Rivas & Associates Issues Know Your Rights Guidance for Families After Fatal ICE Traffic Stops

Rivas & Associates, an immigration law firm, is offering Know Your Rights guidance for families who may be stopped by police or immigration officers.

TULSA, OK, UNITED STATES, August 7, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Rivas & Associates, an immigration law firm with offices in Tulsa and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and Fort Smith, Arkansas, is offering Know Your Rights guidance for families who may be stopped by police or immigration officers.

Recent fatal shootings by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers, neither involving a person who was the target of the operation and neither captured on body-camera footage, have left immigrant families across the country unsure of their rights and fearful of the consequences of a simple traffic stop.

Rivas & Associates is releasing this guidance because we know knowledge helps families prepare, and constitutional rights do not disappear when someone is an immigrant. For working families across our communities, a traffic stop is no longer the ordinary, forgettable event it remains for most drivers. It has become one of the single most likely places an immigrant's life will change.

" Most of the families who come to our law firm are not asking whether they have rights. They are asking what those rights are worth at seven in the morning on the side of a highway. We would rather answer that question in a consultation than in a detention center."
- Lorena Rivas, Senior Lead Attorney

Know Your Rights If You Are Stopped by Police or Immigration Officers

This information is general and is not legal advice. Every case is different. Anyone facing an immigration issue should speak with a qualified immigration attorney.

1. Have your documents ready. If asked, calmly provide your driver's license, vehicle registration, and proof of insurance. If you do not have a valid license, be honest if asked.

2. Exercise your right to remain silent. You are not required to answer questions about where you were born, or your immigration status. You can say: "I am exercising my right to remain silent."

3. Consider carrying a red card. A red card asserts your Fifth Amendment right not to answer questions or sign documents, and your Fourth Amendment refusal of consent to a search.

4. Never lie or present false documents. Never claim to be a U.S. citizen if you are not. Never show fake documents.

5. Ask, "Am I free to leave?" If the officer says yes, leave calmly. If the officer says no, you can ask why you are being stopped.

6. Do not sign anything you do not understand. Immigration paperwork can carry permanent consequences, including waiving your right to a hearing or permanent barriers. Ask to speak with an attorney first.

7. You can refuse consent to a search. You can say: "I do not consent to a search." Officers may search anyway in some circumstances, but stating your refusal clearly matters later.

8. Memorize key phone numbers. Keep a trusted family member's number or an immigration attorney's number in your memory, not only in your phone, which may be taken or inaccessible.

9. Have a family safety plan. Decide in advance who to call, who is authorized to pick up your children, where your important documents are kept, and what happens if a family member is detained. Rivas & Associates helps families prepare a Power of Attorney and an emergency plan.

10. Record, or ask someone nearby to record. If it is safe to do so in your state, you have a right to record. Do not interfere with officers or put yourself at risk.


For additional support, visit Rivas & Associates' Community Advocacy to access free Know Your Rights guides, printable legal forms, emergency preparedness resources, and other tools designed to help immigrant families stay informed and prepared: https://www.rivasassociates.com/community-page/

For questions or to speak with an experienced immigration attorney, contact Rivas & Associates at (844) 37-RIVAS.

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Rivas & Associates is a top-rated immigration law firm headquartered in Oklahoma. Led by award-winning attorney Lorena Rivas (Abogada Lorena^®), the firm advocates for immigrants across the nation. From family petitions to deportation defense, Rivas & Associates supports clients through their American Dream.

Amairani Perez Chamu
Rivas & Associates
+1 918-313-5365
aperez@rivasassociates.com
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