House Republicans advanced a bill nullifying D.C.’s ‘sanctuary city’ status, therefore forcing D.C. to comply with federal immigration policies and cooperate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials. The bill must still clear the full House and the Senate but has alarmed D.C.’s immigrant communities.
What’s the Local Impact?
The DMV is home to two million immigrants, and the crackdown on that community has heightened throughout March.
Yesterday, ICE officials tried to apprehend a school nurse at H.D. Cooke Elementary in Adams Morgan. Other school employees intercepted them and turned them away.
Last week, federal immigration agents arrested a D.C.-based Venezuelan couple for the second time this month. The couple got temporary protected status after crossing the border in 2022.
And earlier in March, Georgetown student Badar Khan Suri, who is here legally on a student visa, was detained outside his Rosslyn home, inciting protests on campus.
Beyond the impact on families and neighborhoods, a crackdown on D.C.’s immigrant communities would impact local construction, delivery, and restaurant industries.
Know Your DC Immigration Rights
All D.C. residents should know their rights. First, because your civil rights exist to protect you. And secondly, because if a U.S. citizen unknowingly allows ICE to violate those rights, that can inadvertently single out residents who don’t have papers. So here’s what to know.
- Do not open the door: Law enforcement officials need judicial warrants actually signed by a judge to gain entry to your home. Often, ICE officials will have a Department of Homeland Security document that says “warrant,” but it's not signed by a judge and is not a valid judicial order.
- Remain silent: State your name, but maintain your right to remain silent. Don’t answer any questions.
- Do not sign anything: You have the right to speak to a lawyer before signing anything.
👉 The Immigrant Legal Resources Center has cards that you can print that include these rights and what to say if ICE comes knocking.
