If local law enforcement calls and says they know of several illegal aliens present in a hotel, what should you do?

• A. Contact hotel management and limit action
• B. Call a federal prosecutor
• C. Document the report and wait for guidance
• D. Fifty Pounds

Answer: (D)

When local law enforcement flags a potential immigration issue at a hotel, the primary step is to document the report and await guidance from your supervisor. This keeps you operating within the proper chain of command, ensures you have a complete, auditable record, and allows for coordinated action with federal and local partners. Collect details such as who reported it, the location, time, estimated number of individuals, any identifying information, and the current status, then pass that up to your chain of command so a plan can be approved before any action is taken.

This approach avoids acting unilaterally or interfering with private property operations, and it prevents jumping to legal actions that require authorization. Calling a federal prosecutor directly bypasses standard procedure and isn’t the right step without explicit direction. Contacting hotel management or attempting to influence private business operations isn’t a proper enforcement action for you to take. The last option is not a legitimate enforcement action at all.

So, documenting the report and waiting for supervisor guidance is the correct path to take.