FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 

Monday, March 16, 2026

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Hector Fong | [email protected]

Bethany Khan | [email protected]

The Nevada Immigrant Coalition urges Senators Cortez Masto and Rosen to vote “NO” vote on Markwayne Mullin’s nomination as DHS Secretary

Las Vegas, NV –  With Markwayne Mullin’s upcoming confirmation hearing scheduled for Wednesday, March 18th, the Nevada Immigrant Coalition (NIC) is calling on U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto and Jacky Rosen to vote “NO” on his confirmation as the next DHS Secretary. As the partial Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown continues, NIC also has called for Nevada’s entire federal delegation to hold the line on any DHS or immigration enforcement funding that does not include meaningful ICE reform.

“If the same policies remain in place at DHS, then a new Secretary is not a change in direction – it is simply a change in who is managing Trump’s mass deportation machine, which is running rampant as our communities continue to be targeted and terrorized,” said Noé Orosco, Coalition Coordinator of the Nevada Immigrant Coalition. “Markwayne Mullin has defended violent ICE tactics that have resulted in the brutal deaths of two U.S. citizens, endorsed mass deportations – including deporting U.S. citizen kids with their immigrant parents, and defended aggressive enforcement actions. NIC urges Senators Cortez Masto and Rosen to continue standing with working families in Nevada and vote against this nomination.”

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The Nevada Immigrant Coalition (NIC), led by the Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada (PLAN), Culinary Union, and Make the Road Nevada, with support from over 20 statewide partners, has mobilized in response to the surges in ICE activity in Northern and Southern Nevada.

The Nevada Immigrant Coalition (NIC) urges members of the immigrant community to know their rights, have family preparedness plans in place, and be aware of ICE officers in plainclothes and unmarked vehicles. All Nevadans, regardless of immigration status, have rights and deserve due process.

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS:

If ICE stops you . . .

*You can ask the officers if you are being detained, if you are not, then you are free to leave.

*You have the right to remain silent. You do not have to answer any questions regarding your immigration status, where you were born, or how you entered the United States.

*Do not physically resist a government official and do not run away.

*If you are over 18 or over, and a non-citizen, an immigration officer may request to see your immigration documents.  If you have your documents, the law requires you to share them if you have them.

*If you do not have your immigration documents, you still have the right to remain silent and ask for an attorney.

*Do not provide false documents to officials.

If ICE comes to your home . . .

*In most circumstances, you are not required to open the door for ICE if they don’t have a judicial warrant. A Judicial warrant is a document that is signed by a judge.

*You have the right to remain silent and not answer any questions.

If ICE takes you into custody . . .

*You have the right to ask to speak with an attorney.

*You have the right to not sign any document that you do not understand. Even if the ICE officers are persistent and want to pressure you, do not sign.

*In certain cases, you can request to see the immigration judge. Depending on your circumstances, you may be able to ask for bail to be released from custody.

*You have the right to request to contact your country’s consulate for help.

*If you have minor children, let the officers know that you are the parent or primary caregiver. ICE may “exercise discretion” and let you go.

To find loved ones who may have been detained: Search the ICE Detainee Locator.

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ABOUT THE NEVADA IMMIGRANT COALITION: 

The Nevada Immigrant Coalition (NIC), founded in 2006, ensures immigrant, refugee, and new American voices are heard at a local, state, and federal level to advocate for humane and fair immigration policies. The Nevada Immigrant Coalition focuses on strengthening a network that provides services, resources, and deportation defense to immigrants and refugees across the state while strategically organizing around issues that are important to all Nevadans. We believe in working towards a Nevada that welcomes, respects, and protects everyone regardless of their immigration status.
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