The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have announced targeted enforcement operations throughout the United States.
These operations could include visits and raids at camps to identify, arrest, and detain undocumented immigrants or work authorized individuals who have committed crimes that make them removable. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is another DHS division conducting these operations. For ease of reference, this document refers to ICE agents throughout, but individuals may also announce themselves as HSI agents.
In anticipation of these operations, we encourage you to be aware of what actions you can and cannot take if ICE arrives at your camp this summer.
If ICE or Law Enforcement Arrives Unannounced
- Stay calm and polite.
- Request to see their IDs, badges, and any document (such as a warrant) that gives them permission to visit the worksite or conduct a raid.
- Request a copy of any card or ID presented by the agents.
- Contact your legal counsel as soon as possible and send copies of all documents presented by ICE.
What To Do During an Ice Raid
An ICE raid is where ICE agents and other federal/state officials arrive unannounced on camp premises. ICE agents may enter camp with a federal criminal search warrant or an administrative warrant. It is important to distinguish between the two. The search warrant will have a detailed description of what and where agents are going to search and what they may seize.
Without a warrant signed by a federal judge, ICE does not have the authority to enter a non-public area of camp unless you provide consent.
If ICE presents a Search and Seizure Warrant signed by a federal district court judge to enter or search your camp, you should insist on reviewing the warrant and subpoena.
If the warrant or subpoena incorrectly identifies your camp or camp's address, or it is no longer current (as the date to execute the warrant has passed), ICE does not have permission to search the premises and you may refuse their entry.
If the warrant or subpoena explicitly covers camp's premises, you must allow general access but may still restrict ICE’s access to areas of the camp not explicitly identified in the court documents.
Request a copy of all documents presented by ICE for your records.
What To Do When Ice Presents An Administrative Warrant to Arrest a Staff Member
If ICE is at your camp to arrest a member of your staff for potential immigration violations, request to review ICE’s arrest warrant.
If ICE presents an administrative warrant — Form I-200 (Warrant for Arrest of Alien) or Form I-205 (Warrant of Removal/Deportation) issued by the DHS — the ICE officer does not have authority to enter a non-public area of camp without your consent.
The employer may choose to refuse ICE’s request to enter a non-public area of camp. To do so, you should explicitly say: “We do not consent for you to enter the non-public areas of our camp.”
Request to copy their IDs and the administrative warrant and obtain their contact information before they leave.
Without a judicial warrant, you have the right to refuse to make employees available for ICE.
However, you generally have no control over what ICE does outside of camp (or even in a public area such as a parking lot).
“ABC” Tips To Share with Staff
“A” (Beware of Answering Questions)
Your staff, who may be the first to greet an ICE agent, is not in the best position to represent your interests with ICE. We suggest instructing staff members to contact an onsite Camp Leader. Overall, your staff is not required to answer ICE questions during a camp visit. As such, it may be best to instruct staff not to answer questions that could create liability for your camp.
“B” (Be Calm and Polite)
Record the names of the ICE supervising agents assigned to the case.
Provide ICE agents access to the facility in accordance with the federal search warrant (if it is only an administrative warrant, you may refuse entry beyond the open, public areas).
Assign key staff to accompany each ICE agent as they move around camp.
Do not consent to ICE speaking to other staff members on the premises; instead, politely ask them to stop.
Object to any searches outside the scope of the warrant, ask the ICE agent to make note of the objection, and refer ICE to the company’s legal counsel.
Protect privileged documents to the extent possible.
Obtain a list of items seized during the search.
Do not obstruct the visit or provide false or misleading information.
“C” (Call Counsel or Escalate)
You should immediately call legal counsel or escalate the issue to those in upper management.
AMSkier is here to be helpful. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact our Service Directors at 570-226-4571.
Upcoming Webinar
Join us for our next "What's Happening" program, "Immigration — Your Questions Answered" on Wednesday, May 20, from 11:00 a.m. ET to 11:45 a.m. ET with Sean McCrory, Immigration Attorney and Alan Cooper, General Counsel, Claims Directors, AMSkier Partner, Moderator.
Members of the ACA community are invited to attend.
Reprinted by permission of AMSkier. ©2026, AMSkier.
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The views and opinions expressed by contributors are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the American Camp Association or ACA employees.
