When ICE Knocks in Galveston: Know Your Rights, Know the Law

If immigration agents come to your door, you have rights. Stay calm. Do not open the door unless you see a judicial warrant signed by a judge or magistrate. For a search warrant, confirm your exact address. For a judicial arrest warrant, confirm the name; officers may enter the named person’s own residence if they reasonably believe that person lives there and is inside. Entry into a third party’s home generally requires a search warrant. Ask agents to pass documents under the door or hold them up to a window. You have the right to remain silent, to refuse a search without a judicial warrant, and to speak with a lawyer. Do not lie. Do not run. If you are detained, say you wish to remain silent and want a lawyer. Call Zendeh Del & Associates PLLC for guidance tailored to Galveston County.

What ICE Can and Cannot Do

ICE officers can approach homes, workplaces, and public places to ask questions. They need a judicial warrant signed by a federal judge or magistrate to enter a private home without permission, unless there is valid consent or a true exigent circumstance. An ICE administrative warrant—often Form I-200 or I-205—is not a judicial warrant. If officers only have an administrative warrant, you can choose not to let them in. You can speak through a closed door.

How to Check a Warrant at Your Door

• Ask officers to slide it under the door or display it through a window.

• Check for a judge’s or magistrate’s signature.

• If it is a search warrant, confirm your correct address.

• If it is a judicial arrest warrant, confirm the correct name. Officers may only enter if they reasonably believe the named person lives there and is inside; entry into someone else’s home generally requires a search warrant.

• If anything is wrong or unclear, you can refuse entry.

• State: “I do not consent to any search. I want to speak with my lawyer.”

Your Rights Inside Your Home

You do not have to let officers in unless they present a valid judicial warrant. You can keep the door closed and ask questions through the door. You may record from inside your home as long as you do not interfere. Texas is a one-party consent state for audio recordings, which means you may record conversations you are part of; do not secretly record private conversations between other people. If officers force their way in, do not resist. Ask for badge names and numbers if you can safely do so. As soon as possible, write down details, the time, and what was said.

Your Rights at Work

Private, nonpublic employee areas are generally not open to the public. ICE may enter public-facing areas (like a lobby or storefront) without a warrant. For nonpublic areas, officers need either consent from an authorized manager or a judicial warrant. You can ask if you are free to leave. If you are stopped, you can choose to remain silent about your place of birth or immigration status and request a lawyer.

Encounters in Public or in a Vehicle

Ask if you are free to go. If yes, walk away calmly.

• Drivers in Texas: If you are lawfully stopped while driving, you must show your driver’s license and, when requested, provide registration and proof of insurance. You can otherwise remain silent about immigration status.

• Passengers: Generally do not have to identify themselves unless there is another legal basis.
  Do not present false documents. If officers ask to search your belongings or your phone, you can say you do not consent to a search. Prolonged delays beyond a traffic stop’s original reason can raise legal issues.

What To Do If Agents Enter Anyway

Do not resist. Say clearly: “I do not consent to this entry or search.” Ask for an interpreter if you need one. Courts provide interpreters during immigration hearings; officers in the field may not. Do not sign anything without a lawyer. Collect names, badge numbers, and any paperwork. As soon as you can, contact an attorney to review whether the entry or search was lawful. In Texas, defective warrants or searches beyond a warrant’s scope may lead to suppression, but knock-and-announce violations typically do not result in exclusion of evidence under U.S. Supreme Court precedent. Early legal review matters.

Judicial Warrants vs. ICE Administrative Warrants

Judicial warrant

• Signed by a federal judge or magistrate.

• Authorizes officers to enter specified places and seize specific items or people.

• For an arrest warrant, officers may enter the named person’s residence if they reasonably believe the person lives there and is inside; entry into a third party’s home usually requires a search warrant.

ICE administrative warrant

• Issued by the agency (not a court).

• Does not allow entry into a private home without permission.

• Does not require you to answer questions or to open the door.

How To Prepare a Family Plan in Galveston County

• Create a contact list with your preferred lawyer’s number. Share it with a trusted friend who can answer calls if you are detained.

• Choose a local caregiver for children and sign a limited power of attorney if appropriate. Keep it in a safe, accessible place.

• Gather copies of key documents. Keep originals safe. Avoid carrying civil immigration paperwork daily unless your lawyer advises it.

• Practice a calm script with family members about what to say at the door.

What To Carry, What Not To Carry

Carry: a state ID if you have one, your lawyer’s card, and a list of emergency contacts.
Avoid carrying: false documents, counterfeit Social Security cards, or anything that could be misinterpreted as fraudulent. If you have lawful-status documents, ask your lawyer about the safest way to carry or store them.

If You Have a Prior Order or Pending Case

People with prior removal orders or pending hearings face extra risk. Keep your attorney’s info with you and notify counsel immediately of any contact by ICE. Missing a hearing can trigger serious consequences. If you are unsure of your case status, ask a lawyer to check your record and explain next steps. If you are placed in expedited removal, you may not get a full hearing before an immigration judge, so speak with counsel immediately.

Protecting Your Fourth Amendment Rights

Texas cases show how courts review evidence that flows from a bad search or an invalid warrant. If your case involves a questionable warrant or a search beyond its scope, an attorney can challenge it. For examples of searches deemed improper, see our posts at:

• Cop’s “Weapons Frisk” of Locked Vehicle Deemed Improper

• Trial Court Suppressed Cocaine Because of Defect in Search Warrant

These posts are part of our ongoing coverage of search and seizure law that often intersects with immigration arrests in local settings.

If Officers Ask You To Sign Papers

Do not sign forms you do not understand. Documents can include requests to waive a hearing or accept removal. You have the right to speak with a lawyer first. Ask for time to contact counsel. Say you do not agree to sign anything right now.

If You Are Detained

State your name, then say you wish to remain silent and want a lawyer. Do not discuss your place of birth, how you entered the country, or your immigration history without counsel. You can request a hearing before an immigration judge in most cases (except expedited removal). You can also ask for an interpreter in court. Family members should keep the A-Number and booking info to help your lawyer locate you if you are moved. Note: In immigration court, you have the right to a lawyer at no government expense—counsel will not be appointed for you like in criminal cases.

Special Notes for Mixed-Status Households

Only the person named in a valid judicial warrant is the target. Other residents do not have to answer questions or present documents unless the warrant or law requires it. Keep calm. Keep doors closed. Call your lawyer.

When To Call a Lawyer

• If ICE contacts you at home or work.

• If you receive any notice about your case or a prior order.

• If officers searched your home, car, or phone.

• If you were stopped and held beyond a routine traffic matter.
  Zendeh Del & Associates PLLC represents people across Galveston County and understands how local courts view search, seizure, and arrest issues that often shape immigration outcomes.

A Few Helpful Reads on Our Site

For deeper background on search and seizure principles that often affect immigration cases, read:

• Police Officer’s Failure to Knock and Announce Violated 4th Amendment

• Front Porch Dog Sniff Is Unconstitutional 

• Requiring a Suspect to Wait for Drug Dog at the Scene Was Unreasonable

If ICE has contacted you or a family member in Galveston or nearby areas, reach out to Zendeh Del & Associates PLLC for a confidential consultation. Call or contact us through the website. You will speak with a team that knows our local courts and will focus on your next best step.