4th Amendment Workplaces
What is a Fourth Amendment Workplace
A 4th Amendment Workplace is a business that proactively trains staff to uphold employees' constitutional rights against unreasonable government search and seizures, especially regarding immigration enforcement, by requiring federal agents to have proper judicial warrants for non-public areas and protecting all workers. The public facing website (eg, for employers) is 4thworkplace.org.
These workplaces use legally vetted protocols to identify invalid warrants (like administrative notices), secure private spaces (like break rooms, restrooms), and train employees to calmly assert their rights, creating a safer environment and preventing overreach.
What is the 4th Amendment of the US Constitution?
“The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.”
4th Amendment Workplaces make this commitment:
I pledge to stand against unconstitutional searches by federal agents and uphold the rights of workers, patrons and employers by educating my staff, other employers and the public at large, and will take any steps necessary to adopt policies, protocols and even physical changes to my workplace to stand up for the Fourth Amendment.
4th Amendment Workplaces have successfully exercised their rights and prevented detentions in this El Paso barbershop and many other instances
Recruiting 4th Amendment Workplaces is a great way to:
Help your local businesses and organizations exercise their constitutional rights
Protect immigrant and other workers, customers or clients if law enforcement arrives without a valid warrant
Build canvassing, organizing & team skills amongst UUs
Strategically, this work chips away at the business pillar of support upholding authoritarianism.
By recruiting businesses to become a 4th Amendment Workplace, we are asking them to make a choice: protect their workers and customers’ rights or be complicit with authoritarianism. Every time we recruit a business, we are widening the cracks in the business pillar of support. When there are enough cracks, the pillar will crumble.
That’s why it ALSO matters to recruit businesses that may not have immigrant workers or customers - your local coffee shop, hair stylist, barber, or anywhere you go regularly could become a 4th amendment workplace!
UUs are well positioned to build teams to recruit 4th Amendment Workplaces!
Many UUs are hungry to be involved in Immigrant Justice and this is something everyone can do: bring the information to a business you frequent and ask them to become a 4th Amendment Workplace.
By doing this together, we build skills at conversations asking folks to take a stand and build our capacity to show up long term for migrant justice.
We’re in! How do we get started?
Defend And Recruit has built out all the materials we need to do this!
Get trained! Check D&R’s training schedule. Rev. Cathy can also schedule custom trainings for UUs
Work with your congregation to become a 4th Amendment Congregation (The UUA itself is already signed on as a 4th Amendment workplace)
Check in with local immigrant partners
Start recruiting your team and 4th amendment businesses!
Side with Love can help you to set goals, make a plan, and ground in context (ie, make sure you are working in relevant and right relationship with your local immigrant and broader community). Request 4th Amendment support via our Contact Form.