leemathewthegreat

HI,

I would like to know if it is illegal for a cop or police official to ask for my greencard. Could u also explain my legal rights when an official asks for my greencard.
By the way, I live in New York and when this happened to me i was not close to the border. I had my drivers license with me.

Thank you,


Lee

SarahG

Aren't you a US citizen now? Do you still have a GC after taking US citizenship?

Noorah101

According to this post: http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=670648 you became a USC last year. So you no longer have a green card to show a cop, even if he asks for one. If a cop asks to see your green card, you can let him know you are a US Citizen.

Whether it's legal or not for him to even ASK, I don't know. It seems like it's becoming legal in AZ.

Rene

leemathewthegreat

Yes i am a citizen...actually this happened to one of my friends. Just thought it would be easier question to create if i made the question personal.

leemathewthegreat

HI,

I would like to know if it is illegal for a cop or police official to ask for my greencard. Could u also explain my legal rights when an official asks for my greencard.
By the way, this happened to my friend when he was not close to the border. He had his drivers license with him.

Thank you,


Lee

lisa67

which state was your friend in when he got stopped?

Jerseygirl

Cops in a town near to where I live have now been given authorisation to ask to see GC's.

If a cop asked to see your GC and you had one...why wouldn't you comply? I know what some of the regulars will say to that...but from where I'm standing I would comply and not wish to do or say anything that may irritate a cop.

sir_eccles

I would think that the cop would still need some other reason to stop you such as a traffic violation. Once stopped for a valid reason then their rights to ask certain questions change. I do not believe they can randomly stop people in the street and ask for papers without cause.

Jerseygirl

The cops near where I live don't have to have an additional reason.

Octang Frye

New York is in what the ACLU dubs the "Constitution Free Zone."

Here's an article and a map.
http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/200...lu-assails-10/

ian-mstm

No.


You have the right to refuse the request... however, the official then has the right to detain you until such time as your refusal to comply can be sorted out.

Ian

sir_eccles

Even in AZ the cop can only ask as part of a "lawful stop, detention or arrest" from some other suspected violation, such as speeding, drinking alcohol in a city park or, for juveniles, violating curfew.

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articl...scenarios.html

That said, an interesting quote:

Jerseygirl

That may be the case in AZ but the cops in the town near me can ask to see immigration status without having another reason. We discussed this very subject in a thread a few months ago in the US forum.

Noorah101

And AZ is changing its policy...

Dudette

My Husband and I have been stopped a few times by border patrol in NH, all he did was show his Military ID or drivers license and never asked for mine. I guess they can ask anyone now within 100 mile radius of the borders.

Anyway I guess they do what they are allowed to do, whether we like it or not.