Know Your Rights - List
It is a federal crime for anyone, whether they are a federal, state, or local official, to intimidate or interfere with their right to vote for whomever they’d like. This would prohibit, for example, federal agents questioning voters about voter fraud, displaying false signs about voter fraud that would undermine a voter's confidence in their ability to cast a secure ballot at that polling location, or aggressive questioning about citizenship and qualifications to vote.
According to the ACLU, “the deployment of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or other federal officials, U.S. military, or federalized or state National Guard troops to interfere with elections and the right to vote is illegal. Additionally, federal law explicitly prohibits the presence of armed federal agents at the polls."
First, stay calm and stay safe. Second, remember that the 5th amendment affords you the right to stay silent and not answer most questions from a government official. Please note that there are some exceptions, like if you were stopped for certain traffic offenses. To learn more about all these exceptions, consult an attorney. Third, you have the right to refuse a search, but you cannot obstruct access. And fourth, take mental notes of everything so you can tell a lawyer later.
Do not lie about your status, your identity, or provide anything false. At the same time, and unless required to do so, do not provide any foreign documents. Provide any official U.S. government immigration documents to prove your specific immigration status and voter eligibility. You should also know that generally, not always but generally, you have the right to remain silent and not to talk about immigration or citizenship status. But know that if you invoke this right, you may be detained for longer so authorities can verify your status. For more information about what is best to do for you, with your specific scenario, reach out to a lawyer.
Your right to free speech certainly doesn’t stop at the ballot box, but its important to know that every state has different rules and regulations that create different guardrails for how to express free speech. Most states have strict laws prohibiting electioneering in and around the polling place, and you can find a list of all the regulations in each state here. This can include how far away from the entrance to the polling location volunteers or campaigns need to be when handing out literature, what types of political merchandise can be openly worn when casting the ballot, and whether you can take selfies at the ballot.