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Key Resources for Immigrants and Their Allies

Immigration, and Education

Posted November 2016

In a time of uncertainty regarding immigration policy and practice in our country, we all have the opportunity to arm immigrant families with the information they need to feel safe and supported. It's critical that our communities know where to turn for accurate information, trusted resources, and ethical legal counsel.

Know your rights and stay informed.

On this page, we’ll share up-to-date resources that leading organizations have designed to ensure immigrant families know their rights and where to turn for help. We hope that our public schools in particular will serve as messengers, connecting families with these vital resources.

The page is organized into two primary sections: FAQs and Reading, and downloadable Tools and Templates. Within each section, you will find resources organized by topics like immigration enforcement and DACA.

Please share these relevant links and documents with friends, colleagues, administrators, counselors, and teachers, and refer back often for updates.

Need legal counsel immediately? Visit immigrationlawhelp.org to search a directory of free or low-cost nonprofit immigration legal services providers in all 50 states.

FAQs and Reading

For Schools

FAQ: Responding to Immigration Concerns, Denver Public Schools
The Denver Public Schools System put together a brief Q&A regarding immigrant students. The page covers topics like the immediate impact immigration status has on students to how to handle discrimination and harassment.

Sanctuary Campus FAQs, Immigration Response Initiative
These responses equip student organizers and faculty and administrator allies with tools to engage in dialogue with campus administrators.

Immigration Enforcement

For Employees: Traveling Outside the U.S., National Immigration Forum
This tool will help guide immigrant employees who are leaving and reentering the United States.

For Employees: What to Do If You Encounter Immigration Agents, National Immigration Forum
This tool will help guide immigrant employees who confront immigration agents in the workplace or at home.

Understanding Trump's Executive Order Announcing Deportations and "Sanctuary" Cities, National Immigration Law Center
Background information about Trump's executive order and implementation

Know Your Rights as a Refugee in the USA, Church World Service
A comprehensive guide to understanding how refugee rights have changed since President Trump took office.

Feel like You’re at Risk?, ACLU
ACLU has compiled a list of resources for communities that feel at risk.

Information for Families of a Detained Immigrant, CIVIC
CIVIC has a resource page to assist family members who may have a loved one who is detained by ICE.

Local Options for Protecting Immigrants, Immigrant Legal Resource Center
This guide offers a comprehensive guide to help immigrants understand the laws in place to protect them against discrimination and deportation.

Toolkit: Defend Against ICE Raids and Community Arrests, Immigrant Defense Project and Center for Constitutional Rights
This toolkit is a guide and organizing resource to fight potential new immigration enforcement practices.

Q&A for Advocates and Attorneys Serving Immigrant Survivors of Gender-based Violence, Casa de Esperanza National Latin@ Network
This Q&A is for advocates and attorneys serving undocumented immigrant survivors of gender based violence.

Muslim and Refugee Ban

FAQs Regarding President Trump's Executive Order Targeting Refugees and Muslims, National Immigration Law Center
This FAQ helps us understand the impact of President Trump's January 27, 2017 executive order.


Privacy and Information

Know Your Rights, California Immigrant Policy Center
This document helps Californians understand their rights around drivers licenses affordded through AB 60.
(English / Spanish / Chinese / Korean / Tagalog / Thai / Vietnamese)

ITIN Guide, Information and Updates about the IRS’s Individual Tax Identification Number, Educators for Fair Consideration
This guide provides information on ITIN as it relates to potential changes in immigration policy under the new administration.

DACA

DACA: Current Status and Options, Immigrant Legal Resource Center
Latest recommendations on what to do now if you have DACA. (Updated February 2017)

New Questions and Answers about DACA, National Immigration Law Center
This briefing has key answers to common questions DACA recipients (and seekers) may have about the program.

Here’s how undocumented students are able to enroll at American universities
This article provides an overview of policies applied to undocumented students pursuing higher education.

