How to Best Protect You and Your Family from ICE

“The public face of Trump’s draconian mass deportation campaign are people of Latino descent,” Sethi explains, “but they are not alone. Asians are the fastest growing ethnoracial group in the United States, an overwhelming majority of whom are immigrants or the children of immigrants. They also make up the largest group of refugees in the country.”

Because of the immediate need for information, we are not waiting until next month to publish two important resources – a family preparedness guide and a guide  informing immigrants of their rights while managing encounters with ICE.  We are sharing them here in the hope that they may be able to help Asian immigrants (and others) navigate this perilous holiday season and beyond.

Sethi writes:

“Arrests of Asians by ICE nearly tripled from 2024 to 2025, according to a July 2025 report, and Trump has recently stepped up immigration actions and limited entry for people from many Asian countries, including a travel ban for those from Afghanistan, Iran, Laos, Myanmar, Syria, and Yemen, and ‘full scale, rigorous reexamination’ for a range of green card holders of Asian descent.

“The hidden impact is the devastation it has wrought on the mental health of millions who now call America home. These policies and practices, psychiatrists explain, are ‘not only a matter of legal regulation but a source of fear, instability, and trauma.’

“Regardless of their own immigration or citizenship status, nearly one in three Asian immigrants worry that they or a family member could be detained or deported. Despite this increasing vulnerability, Asian Americans are three times less likely than their white counterparts to seek help for mental health challenges. This series will explore these challenges in Asian communities in the United States and those who continue to advocate for immigration support and fight for justice.”

Guides to Protecting Yourself and Your Family in Encounters with ICE and Homeland Security Officials

Here are two guides on family preparedness and ICE encounters put together by Sethi and illustrated by artist Aditi Raychoudhury. Sethi is fellow at the Nova Institute for Health, which has provided financial support for them. They contain comprehensive and up-to-date information for Asian Americans and other immigrants on knowing their rights and protecting and supporting themselves and their loved ones.

• How to Manage Encounters with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

• Family Preparedness Guide

Note: These guides have been created for informational purposes only and are not legal advice. They have been adapted from the Immigrant Legal Resource Center Family Preparedness Plan, Immigrant Defense, and the ACLU Know Your Rights with ICE guides, plus information from organizations listed under Additional Resources, and conversations with those directly impacted.

These guides may be valuable for advocacy groups, local and state officials and journalists.