COMMUNITY
RESOURCES

Save all CT hotlines in your phone

Save all 6 rapid response numbers from the hotline list on this page. Write them on paper too — phones can be seized.

Designate a trusted outside contact

Choose someone outside your household who can care for your children if you are detained. Make sure they know the plan.

Set a family meeting point

Pick a specific safe location away from your home — a neighbor's house, your church, or a local park. Everyone must know it.

Talk to your children's school

List your emergency contact at the school. Make sure your child knows who will pick them up and what to do if you cannot.

Gather all critical documents

Birth certificates, passports, immigration papers (including your A-Number), insurance cards, and bank information in one secure place.

Make copies for a trusted person

Give certified copies of all critical documents to your designated trusted contact outside your home.

Pack a go-bag

Keep a bag ready with: cash (at least $200), 30-day medication supply, phone charger, document copies, and a change of clothes.

Memorize your A-Number

Know your Alien Registration Number by heart. If detained, this is the first thing an attorney will need to find and help you.

Practice your silence right

Practice saying clearly: "I am exercising my right to remain silent. I want to speak to a lawyer." Say it until it's automatic.

Know the door rule

You do NOT have to open the door. Ask through the door: "Do you have a judicial warrant signed by a judge?" If not, do not open.

Never sign without a lawyer

ICE may present documents to sign. You have the right to refuse to sign ANYTHING without first speaking to an attorney.

Set up Signal on all family phones

Download Signal (signal.org) on every family member's phone. Use it for all sensitive communications — it's end-to-end encrypted.

Stay calm — do not run or resist

Running or physically resisting can result in additional charges and harm. Comply physically while asserting your rights verbally.

Call the rapid response hotline

Call the nearest CT hotline immediately. If you cannot call, signal a neighbor or bystander to call on your behalf.

Document everything you can

Remember or write down: agent names, badge numbers, vehicle plate numbers, exact location, time, and every word spoken to you.

Contact an attorney immediately

Do not answer any questions until you have spoken to an immigration attorney. Say only: "I want to speak to a lawyer."