Leslie Tenorio, strategic engagement coordinator at ASES, told attendees at a Waukegan presentation that immigrants should exercise specific legal protections if approached by police or immigration officers, including the right to remain silent and to demand a judicial warrant before allowing officers into private areas.

Tenorio said that "anything that you say could be used against you" and urged people to ask for an attorney and, where safe, to photograph or record documents and badge numbers. She recommended saying aloud, "I do not give my consent to enter," even if officers are already inside, and to refrain from signing documents or claiming U.S. citizenship if that is not true.

The presentation explained how responsibilities are divided inside the Department of Homeland Security. Tenorio distinguished U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) as the benefits- and applications-processing agency, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) as the border-security component, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as the enforcement and detention arm. She advised that local police in Illinois, under the Illinois Trust Act and Chicago's Welcoming City Ordinance, generally should not detain or transfer people to ICE or ask about immigration status unless officers present a federal criminal warrant.

Tenorio outlined the most common enforcement settings—workplaces, homes, and public spaces—and said workplace I-9 audits require advance notice to employers (typically at least three business days). She distinguished administrative orders used by immigration officers, which she said are not signed by judges and do not by themselves authorize entry into nonpublic workplace areas, from judicial warrants, which must be signed by a judge and must name the place and scope of a search.

The talk covered recent federal changes Tenorio said expand "expedited removal," allowing DHS in some cases to remove noncitizens who cannot show at least two years of continuous presence in the United States without a full immigration-court proceeding. She also summarized a Jan. 17, 2025, federal appeals-court ruling that the administration's DACA regulations were unlawful for initial applications; Tenorio said USCIS currently will not accept or grant initial DACA applications, but people with existing DACA can still renew for the time being.

Practical advice included: do not open the door to agents; do not physically resist or hide others; keep hands visible if officers enter; ask whether you are free to go (and leave if the officer says yes); and do not share immigration status with officers except with an attorney. Tenorio emphasized safety when recording interactions—keeping distance and avoiding interference—and said bystanders may refuse officers' requests to delete recordings.

For locating detained individuals and getting legal help, Tenorio recommended using an A-number (immigration number) or biographical details and carrying a printed or digital copy of identity documents. She promoted ASES's Know Your Rights card and family preparedness packet and gave the Family Support Network hotline number, operated by the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, as (855) 435-7693 for reporting sightings or securing legal support. ASES's office in Waukegan was provided as an in-person contact point.

The presentation was instructional rather than policy-making: no formal actions or votes were taken; attendees were given materials and referral contacts for legal assistance.