Contacting Representatives

Contacting Representatives

This guide provides specific scripts, strategies, and talking points for contacting elected officials at local, state, and federal levels about immigration enforcement policies.

Most Effective Methods

In order of effectiveness:

1. In-person meeting (most effective)
2. Town hall / public comment
3. Phone call
4. Handwritten letter
5. Email / web form (least effective, but still counts)

Before You Contact

Know Your Official’s Position

Research before you call:

• Have they made public statements on immigration?
• How did they vote on related issues?
• Are they up for election soon?
• What constituency do they care about?

Know Your Ask

Be specific. Instead of “support immigrants,” ask for:

• “Decline to renew the 287(g) agreement”
• “Vote yes on Resolution 2024-XX”
• “Issue a public statement opposing ICE jail access”
• “Require a judicial warrant before honoring ICE detainers”

Know Your Why

Why should this official care?

• Constituent impact (stories from the community)
• Fiscal impact (cost to the county/city)
• Public safety impact (community trust in police)
• Legal liability (lawsuits, constitutional concerns)
• Political impact (voter sentiment, upcoming election)

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Phone Call Scripts

Calling Your County Sheriff

The sheriff controls: 287(g) agreements, ICE detainer policy, jail access

Script:

Hello, my name is [NAME] and I’m a resident of [COUNTY]. I’m calling about the Sheriff’s 287(g) agreement with ICE.

I’m asking the Sheriff to [SPECIFIC ASK: decline to renew the agreement / end the Task Force Model / stop honoring ICE detainers without judicial warrants].

[CHOOSE A REASON]:

• “The Task Force Model has a documented history of racial profiling and civil rights violations. Our county can’t afford the legal liability.”
• “ICE detainers are requests, not mandates. Courts have ruled that honoring them without probable cause violates the Fourth Amendment.”
• “When immigrants fear local police, they don’t report crimes. This makes our whole community less safe.”
• “The county is spending taxpayer money to do ICE’s job without reimbursement.”

Can I get a commitment that the Sheriff will [SPECIFIC ASK]?

[IF THEY SAY THEY’LL PASS ALONG THE MESSAGE]: Thank you. Can you tell me when I might expect a response? I’d like to follow up.

Calling Your County Commissioner

County commissioners control: Budget for sheriff’s department, oversight of county agreements, policy resolutions

Script:

Hello, my name is [NAME] and I’m a constituent in [DISTRICT/COUNTY]. I’m calling about the county’s participation in ICE’s 287(g) program.

I’m asking Commissioner [NAME] to [SPECIFIC ASK]:

• “Use their oversight authority to review the 287(g) agreement”
• “Vote against funding for 287(g) training and operations”
• “Support a resolution calling on the Sheriff to end the agreement”
• “Request a public hearing on the costs and impacts of 287(g)”

[REASON]: The program costs the county money, exposes us to legal liability, and undermines public safety by eroding trust between immigrant communities and local government.

Will the Commissioner commit to [SPECIFIC ASK]?

Calling Your City Council Member

City council controls: City police policies, sanctuary ordinances, city cooperation with ICE

Script:

Hello, I’m [NAME], a resident of [CITY/DISTRICT]. I’m calling to ask Council Member [NAME] to support [SPECIFIC POLICY]:

• “An ordinance prohibiting city police from asking about immigration status”
• “A policy preventing city resources from being used for immigration enforcement”
• “A resolution declaring [CITY] a welcoming city”

[REASON]: Our city’s police should focus on local public safety, not federal immigration enforcement. When immigrants fear police, they don’t report crimes, and the whole community suffers.

Will the Council Member support this policy?

Calling Your State Legislator

State legislators control: Statewide sanctuary policies, state cooperation with federal immigration enforcement

Script:

Hello, I’m [NAME] from [CITY], calling Representative/Senator [NAME]‘s office about immigration enforcement policy.

I’m calling to ask [NAME] to support [SPECIFIC BILL OR POLICY]:

• “The [STATE] Trust Act to limit state cooperation with ICE”
• “A bill to ban 287(g) agreements statewide”
• “Prohibiting state databases from being shared with ICE”

[REASON]: States like California, Illinois, and Colorado have shown that limiting ICE cooperation improves public safety and protects civil rights without any negative consequences.

Will [NAME] commit to supporting this legislation?

Calling Your Federal Representative

Congress controls: Federal immigration policy, 287(g) program funding, ICE oversight

Script:

Hello, I’m [NAME], a constituent from [CITY/ZIP CODE]. I’m calling about the 287(g) program.

I’m asking Representative/Senator [NAME] to:

• “Co-sponsor the PROTECT Immigration Act (H.R. 3451) to terminate 287(g)”
• “Vote against funding for 287(g) expansion”
• “Support oversight hearings on ICE civil rights violations”

[REASON]: The 287(g) program has expanded to over 1,000 agreements despite documented racial profiling, civil rights violations, and constitutional concerns. It’s time for Congress to act.

Can I count on [NAME]‘s support?

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In-Person Meeting Guide

In-person meetings are the most effective form of advocacy. Here’s how to make them count.

Requesting a Meeting

Email template:

Subject: Meeting Request - [CONSTITUENT NAME] re: Immigration Enforcement Policy

Dear [STAFFER NAME or “Scheduler”],

I am a constituent of [OFFICIAL’S NAME] writing to request a meeting regarding local immigration enforcement policy, specifically [287(g) / ICE detainers / sanctuary policy].

I am part of [ORGANIZATION NAME or “a group of concerned constituents”] and we would like to discuss [SPECIFIC ASK].

We are available [DATE RANGE] and are flexible on timing. Our delegation would include [NUMBER] people and we would need approximately 30 minutes.

