Landlord threatening with ICE
It is illegal to intimidate a tenant out of their unit by using their citizenship status against them.
Under CA AB291 (Immigrant Tenant Protection Act), it is illegal for landlords to:
- Threaten to report you to immigration authorities in retaliation for engaging in legally-protected activities or as a way to influence you to leave your unit
- Ask questions about your immigration status in a trial process
- It also prohibits attorneys involved in the case from threatening to report or reporting the immigration status of anyone involved in a housing case
What can you do?
- Write a letter to the landlord describing the threats and asking the landlord to stop the threats immediately.
- Talk to an immigration attorney and create an emergency plan.
- If this continues, consult an organization that specializes in housing. You may need to start a legal case against the landlord.