Amtrak Greyhound Action Alert:

Amtrak & Greyhound: STOP TURNING RIDES INTO RAIDS!

On April 2nd community groups in New York came together to oppose Amtrak and Greyhound’s collaboration with Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigrant and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The recent wave of transportation raids represents the latest in the Department of Homeland Security’s violation of immigrant rights. Under the guise of securing the border, ICE and CBP agents conduct raids on people traveling within the United States.

This practice came to the attention of Families for Freedom when they began to hear from families arrested while on board Amtrak and Greyhound. Families for Freedom organized the rally and were joined by the African Service Committee, May 1st Coalition, The New York Immigration Coalition and the NYSDA Immigrant Defense Project and many immigrants and citizens fed up with this campaign of harassment masquerading as a security measure.

Amtrak and Greyhound state that they are merely accommodating law enforcements request to come on board, but their collaboration goes deeper. Families that we have spoken to were arrested and held at the Amtrak station. Even if Amtrak and Greyhound have no authority to stop this practice, they should disclose the fact that their customers will be subject to routine immigration inspections. Anything less and they are setting a trap for immigrant families.

If you don’t believe that people should have to show their papers while peacefully traveling within the Unites States please join us in opposing this practice.

Call Amtrak and Greyhound and tell their presidents to:

• STOP THIS UNDERHANDED COLLABORATION ALTOGETHER
• PUBLICLY APOLOGIZE
• REFUNDS TO FAMILIES DETAINED WHILE USING THEIR SERVICES
• WARN PEOPLE THEY FACE IMMIGRATION INSPECTION WHEN USING THEIR SERVICES
  • Amtrak: Mr. Alexander Kummant, President: 202-906-3000
  • Greyhound: Dave Leach, President: 972-789-7000

**Know Your Rights**

• When stopped by immigration officials it is your right:
• To ask for an attorney. You can say, “I cannot answer your questions without my attorney present.”
• To not sign anything.
• Don’t Lie.
• Do not be combative, be polite and clear. You don’t want to give them an excuse to assault you physically.
• Make sure someone in your family knows where you are going and has all your information so they can find you if you are detained.
• Expect to be investigated by immigration officials each and every time you ride Amtrak or Greyhound or anytime you drive near the border.