This section addresses what should happen after your organization has an immigration enforcement encounter.

Step 1. Your organization’s Designated Response Person should notify the Board of the enforcement encounter, and all involved staff members/volunteers should document and record all relevant information regarding the interaction. Your Designated Response Person should send this information to legal counsel with a request for guidance on next steps.

Reminder: When reaching out to counsel for legal advice about handling ICE encounters, mark all written communications to and with counsel as “CONFIDENTIAL ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGED COMMUNICATIONS.”

Step 2. Staff and Board leadership should consult with counsel and receive guidance from counsel regarding next steps and internal and external communications.

1. Avoid public statements unless and until your organization receives guidance from legal counsel regarding such statements.
2. All external communications about the incident should be handled by a designated spokesperson.

Step 3. Staff and Board leadership should meet with staff and volunteers for a “debrief” to allow the sharing of information internally, to provide emotional support, and to remind staff and volunteers about protocols for external communications and public statements.

Step 4. Staff and Board leadership should evaluate the effectiveness of the Response Plan and make updates/improvements as needed.

Step 5. As appropriate and as advised by legal counsel, reach out to peer organizations and/or associations of organizations to share information about the experience.