Know Your Rights
While understanding your rights as a refugee in the United States may be difficult, there are several avenues of support.
​
Resources in the Community:
​
Refugee Resettlement Program guides people through challenging legal situations, helps to properly submit forms, and presents cases. http://refugees.org/field-office/vermont/
​
American Civil Liberties Union: https://www.aclu.org/know-your-rights
​
Vermont Legal Aid
​
Assists individuals and families when they face a civil legal problem that threatens their rights, shelter, job, health or well-being. They strive to advance fairness and justice in the civil legal system, address the social and economic interests of our clients, and confront the underlying causes of poverty, discrimination and inequality.
​
Their work involves:
-
representing clients
-
providing legal information and advice, forms and other helpful tools
-
testifying before the legislature or administrative committees and boards about how laws or rules impact Vermonters everyday
-
advocating for new protections or the enforcement of those that already exist, and
-
identifying and working to correct systemic problems that adversely affect vulnerable people
YOUR RIGHTS
-
You have the right to remain silent. If you wish to exercise that right, say so out loud.
-
You have the right to refuse to consent to a search of yourself, your car or your home.
-
If you are not under arrest, you have the right to calmly leave.
-
You have the right to a lawyer if you are arrested. Ask for one immediately.
-
Regardless of your immigration or citizenship status, you have constitutional rights.
​
YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES
-
Do stay calm and be polite.
-
Do not interfere with or obstruct the police.
-
Do not lie or give false documents.
-
Do prepare yourself and your family in case you are arrested.
-
Do remember the details of the encounter.
-
Do file a written complaint or call your local ACLU if you feel your rights have been violated.
https://www.aclu.org/know-your-rights/what-do-if-youre-stopped-police-immigration-agents-or-fb​
​
-
You have the right to remain silent. You do not have to answer questions about where you were born, whether you’re a U.S. citizen, or how you entered the country. (Separate rules apply at international borders and airports, and for individuals on certain nonimmigrant visas, including tourists and business travelers.)
-
If you’re not a U.S. citizen and an immigration agent requests your immigration papers, you must show them. If you’re over 18, carry your immigration documents with you at all times. If you don’t have immigration papers, say you want to remain silent.
-
Do not lie about your citizenship status or provide fake documents.
https://www.aclu.org/know-your-rights/what-do-if-questioned-about-your-immigration-status
​
​
If asked to sign a 1407 document DO NOT SIGN and instead ask for a hearing.
​
​
​
KEEP ALL TRAVEL DOCUMENTS AND GREEN CARDS WITH YOU AT ALL TIMES.
​
​
​
Additional resources for support:
​
Office of Senator Leahy 802-863-2525
Office of Senator Sanders 802-862-0697
Office of Congressman Welch 802-652-2450