Sheriff asked for my passport

[Honeythunder 14]

We were driving home last night and got pulled over by a sheriff for a burned-out license plate light. He asked my husband (the driver) for his license and then he asked me (the passenger) for my license. I said I don't have one yet.

 

He asked for my passport and luckily I have it with me. He went back to his vehicle and ran a check. He came back and asked if I have a greencard. I said I don't have one yet because it is still processing. I showed him the text notification I got from USCIS that they received my case. Luckily he let us go. My husband still thinks it's weird that a sheriff would ask the passenger's identification for something like a burned-out light.

 

From now on I will have a copy of my NOA1 in the car. I can't imagine what would have happened if we got pulled over during the time when I don't have the USCIS notif yet. I might have been detained to prove legal status? 

 

[Celebi 135]

14 minutes ago, Honeythunder said:

We were driving home last night and got pulled over by a sheriff for a burned-out license plate light. He asked my husband (the driver) for his license and then he asked me (the passenger) for my license. I said I don't have one yet.

 

He asked for my passport and luckily I have it with me. He went back to his vehicle and ran a check. He came back and asked if I have a greencard. I said I don't have one yet because it is still processing. I showed him the text notification I got from USCIS that they received my case. Luckily he let us go. My husband still thinks it's weird that a sheriff would ask the passenger's identification for something like a burned-out light.

 

From now on I will have a copy of my NOA1 in the car. I can't imagine what would have happened if we got pulled over during the time when I don't have the USCIS notif yet. I might have been detained to prove legal status? 

 

I'm glad you're ok, @Honeythunder When I was starting my AOS journey, I came across this thread:

It wasn't really the same as your situation but after that, I always bring with me hard copies of my NOA1, marriage cert, passport and visa just in case. 

[JeanneAdil 6,197]

It may sound weird but much would depend on "how late at night",    age of both of you,  and what area were you in (like a dangerous area to be in)

and they can ask at any time to see the proper papers to be in the US , unforunately we have to many illegals and you all pay the price 

 

BTW a burned out or removed licence plate or one covered in mud is a way people try to hide identity from police 

[Honeythunder 14]

1 minute ago, JeanneAdil said:

It may sound weird but much would depend on "how late at night",    age of both of you,  and what area were you in (like a dangerous area to be in)

and they can ask at any time to see the proper papers to be in the US , unforunately we have to many illegals and you all pay the price 

 

BTW a burned out or removed licence plate or one covered in mud is a way people try to hide identity from police 

We were driving in I-75 just outside Cincinnati at 9pm. We didn't even know the lights were out. 

[mushroomspore 3,043]

26 minutes ago, Honeythunder said:

We were driving home last night and got pulled over by a sheriff for a burned-out license plate light. He asked my husband (the driver) for his license and then he asked me (the passenger) for my license. I said I don't have one yet.

 

He asked for my passport and luckily I have it with me. He went back to his vehicle and ran a check. He came back and asked if I have a greencard. I said I don't have one yet because it is still processing. I showed him the text notification I got from USCIS that they received my case. Luckily he let us go. My husband still thinks it's weird that a sheriff would ask the passenger's identification for something like a burned-out light.

 

From now on I will have a copy of my NOA1 in the car. I can't imagine what would have happened if we got pulled over during the time when I don't have the USCIS notif yet. I might have been detained to prove legal status? 

 

Technically, police officers can ask you anything but at the same time, you have the right to remain silent and to not discuss your immigration status with law enforcement officers. They cannot detain you in order for you to "prove" legal status either. Cops technically only need some form of valid ID. And your husband's right that it was weird the sheriff asked. Why did the sheriff specifically ask about a green card? What if you were just here visiting legally or on some other visa? Immigration issues are not in a sheriff's jurisdiction except in the case of a serious investigation where one or more federal agency has enlisted local law enforcement.

 

I'm trying to Google this further because there was quite an uproar last year over law enforcement asking immigrants (both legal and illegal) off the street about their legal status. 

Edited October 8, 2020 by mushroomspore

[Honeythunder 14]

6 minutes ago, Celebi said:

I'm glad you're ok, @Honeythunder When I was starting my AOS journey, I came across this thread:

It wasn't really the same as your situation but after that, I always bring with me hard copies of my NOA1, marriage cert, passport and visa just in case. 

