On February 15th, the UIS Social Work Club hosted a “Know Your Rights” event in the LRH Great Room, aimed at educating students about the rights of immigrants in the United States. The event provided an important opportunity for attendees to learn about their legal protections and what to do in the event of an encounter with law enforcement.
“A group of students reached out a couple of weeks ago to get training on ‘know your rights’ for immigrants,” explained UIS instructor Veronica Espina, who served as the event’s main speaker. The “Know Your Rights”initiative is part of a program developed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), designed to inform immigrants and their allies about their constitutional rights in the U.S.
Given the current climate of heightened federal activity around deportations, the event’s focus on immigrant rights couldn’t have been timelier. Espina emphasized that this topic holds particular significance for the UIS community, noting, “A lot of our faculty, staff, and students may be in mixed family status, where they may have different immigration statuses depending on their paperwork.”
The primary goal of the event, according to Espina, was to ensure that immigrants understand their rights and are informed about how to handle interactions with law enforcement. “We want immigrants to learn about their constitutional rights and how they can interact with law enforcement, especially in moments of potential crisis,” she stated.
Espina also pointed out that the event was designed not only to benefit the immigrant community but also to equip students with knowledge they could share with their family members, relatives, and others who may be affected by immigration-related issues. “Students are encouraged to learn not just about their own rights but also the rights of their parents, relatives, and others in their community,” she said.
College campuses, Espina believes, are an ideal setting for such educational events. “Know Your Rights is the right thing to do,” she asserted, emphasizing the importance of awareness, particularly when it comes to handling interactions with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). “It’s vital for students to understand how to engage with ICE if they come on campus, especially considering that ICE has been known to visit campuses, elementary schools, hospitals, and other public places in other cities,” she added.
The event ultimately served as an empowering opportunity for the UIS community to better understand their legal protections and learn the proper steps to take if they are confronted by immigration enforcement or law enforcement. Espina closed by stating, “It’s a way to empower the community to know about their rights and what the right course of action is when it comes to police interactions and immigration enforcement.”
The Social Work Club’s event provided valuable information for the UIS community, helping to ensure that students, faculty, and staff are better prepared to navigate the complexities of immigration law and their constitutional rights.
