As headlines about President Donald Trump's immigration policy roll out, so does social media misinformation.
Social media posts claiming federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, agents are patrolling Oklahoma City’s Southside have started to surface, causing an online panic among many in the community starting the evening of Jan. 23.
Senator Michael Brooks represents a swath of Oklahoma City’s Southside and runs a law office there. He says reports of ICE patrols around the state’s capital city just days after Trump’s inauguration are false for now.
“Just because you see something on social media doesn't mean that it's true,” Brooks said. “It's important before you share something to be able to try and verify it, because so much of the information on social media is unregulated and unverified.
Brooks says members of the Oklahoma immigrant community — Latinos or not — can find reliable and useful information by contacting the Oklahoma Legislative Latino Caucus on Facebook, WhatsApp and other mainstream platforms.
He says folks should remain skeptical when interacting with unvetted information online. And to report ICE sightings or interactions, if they do occur, to the caucus organizers if possible.
Otherwise, Brooks said, the best approach is to remain honest with immigration officers and avoid confrontation.
“But again, if an officer is insisting that you sign something or is insisting that you do something that somehow gives away some of your rights, you're able to insist on having an attorney present,” he said. “No one is obligated to answer questions without the benefit of an attorney.”
Meanwhile, community advocacy organizations like the ACLU are sharing information via social media on how to communicate one’s constitutional rights to law enforcement.
Those include freedom from being searched without a warrant signed by a judge, remaining silent and asking for a lawyer before agreeing to anything — and an interpreter if needed.