rēsources for immigrants
recursos para inmigrantes
This page contains rēsources that we hope are useful to our beloved community in a time of desconocimiento. We’ve sifted through a lot of sources and tried to organize it in a way that might be easier for folks who are vulnerable to the pointed attacks on our people. For transparency, we try to link back to sources where we found info. Please stay safe and let us know if you think there’s anything else we can do to help by contacting us.
watch “know your rights” videos
Watch these videos to visualize and rehearse scenarios in the event of an ice confrontation. Watching these videos and studying them can be helpful if the moment comes and you’re confronted with ice.
vídeos en español
videos in english
use a toolkit to get started. to prepare.
Some organizations offer free toolkits or rēsource guides to help immigrants and mixed-status families prepare for confronting ice. These toolkits/guides contain several different parts like: little red cards to remind you what to do when you’re confronted by ice; family preparedness plans; important phone numbers; a list of lawyers; instructions for finding family members who you suspect have been detained by ice; a list of documents to save in a safe place, etc.
review all the options, then choose what works for you
○ chirla “my rights” toolkit ➞
○ ”we have rights” | “tenemos derechos” toolkit ➞
○ immigrant legal resource center “know your rights” toolkit ➞
print “know your rights” cards, “tarjetas rojas”
These cards fit in your wallet and contain info. about your rights which is helpful if you are confronted by ice because in the moment, your nerves might cause you to forget what to do, what to say, what not to do/say, etc. That’s why they are known as “Know Your Rights” cards, or KYR cards for short. These cards are often printed in red which is why they are also called “red cards” or “tarjetas rojas.” We are providing links to the type of cards that you can print at home, school, or work with any printer. All you need is standard letter paper (8.5 inches by 11 inches). These cards will be white instead of red, unless you print them on colored paper. We like the cards that have a space to write down your lawyers name and number so you can contact them if you are detained. You can view the different options and choose which works for you.
choose from these options
○ AFL-CIO KYR Cards
● Download pdf in English & Español ⬇︎, or go to website ➞
○ CHIRLA KYR Card
● Download pdf in English ⬇︎, or go to website ➞
○ Immigration Legal Resource Center Red Cards
● Download pdf in English ⬇︎, Español ⬇︎, or go to website ➞
○ National Immigration Law Center KYR Cards
● Download pdf in English ⬇︎, Español ⬇︎, or go to website English ➞, Español ➞
○ Union del Barrio Red Cards | Tarjetas Rojas
● Download JPGs in English, Español, & แบบไทย (Thai) ⬇︎
put up posters/flyers
Just like “Know Your Rights” (KYR) cards, KYR posters are meant to help people remember what to do if ice shows up. These posters can be taped to a wall at work, next to your front door (inside so you can read it while ice is outside), or in public areas (light posts, parks, trees, community boards, etc.), or they can be passed out to help people stay informed.
choose from these options
○ AFL-CIO KYR Posters/Flyers
● Download pdf in English & Español ⬇︎, or go to website ➞
○ Immigrant Legal Resource Center KYR Posters/Flyers
●Download pdf in English & Español ⬇︎, or go to website ➞
create an emergency family preparedness plan
According to We Have Rights:
An Emergency Plan is a document everyone should have to protect themselves and their families in case of an emergency…or arrest and detention by ICE. Do not carry your emergency plan around with you! Keep it in a safe place… Only share the location of your…plan with trusted friends and relatives. Make sure they know where it is, why it is important, and how to get it in case you are arrested by ICE. Never share your emergency plan with ice agents!
below are options. choose one that works for you.
○ Immigrant Legal Resource Center “Family Preparedness Plan”
● Download pdf ⬇︎, descargar versión completa ⬇︎
● Go to website ➞, ir al sitio web ➞
○ We Have Rights “Emergency Plan” | “Plan de Emergencia”
make a folder with important documents and information
○ CHIRLA List of Important Documents and Information | Lista de Documentos y Contactos Importantes ⬇︎
fill out and sign a caregiver authorization affidavit
According to CHIRLA:
This form can be signed and kept with other important documents and is written to take effect in the event of a parent's detention. It allows a parent to designate an adult over the age of 18 as a "person in parental relation" and authorizes that person to make health and educational decisions for the child for periods of up to twelve months. It does not require going to court to complete this. It must be signed by the parents and the designated caregiver.
Powers Granted by the Caregiver Authorization Affidavit
○ Review school, medical, and other records;
○ Enroll the child in school;
○ Excuse school absences;
○ Consent to participate in school programs and/or school-sponsored activities;
○ Consent to medical care related to school;
○ Enroll the child in health plans;
○ Consent to vaccinations;
○ Consent to general medical care;
○ Consent to medical procedures;
○ Consent to developmental assessments; and/or
○ Consent to mental health examination and/or treatment.
