In immigration encounters, a lack of clear communication and understanding can lead to irreversible consequences, such as detention, unintentional signing away of rights, prolonged detention, and deportation. These risks are heightened for community members with language disabilities. The following resources were developed by the Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC), California Rural Legal Assistance Inc. (CRLA), Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles (LAFLA), Chinese for Affirmative Action (CAA), and Asian Resources Inc. (ARI) in order to advance our diverse immigrant community’s advocacy for language and disability equity when confronted by immigration enforcement authorities. Please share these resources with anyone you believe would benefit. Below you will find community-facing Know Your Rights flyers, advocate guides for using these flyers, and an advisory for attorneys containing legal arguments and strategies with citations. Video versions are available in some languages as noted below. Additional, disability language rights materials can be found from partner agencies at:
Deaf Equality: What Deaf and Hard of Hearing People Need to Know About ICE
Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund (DREDF): Know Your Rights: Reasonable Accommodations in Immigration Procedures and Proceedings
DREDF: Frequently Asked Questions: Disability, Immigration, and Encounters with ICE