Yeah I've read that post few weeks ago and I even showed it to my husband. I was being so paranoid and he told me that the odds of us getting pulled over and me being asked for my passport is pretty low. After this happened to us, he got paranoid too! 😅

[Celebi 135]

1 minute ago, Honeythunder said:

Yeah I've read that post few weeks ago and I even showed it to my husband. I was being so paranoid and he told me that the odds of us getting pulled over and me being asked for my passport is pretty low. After this happened to us, he got paranoid too! 😅

To be honest, I don't leave the house without my husband these days. Hopefully, we'll get our cards soon to help ease our paranoia. LOL

[Honeythunder 14]

2 minutes ago, mushroomspore said:

Technically, police officers can ask you anything but at the same time, you have the right to remain silent and to not discuss your immigration status with law enforcement officers. They cannot detain you in order for you to "prove" legal status either. Cops technically only need some form of valid ID. And your husband's right that it was weird the sheriff asked. I'm trying to Google this further because there was quite an uproar last year over law enforcement asking immigrants (both legal and illegal) off the street about their legal status. 

Have you read this? That is scary.

[JeanneAdil 6,197]

3 minutes ago, Honeythunder said:

We were driving in I-75 just outside Cincinnati at 9pm. We didn't even know the lights were out. 

i will say that is strange 

usually they only look for speeding tickets

and as a woman,   when you drive here alone at night,  be careful as not all people are good ones 

a policeman use to follow me when i got out of college class at 10 PM and he stopped me several times till i took his name and badge number and called about him to his office

he had no reason to stop me as i was driving an old jeep that wouldn't go over 50

[mushroomspore 3,043]

1 minute ago, Honeythunder said:

Have you read this? That is scary.

I have. I'm not sure what state that person was in, but that was probably a factor. I'm in Los Angeles, where we have a lot of support and advocacy for immigration. I know in lots of other states, that's not the case. But additionally, the person was technically out of status upon their arrest. Was it really necessary? Absolutely not, imo. The immigration officers clearly just wanted to "make an example" out of that person. But does that also mean such incidents are on the rise? Maybe, maybe not. Without proper statistics and data (which I don't have), it's irresponsible to say that that person's experience is going to become common place. As of now, their experience is a very outlying piece of data that is highly unlikely to occur to the average person, but of course, "highly unlikely" is not equal to "impossible". All immigrants should know their rights, ensure they have a lawyer they can call in case of emergency and have multiple copies of their paperwork to show when called for.

 

https://www.aclu.org/know-your-rights/immigrants-rights/#law-enforcement-asks-about-my-immigration-status

[Chancy 6,233]

26 minutes ago, Honeythunder said:

From now on I will have a copy of my NOA1 in the car. I can't imagine what would have happened if we got pulled over during the time when I don't have the USCIS notif yet. I might have been detained to prove legal status? 

 

Good idea to always have your passport and NOA1 with you.  Non-citizens over 18 years old are required by law to carry their alien registration documents at all times.  Some links for you --

 

Requirement to Carry Immigration Documents

https://www.murthy.com/2017/03/08/requirement-to-carry-immigration-documents/

 

Know Your Rights: Immigrants' Rights

https://www.aclu.org/know-your-rights/immigrants-rights/

 

[Nitas_man 3,100]

9 hours ago, Honeythunder said:

We were driving home last night and got pulled over by a sheriff for a burned-out license plate light. He asked my husband (the driver) for his license and then he asked me (the passenger) for my license. I said I don't have one yet.

 

He asked for my passport and luckily I have it with me. He went back to his vehicle and ran a check. He came back and asked if I have a greencard. I said I don't have one yet because it is still processing. I showed him the text notification I got from USCIS that they received my case. Luckily he let us go. My husband still thinks it's weird that a sheriff would ask the passenger's identification for something like a burned-out light.

 

From now on I will have a copy of my NOA1 in the car. I can't imagine what would have happened if we got pulled over during the time when I don't have the USCIS notif yet. I might have been detained to prove legal status? 

 

Your husband would have been well within his rights to tell that dude to mind his own business

[SalishSea 16,770]

10 hours ago, Honeythunder said:

Yeah I've read that post few weeks ago and I even showed it to my husband. I was being so paranoid and he told me that the odds of us getting pulled over and me being asked for my passport is pretty low. After this happened to us, he got paranoid too! 😅

Can you get a state ID, so that you can carry valid ID without having to carry your passport?

[Honeythunder 14]

2 minutes ago, Jorgedig said:

Can you get a state ID, so that you can carry valid ID without having to carry your passport?

Not yet. I inquired before and they asked for EAD which I don't have yet

[SalishSea 16,770]

9 hours ago, VIP_LadyLuck said:

That is scary!🥶

 

Call me paranoid but I was so afraid of the same situation. During my AOS process, I always bring with me these documents when going out with hubby and/or friends -- Passport, Original Copy of Marriage Cert, USPS receipt/AOS Fees payment receipts and NOAs for AOS ( or text notifs that they already received my application).

We did, too.  We live close to the US/Canada border, and the coastal border here in the state of Washington.  My husband always carried a copy of his NOA whilst AOS was pending.  Truth be told, he is white, middle aged, middle class, and a native English speaker;  if he was brown, we may have been even more cautious.   😞