DACA and California Driver’s Licenses, ILRC
ILRC has created a fact sheet for DACA recipients who have California Driver’s Licenses under AB 60.

Tools and Templates

Hate Crimes

#ReportHate, Southern Poverty Law Center
Use this form to report hate incidents post-election which are then tracked by SPLC.

Immigration Enforcement

Notifica
This app serves as a "portable panic button" (WIRED) that sends out secure messages to your network when you need them most.

Sanctuary City Toolkit, National Immigration Law Center
These resources are intended to help defend against anti-sanctuary/community-trust proposals.

Know Your Rights: A Guide to Your Rights when Interacting with Law Enforcement, Catholic Legal Immigration Network
This guide offers information about what to do in a range of different circumstances in which immigrants might interact with law enforcement.
(English/Spanish)

Know Your Rights, National Immigration Law Center
No matter who’s president, every person has basic rights. Here’s a key list of rights and safe practices every immigrant in the United States should know.
(English / Spanish / Chinese-Traditional / Chinese-Simplified)

Know Your Rights During Immigration Raids, National Immigration Project
This brochure details the rights of immigrants should they be questioned by police, visited by police in their homes or places of work, or accused of a crime. It also includes information regarding creating a safety plan.
(English / Spanish)

Family Preparedness Plan, Immigrant Legal Resource Center
This packet walks families through all the important information family members need to think through in the event of immigration enforcement or other similar risks.

Model Campus Safe Zones Resolution language (K-12 districts), National Immigration Law Center
This is model language that school districts can use to adopt safety zones.

Model Campus Safe Zones Resolution language (Colleges and Universities), Naitonal Immigration Law Center
This is model language that colleges and universities can use to adopt safety zones.

Know Your Rights Card, Immigrant Legal Resource Center
This red card is a symbol of safety and knowledge providing critical information for immigrants dealing with ICE agents. ILRC provides cards for free upon request and details information for using them. Please note that post-election, ILRC is overwhelmed with requests for these cards.
(English / Spanish)

ILRC’s “red card” can be slid under a door or presented to ICE agents

Post-Election Resource Guide for Schools, Immigration Legal Resource Center
In this brochure, ILRC shares guidance with schools on providing emotional support and critical information to families. Within the document, find links to legal services and workshops, plus resources like anti-fraud flyers for posting.

Know Your Rights If Stopped by Police, Immigration Agents, or FBI, ACLU
Here's what to do if you are an immigrant stopped by law enforcement. Find language cards in English, Arabic, Chinese, Farsi, French, Indonesian, Korean, Somali, Spanish, Urdu, and Vietnamese.

The TRUST Act, Know Your Rights
NDLON, CIPC, the ACLU, and AAAJ developed a KYR palm card for immigrants in California who have been transferred from local jail to ICE.
(English / Spanish)

DACA and Immigration Relief

Do you qualify to stay in the U.S.?, Immigration Advocates Network
An online tool in English and Spanish that screens for common forms of immigration relief. We believe that over 14% of the undocumented population is actually eligible for immigration relief. Screening will help to determine if there is some other relief for which a DACA recipient or an undocumented individual can apply and connects them with local legal service providers.

AMEMSA community resources

What to do if the FBI is at your door, Asian Americans Advancing Justice
A Know Your Rights Brochure for AMEMSA (Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim and South Asian) communities.

Know Your Rights: Discrimination Against Muslims and Immigrants, ACLU
A tool to help communities know what to do when faced with discrimination. Find versions in English, Arabic, Farsi, Indonesian, and Urdu.


Hotlines and Legal Counsel

Immigration Law Help, a project of IAN, Four Freedoms Fund and Pro Bono Net
A searchable online directory of over 940 free or low-cost nonprofit immigration legal services providers in all 50 states.

California TRUST Act Hotline
If you or a loved one in California think you have been transferred from a local jail to ICE, please call 1–844-TRUST-01 (1–844–878–7801) OR email catrustact@gmail.com

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
English: 1–800–273–8255
Spanish: 1–888–628–9454

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