Please let me know what availability works for [OFFICIAL’S NAME] or their relevant staff member.

Thank you, [NAME] [ADDRESS] [PHONE] [EMAIL]

During the Meeting

Structure (30 minutes):

1. Introduction (2 min) — Who you are, who you represent
2. The Ask (3 min) — State your specific request clearly
3. The Why (10 min) — Your strongest arguments with local data
4. Personal Stories (10 min) — Real impact on real people
5. Response (5 min) — Let them respond, answer questions
6. Commitment (2 min) — Ask for specific commitment or next steps

Tips:

• Bring materials (one-pager, fact sheet, petition signatures)
• Designate one person to lead, others to share stories
• Don’t argue — if they disagree, acknowledge and move on
• Always ask for a specific commitment or timeline
• Follow up with a thank-you email summarizing the conversation

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Public Comment & Town Halls

Preparing Remarks

Public comment is usually 2-3 minutes. Every word counts.

Structure:

1. Hook (15 sec) — Attention-grabbing opening
2. Who you are (15 sec) — Name, role, why you care
3. The issue (30 sec) — What’s happening and why it matters
4. The ask (30 sec) — Specific action you want
5. The why (60 sec) — Your strongest argument or story
6. Close (15 sec) — Restate ask, thank them

Sample Public Comment (287(g)):

Good evening. My name is [NAME] and I’ve lived in [COUNTY] for [X] years. I’m here to ask you to end the county’s 287(g) agreement with ICE.

Since this agreement began, our immigrant neighbors live in fear. My friend’s daughter won’t let her mother drive her to school because she’s afraid of a traffic stop. A domestic violence survivor I know didn’t call 911 because she feared deportation more than her abuser.

The 287(g) program doesn’t make us safer — it makes us all less safe. When people are afraid to report crimes, criminals go free. When people are afraid to go to the hospital, diseases spread. When parents are afraid to pick up their kids, families are torn apart.

ICE’s Task Force Model has a documented history of racial profiling. Sixty-five percent of agencies with these agreements have civil rights violation records. And taxpayers are footing the bill — ICE doesn’t reimburse us for doing their job.

I’m asking you to decline to renew this agreement when it expires. Our county should focus on serving all residents, not acting as immigration agents.

Thank you.

Town Hall Strategies

• Go early — Get a seat near the front and microphone
• Bring allies — Pack the room with supporters
• Coordinate questions — Different people ask about different aspects
• Stay calm — Don’t get baited into arguments
• Document — Record the official’s response for follow-up

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Written Communication

Letters to the Editor

Letters to the editor influence public opinion and show officials that people care.

Tips:

• Keep it under 200 words (check paper’s guidelines)
• Reference a recent news article
• Make one clear point
• Include a call to action
• Include your name, address, phone (for verification, not publication)

Sample Letter:

Re: “[Recent article about immigration enforcement]”

Your recent article on ICE activity in [COUNTY] highlighted a troubling trend. What it didn’t mention is that our own Sheriff’s department is directly participating through a 287(g) agreement with ICE.

This program turns local police into immigration agents. The result? Immigrant communities don’t trust police, crime goes unreported, and our whole county is less safe.

The Task Force Model, which our county uses, has been condemned for racial profiling. When Sheriff Arpaio used it in Maricopa County, the DOJ found systematic civil rights violations.

I’m calling on our County Commissioners to exercise their oversight authority and end this agreement. Our tax dollars should fund public safety, not federal immigration enforcement.

[NAME] [CITY]

Op-Eds

Longer pieces (600-800 words) for deeper arguments. Contact the paper’s opinion editor to pitch.

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Follow-Up

Advocacy doesn’t end with one contact.

After Every Contact

• Send a thank-you email within 24 hours
• Note what they committed to (if anything)
• Share with your coalition
• Plan your next contact

Tracking Progress

Keep a log of:

• Date of contact
• Who you spoke with
• What you asked for
• What they said
• Next steps / follow-up date

Escalation

If you’re not getting traction:

• Bring more people to the next contact
• Involve coalition partners
• Increase public pressure (media, town halls)
• Engage in direct action
• Support challenger candidates

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Talking Points Quick Reference

On 287(g)

• “The Task Force Model turns routine police encounters into immigration checks. That’s racial profiling.”
• “ICE detainers are requests, not mandates. Honoring them without warrants exposes the county to lawsuits.”
• “Taxpayers are subsidizing federal immigration enforcement without reimbursement.”
• “When immigrants fear police, they don’t report crimes. This makes everyone less safe.”

On ICE Detainers

• “ICE detainers are voluntary. The Third Circuit Court ruled they’re new arrests requiring probable cause.”
• “Counties have paid millions in settlements for holding people on invalid ICE requests.”
• “A judicial warrant provides constitutional protection. An ICE detainer does not.”

On Sanctuary Policies

• “Sanctuary policies improve public safety by encouraging crime reporting.”
• “Cities with sanctuary policies have comparable or lower crime rates than non-sanctuary cities.”
• “Separating local policing from federal immigration enforcement is good policy, not obstruction.”

On Task Force Model Specifically

• “The Task Force Model was suspended in 2012 due to civil rights concerns. It shouldn’t have been resurrected.”
• “This model allows officers to enforce immigration during any encounter — traffic stops, calls for service, anything.”
• “Maricopa County’s Task Force Model led to DOJ findings of systematic racial profiling.”

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Resources

• ACLU People Power Advocacy Toolkit
• Indivisible Local Advocacy Guide
• ILRC Ending 287(g) Toolkit
• USA.gov Find Your Elected Officials