● Download a guide/example | descargar guía/ejemplo ⬇︎
● Download the official document | descargar documento oficial ⬇︎
when you think your loved one might be detained by ice
According to National Immigration Law Center:
It can be hard and scary to find someone you care about after they are arrested for immigration reasons. The government keeps people in many different jails and prisons, sometimes far from their family and lawyers.”
read both rēsources below first
● National Immigration Law Center: “How to Find a Loved One After U.S. Immigration Arrest” Download the guide (pdf) ⬇︎
○ Read “What to do if a loved one has been detained by ICE” (L.A. Taco) ➞
then, try these
○ Call the CHIRLA Hotline 888-624-4752, they might be able to help you through the process
○ Ice’s Online Detainee Locator System is locator.ice.gov/odls/#/search
contact ice, yes or no?
NILC recommends first reading the pdf above titled “How to Find a Loved One After U.S. Immigration Arrest,” and then using the online locator before calling or emailing ice. NILC warns not to give too much info. to the agents on the phone or over email. Only divulge basic info. such as: name, country of birth, and their A-number (if they have one), that is all.
○ The Los Angeles ICE Field Office number is (213) 830-7911, and email address is LosAngeles.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov
○ CHIRLA says to remember that “To visit a family member in a detention center, you need to present a valid government-issued ID”
once you find out where your loved one is being detained
According to L.A. Taco:
○ Ask how you can get some money on their books
○ Try to get their “Notice to Appear” (NTA) (Form I-862), it outlines their charges
○ Find out if they have an Immigration Court date (if you don’t have that info., call the Immigration Court’s hotline 800-898-7180, or check online➞)
don’t lose hope
It hasn’t been possible to validate this next step, but according to L.A. Taco, it might be worth a try:
○ Reach out to your Congressperson (find your representative➞). Before your Congressperson can look into your loved one’s case, your loved one needs to go to the detention center’s library and ask for ICE Form 60-001 (“Privacy Waiver Authorizing Disclosure to a Third Party”). If they aren’t able to do that, you can get the form from ICE’s website ➞ and mail it to them, or if that doesn’t work, you may download it from our website ⬇︎. Next, contact your Congressperson, and tell them who that form was turned into at the detention center.
According to NILC, your loved one:
[M]ight be able to ask to be freed ‘on recognizance’ (their own free will) or on ‘bond’ or ‘parole.’ You might be able to help them to try to get released by getting proof of their connection to the community like school, work, or volunteer records, or writing letters of support or getting letters of support from other community members.
get pro bono or low-cost legal advice
L.A. Taco writes:
Should anyone find themselves or a family member detained, arrested, or disappeared, to have the names of attorneys or legal aid organizations that are available to help them navigate troubled waters in immigration court.
read the full article below
○ “11 Pro Bono or Low-Cost Immigration Law Resources In L.A.” (L.A. Taco) ➞
immigrant defenders law center
Provides rapid response legal support for Southern California community members detained by immigration enforcement agents in the following counties: Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Orange, Riverside, San Diego, and Imperial.
○ Rapid Response Legal Resource Hotline: (213) 833-8283
○ Hours: Monday—Friday 9AM-4PM PST
national immigration legal services
search for immigration legal services providers by state, county, or detention facility. Only nonprofit organizations that provide free or low-cost immigration legal services are included in this directory. If you have questions, please see our list of frequently asked questions or email us at directory@immigrationadvocates.org.
report ice to rapid response networks
“Call These Numbers If You See ICE Activity, From L.A. and Riverside to the Central Valley” L.A. Taco ➞
california rapid response networks
boyle heights immigrant rights network
Report confirmed ICE or CBP activity in the Boyle Heights or East L.A. community
○ (323)805-1049
○ Instagram @boyleheightsirn
become familiar with independent news organizations
l.a. taco
We used L.A. Taco a lot in our rēsearch for this page. It’s an independent news organization in Los Angeles. They are part of the community, and they look out for the community. They created the Ice Archives and made them free to the public (normally, you need a paid subscription for some of their articles). These are professional journalists who are putting themselves in harm’s way to report back to the community. lataco.com
○ “17 Non-Profit Organizations Supporting Immigrants Right Now” ➞
○ “Self-Defense Against ICE: Community Groups In L.A. Are Uniting to Protect Themselves” ➞
○ “Call These Numbers If You See ICE Activity, From L.A. and Riverside to the Central Valley” ➞
○ “What to do if ICE comes knocking” ➞
○ “These are your rights if a restaurant gets raided by ICE, for both customers and owners” ➞
○ “11 Pro bono or low-cost immigration resources in L.A.” ➞
boyle heights beat | pulso de boyle heights
This is a non-profit news org. that provides “noticias por y para la comunidad” in English y Español. They cover Boyle Heights and the Eastside. boyleheightsbeat.com
○ Pulso de Boyle Heights en Español ➞
○ How to care for your mental health during ICE raids, according to a therapist ➞
○ How to help kids cope with ongoing ICE raids, deportations ➞
○ Looking for legal aid and other immigration resources? We’ve got a list ➞
○ The groups sharing and verifying ICE sightings in L.A. and the Eastside ➞
○ Where to donate, volunteer and get support during L.A. ICE raids ➞
los angeles public press
LA Public Press is an independent, non-profit newsroom. Their journalism interrogates systems of power while supporting those trying to build more equitable and resilient communities. lapublicpress.org