Your Rights & Travel Information

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

Tsawwassen First Nation (TFN) is committed to protecting the safety, dignity, and rights of our Members. If you have concerns about travel, documentation, or interactions with authorities in the United States, TFN is here to help guide you to accurate information and available supports.

This page provides general rights awareness, travel guidance, and information on how TFN can assist with documentation. It is not legal advice.

Know Your Rights if Approached by ICE

If you are approached by **U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), you have the following rights:

  • You have the right to remain silent

  • You do not have to answer questions about your immigration status

  • You may ask to speak to a lawyer

  • ICE cannot enter a private home without a warrant signed by a judge

  • An administrative ICE warrant does not authorize home entry

If questioned, remain calm, do not physically resist, and clearly state if you are choosing to remain silent.

For additional rights information, you may review this external resource:
Know Your Rights – Native American Rights Fund (PDF)

Travel Awareness for TFN Members

TFN is aware of heightened immigration enforcement in the United States. Some Indigenous people have reported challenging encounters with ICE.

Members traveling to or living in the U.S. are encouraged to:

  • Carry valid government-issued photo identification

  • Ensure passports are current and valid

  • Keep documents accessible while traveling

  • Remain calm and respectfully assert their rights if questioned

  • Avoid non-essential travel where possible

If you experience repeated travel delays or screening issues, you may wish to contact the Canadian Consulate for assistance.

Click here for information on how to contact the consulate in Seattle.

Click here for the latest information when crossing the Canada-United States border as a person registered under the Indian Act.

Travel Documentation Checklist

TFN strongly encourages Members to carry multiple forms of identification, as acceptance of any single document is at the discretion of U.S. border officials.

Relevant documentation may include:

  • Valid Canadian passport

  • NEXUS card (if applicable)

  • Secure Certificate of Indian Status card (red stripe)

  • Long-form birth certificate

  • Official TFN letter confirming Indigenous ancestry

  • Form I-181 or I-551 (green card), if applicable

Bringing more than one form of ID can help reduce delays or complications at the border.

Documentation Support from TFN

TFN can assist Members with documentation requests, including ancestry confirmation letters (sometimes called “blood quantum letters”).

To request support, please contact:

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