Practices by Stakeholder 3

Separation of immigration enforcement from access to humanitarian services

Irregular migrants, or those who otherwise distrust authorities, may be unwilling to access available life-saving assistance for fear of immigration enforcement, detention, and deportation. Ensuring non-discriminatory access to life-saving assistance during the emergency phase of a crisis may therefore require authorities to separate emergency assistance from immigration enforcement, including by:

• Disseminating public service announcements from immigration enforcement and emergency responders indicating that migrants should relocate or evacuate to safety and that officials will prioritize saving lives and refrain from checking immigration status and undertaking immigration enforcement activities, including detention and deportation, during the emergency phase of the crisis;
• Partnering with civil society, including migrant advocacy organizations to amplify and add credibility to these messages;
• Limiting requirements for proof of identity in emergency shelters or when providing emergency assistance like food, water, search and rescue, or emergency health care;
• Relaxing requirements for regularization and compliance with other immigration requirements during an emergency;
• Establishing a focal point for migrants and other relevant actors to report challenges in implementation, in order to strengthen accountability and build trust.