Just past the front desk in the Office of Student Activities, a small stack of red cards is available. These cards, printed in both English and Spanish, outline the rights guaranteed to anyone in the United States. They are important because they remind both individuals and law enforcement of the limits of police authority and clarify the protections that should guide any interaction between the two groups. These cards are being distributed to students, staff, and faculty by the Student Government Association, but cards of this type can be printed online at the Immigrant Legal Resources Center (ILRC). The ILRC office also has red cards in sixteen other languages.
While the rights written on the card apply universally and will always serve as important protections of people’s rights, these cards serve as a physical reminder that these rights cannot be tossed aside. While the cards are not legal documents, nor are they pass or asylum cards, having a card to read to law enforcement officers can prevent mistreatment and ensure the operation of standard procedures and due process of law.
Immigration officials in the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement often try to coerce individuals in the United States under suspicion of residing illegally in the United States into signing away their constitutional rights, or they try to act without informing individuals of their constitutional rights. This action is unconstitutional, and the red cards can serve as a barrier to that activity.