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Editor’s note: This story has been updated following new immigration policy changes by the Trump administration.

President Donald Trump’s rapid-fire actions targeting undocumented immigrants nationally — which included immigration enforcement operations in the Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth and San Antonio areas soon after he took office for his second term — sparked questions and concerns for immigrants, especially those who are in the country illegally. 

Average daily arrests by U.S. Immigration and Customs and Enforcement, or ICE, in Texas have also more than doubled from 85 under the Biden administration to 176 within Trump’s first six months in office this year, according to a Texas Tribune analysis of federal government data. From Trump’s inauguration to July 29, ICE made 138,068 arrests nationwide, 24% of them in Texas.

What do the Trump administration’s actions mean for immigrants?

One of the most significant changes is the expansion of expedited removals, which allows the U.S. to deport someone without a hearing before an immigration judge, said immigration attorney Sebastian Simon, whose firm has offices in New York and Houston. Typically, expedited removals are used at or near the border, but Trump expanded it to apply to undocumented immigrants anywhere in the U.S. who have been in the country for less than two continuous years, he said.

This is not the first time Trump has fast-tracked deportations, and the American Civil Liberties Union has once again sued the administration to halt expedited removals.

Immigrants temporarily allowed to come into the U.S. through what is known as humanitarian parole could also face expedited removal, Simon said.

Immigrants with outstanding removal orders and criminal records are the most at risk, but any undocumented immigrants who federal immigration agents encounter could also be apprehended, Simon said. Trump also signed a new law that requires the Department of Homeland Security to detain unauthorized immigrants who have been accused of committing even minor crimes, such as shoplifting or theft.

Since Trump returned to the White House, more than half of ICE arrests in Texas have continued to be of people in local jails, while arrests of people who had not been convicted of a crime have increased from 42% under Biden to 58% under Trump, according to the data.

The Harris County Jail leads the country in ICE detainers, or requests from immigration agents to hold a person for an additional 48 hours to be picked up by immigration agents. Jails in Dallas, Bexar, Travis and Hidalgo counties are also in the top 10 in the country for ICE detainers.

How do federal immigration agents work with local police in Texas?

In Texas, which has the second-largest population of undocumented immigrants in the country, the local criminal justice system has become the main funnel sending undocumented immigrants into ICE custody, according to a Texas Tribune analysis of federal government data.

Federal immigration agents have access to information that can flag when an immigrant has been arrested, said Paúl Pirela, an immigration attorney based in Houston. That means even if police in cities such as Austin have said they will not cooperate with ICE, an immigrant in those cities could face an ICE detainer request, which holds them in local jails until ICE picks them up.

Some sheriffs in Texas have signed agreements to work closely with ICE to enforce immigration laws. A new state law going into effect in 2026 will require sheriffs in all counties with a jail to enter into such agreements under the 287(g) program.

Can immigrants call 911 for help during an emergency?

Although some police encounters have led immigrants to be detained and deported, several immigration attorneys still recommend calling 911 if someone’s life is actively in danger.

Pirela said he has mostly seen detainments occur after traffic stops or when people go through a Customs and Border Protection checkpoint. (You can read more about immigrants’ rights at border or airport checkpoints in this guide.) Simon also noted that some immigrants who are victims of crimes may qualify for a visa if they help police in investigations or prosecutions.

Can authorities detain people in churches and schools?

The Trump administration canceled policies that limited arrests of immigrants in sensitive locations like schools, churches and hospitals.

Gov. Greg Abbott previously ordered Texas hospitals and clinics to ask patients to disclose their immigration status, but patients do not have to respond, according to the ACLU and other advocacy groups. And Abbott’s order said patients should be informed that their care shouldn’t be affected because of their response.

What precautions can undocumented immigrants take?

Simon recommends that immigrants, including those with temporary protected status and those in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, consult with a lawyer to see if they can legalize or adjust their immigration status if possible.

Immigrants can take the following precautions to prepare in case they encounter authorities:

Stay informed. Make sure you get information from reputable news sources and trusted immigration attorneys or organizations such as the National Immigrant Justice Center.

Learn your rights. Organizations such as the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas or Catholic Charities of Central Texas offer training on immigrants’ rights.

Hire or talk to a qualified attorney. Simon recommends avoiding notaries or other individuals who bill themselves as immigration consultants, who may be able to help you fill out forms but cannot provide legal advice.

Have your documentation ready. In case there’s an emergency, Simon said immigrants should have the following in a safe place and put scanned copies on their phone:

  • Proof of identity (a passport, consulate ID, work permit, green card, etc.).
  • Immigration or USCIS case documents such as applications for a visa, asylum, temporary protected status or DACA.
  • If applicable, proof that they’ve been in the country for two continuous years to avoid expedited removal. This can include lease agreements, utility bills, medical records, tax or school records, or a valid work permit.
  • Other legal documents, including birth certificates and marriage licenses.

Have a family plan in case of arrest. Families should prepare:

  • An emergency contact list with family members, friends and others who may be able to help.
  • Contact information for an immigration attorney or legal aid organization, plus the number of their home country’s consulate or embassy.
  • A notarized document detailing who is authorized to take care of their children so they are not placed in foster care, pets, property and bank accounts, including a power of attorney to allow someone to handle their finances, sign documents and make decisions on their behalf if they are detained.
  • Family members should know who to go to and where to find important documents if someone in the family is detained, and children should know who to contact in case they’re separated from their parents.

What rights do undocumented immigrants have?

