ICE
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement — the federal agency that arrests, detains, and deports people for immigration reasons.
Educational information
Glossary: terms made simple.
Detention. Asylum. Parole. Removal. What these words actually mean — in everyday language. This page is educational information, not legal advice. For legal advice, consult a qualified immigration attorney or accredited legal representative.
The system
Who does what.
Immigration court (EOIR)
The court system where deportation cases are decided. It is part of the Department of Justice, not an independent court — and there is no free lawyer.
MDC
The Metropolitan Detention Center — a federal facility in Brooklyn, NY, where immigrants are held. Families travel from across the country to visit loved ones there.
Check-in
A required appointment with ICE for some people with open cases. Some people are detained at check-ins — which is why accompaniment matters.
Detention & removal
What happens when someone is taken.
Detention
Being held in a facility while the government decides an immigration case. It is civil custody, not a criminal sentence — but it feels and works like jail.
Removal / Deportation
The formal process of forcing a person to leave the United States. "Removal" is the legal term; "deportation" is the everyday word for the same thing.
Bond
Money paid so a detained person can be released while their case continues — similar to bail. An immigration judge decides who is eligible.
Judicial warrant
A warrant signed by a judge. Officers need one to legally enter your home. ICE "administrative warrants" are not signed by judges and do not allow entry.
Protections & status
Ways people can stay safely.
Asylum
Protection for people who fear persecution in their home country because of who they are or what they believe. Applying for asylum is legal.
Parole (immigration)
Temporary permission to be in the U.S. — often given at the border or to people released from detention. It is not a visa, and not the same as criminal parole.
TPS
Temporary Protected Status — permission to live and work in the U.S. for people from certain countries facing war or disaster.
DACA
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals — protection from deportation and a work permit for some people who came to the U.S. as children.
Community response
The words we live by.
Know Your Rights
The constitutional rights everyone in the U.S. has, regardless of status: remain silent, refuse entry without a judicial warrant, and speak to a lawyer.
Sanctuary
Any place — a church, school, business, or home — where a family under pressure is safe, seen, and supported.
Mutual aid
Neighbors meeting each other's needs directly — food, rides, childcare, translation — as equals. Solidarity, not charity.
Accompaniment
Volunteers going with someone to a check-in, court date, or visit so they never face the system alone. Presence is protection.
Keep learning
Now that you know the words, join the work.
Educational information, not legal advice. Reviewed by our community team. Last reviewed: July 2026.