.

While in the past immigration officers could not detain anyone without reasonable suspicion, even if they had previous misdemeanors on their record, recent changes in immigration policies have allowed authorities to arrest many people regardless of their status or whether they have committed crimes. Many have been deported immediately without due process.

According to a report by Ark Republic, during recent ICE operations in Latino communities in California, there was also FBI personnel at the checkpoints. Similarly, it was reported that the police, along with the National Guard, closed off streets and established corridors where they could detain more people. The checkpoints are active amid protests in Los Angeles against immigrant detentions.

What to do if questioned?

If a person is questioned by ICE agents on the street, in a car, or in public places, they have rights they can exercise to protect themselves. First, they should ask, “Am I free to leave?” If the answer is yes, they can leave. If not, they can exercise their right to remain silent and say, “I don’t want to answer any questions” and “I want to talk to my lawyer.” You are not required to provide details about your immigration status, place of origin, or show documents without a court order. In addition, you can refuse to allow them to search your belongings by saying, “You do not have my permission to conduct this search.” Despite this, recent detentions have violated the rights of migrants, who have been immediately deported.

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