Under the U.S. Constitution, immigrants have these rights when interacting with authorities:

  • The right to remain silent by saying “I wish to remain silent.” Texas law requires anyone who is arrested or detained to give their name, date of birth and address, but they don’t have to answer other questions.
  • The right to refuse an officer entry to their home without a valid search or arrest warrant signed by a state or federal judge (not an immigration court judge).
  • The right to hire an attorney.
  • The right to request an interpreter if they face removal proceedings.

Maria Cordero, an ACLU of Texas policy and advocacy strategist, said that for a search warrant to be valid, it must be signed by a state or federal judge and needs to include the name of the individual whose residence is to be searched and a specific address (an apartment complex address isn’t enough for example, it must include the unit number).

Civil rights and immigrant rights organizations such as the ACLU of Texas recommend asking the officer to slide the warrant under your door or to display it through a window before allowing agents to enter a home.

The Immigrant Legal Resource Center has printable cards with information about immigrants’ rights.

What should immigrants do if officers come to their work?

If immigration officials or police go to a workplace, Cordero said, immigrants also have the right to remain silent and not answer officers’ questions. Employers can ask officers to remain in public areas and request to review any documents or warrants officers may have, Cordero added.

What should immigrants do if they are stopped in their vehicle or encounter police?

If an immigrant is pulled over or detained by police and police ask them for an ID, they should provide an ID or identify themselves but respectfully decline to answer other questions, said Pirela, the Houston immigration lawyer.

If an immigrant doesn’t have a driver’s license, Cordero said they can say they don’t have a license, but they don’t have to tell the officer why or disclose their immigration status.

If they are asked where they are from, Pirela said immigrants can say they choose to remain silent or ask to speak to a lawyer before answering questions. They can then politely ask the officer if they are free to go, Pirela added.

Immigrants don’t have to consent to a search, Pirela said, but if the officer has probable cause to believe a crime has occurred, they may conduct the search anyway.

People also have the right to ask an officer what agency they’re from and ask for their name and badge number and to record an encounter with police, said Valeria Alvarado, a legal assistant for the ACLU of Texas. However, police can ask someone, such as a bystander recording, to step away a reasonable distance to carry out a detainment or arrest, Alvarado noted.

If you are concerned about your rights being ignored, it can help to record an interaction with officers, such as with a dashboard camera in a car, said Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch, an immigration attorney based in Austin. Having evidence and taking note of who the officers are, their badge numbers, what they were driving and what they said can become important to prove that someone’s rights were violated, Lincoln-Goldfinch said.

Read more about immigrants’ rights in various situations from the ACLU of Texas. In any situation, Cordero and Pirela said it’s important for immigrants to remain calm to avoid escalating the situation.

What can immigrants do if they receive a ticket or citation?

If an immigrant is given a ticket or citation, Pirela recommends taking care of it as soon as possible by paying the fine, requesting deferred action — or a ticket dismissal from a judge — or talking to a lawyer to avoid getting an arrest warrant.

What can immigrants do if they are arrested?

If an immigrant is arrested, Pirela recommends calling an immigration lawyer or having your family call an immigration lawyer immediately to see what the best course of action is depending on your case, including if you are offered a plea deal by authorities — because any criminal charges may lead to immigration consequences.

Lawfully present immigrants such as legal permanent residents, visa holders and refugees or asylees can also face deportation if they are convicted of deportable crimes, which are typically serious crimes but can also include drug-related criminal offenses.

What can immigrants with immigration-related appointments expect?

There have been reports of immigrants being detained and deported after reporting to routine check-ins with immigration officials or at immigration court hearings.

Immigration court appointments: Undocumented immigrants who cannot prove that they have been in the country more than two continuous years are particularly at risk because of the expedited removal process, which allows authorities to deport someone without a hearing before an immigration judge. Immigrants who express fear of returning to their country may receive a credible fear interview, which may suspend their removal and allow them to see a judge, Simon said.

This risk does not generally apply to people who came to the U.S. with a visa, Simon added. 

If you have an appointment in immigration court, having a lawyer represent you in immigration court can help since hearings are sometimes then streamlined or done virtually, Simon said. Missing a hearing in immigration court can also lead to an “in absentia” removal order, Pirela said. 

Appointments with USCIS: Immigrants who came with a visa or who have a pending immigration status adjustment application and do not have a serious or drug-related criminal record or an outstanding removal order are less likely to face risks at immigration-related appointments, Simon said.

Appointments with ICE: Immigrants who came through the border and have open immigration cases may have to report to ICE, Simon said. Those people may be arrested, Simon said, especially if they have not filed to seek asylum or adjust their immigration status through some other means, he said.

In general, if you have concerns about an immigration-related appointment, immigration attorneys recommend consulting with a lawyer about your risks and options, including applying to adjust your immigration status if possible, and having an emergency plan in case you are detained.

“(Immigration) cases are still being approved,” Simon said. “Everything looks very crazy and scary right now, but that doesn’t apply to every single case that is filed in the immigration system.”

What resources are available for immigrants?

There are many organizations that offer legal aid to immigrants in Texas, including:

Consulates and embassies from immigrants’ home countries may also offer assistance. For example, Mexico launched an app called ConsulApp Contigo for its citizens in the U.S. to learn about their rights and to alert their emergency contacts and consulate if they are detained with a push of a button. The app is available for both Apple and Android users.

You can find a list of consulates and embassies and contact information for them through the Texas Secretary of State’s website.

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María Méndez works on efforts to better connect with Texans and writes explainers and guides. She strives to answer Texans' questions about politics and public policy and to help them find resources....