Supporting & Advocating for Immigrant Students

• Arab American Family Services: “At Arab American Family Services, our safety net program is the core of our organization. At AAFS, we provide cultural and linguistic case management services and advocacy to immigrants, refugees, and community members at large.”
• IDHS List of Community Service Agencies Serving Immigrants:  Organizations are listed by type of support, available language support and geographic area served. 
• IDHS Partner Illinois Welcome Centers:  The Illinois Welcoming Center (IWC) is a comprehensive service center for the integration of immigrants and refugees in Illinois. The Illinois Welcoming Center’s innovative model eliminates systemic barriers that immigrants may have in approaching state services.
• Illinois Community for Displaced Immigrants (ICDI) Resource List: ICDI has published this comprehensive resource guide including information about immigration law and agencies and nonprofits across the state providing legal aid, housing, healthcare, domestic violence-related services and more. This guide is also available in Spanish.
• Immigrant Family Resource Program: The Immigrant Family Resource Program is a partnership between the IL Department of Human Services, the IL Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, and community-based and ethnic organizations across Illinois. Organizations listed provide comprehensive case management, translation & interpretation, and information & referral services for those who face language and cultural barriers in accessing public benefits. They can assist in multiple languages with Public Benefits, State Resource Centers, Food Pantries, Emergency Assistance, Financial Assistance, Housing, Utilities, and more.
• Healthcare Access Information for Undocumented Illinoisans
• ICIRR Ukrainian Arrivals Program
• RefugeeOne Programs: Chicago’s largest refugee resettlement agency offers programs including a wellness initiative, youth programs, a dental clinic, a sewing studio, English training and more. 

• Asylum and TPS Information from the National Immigrant Justice Center 
• Illinois Community for Displaced Immigrants (ICDI) Resource List
• ICIRR DACA Renewal Scholarships
• ICIRR Immigration Attorney Referral List
• ICIRR Immigration Legal Services Directory
• ICIRR List of Nonprofit Agencies Providing Free or Low-Cost Assistance With Immigration Matters
• Latinos Progresando
• List of ICIRR/Illinois Department of Human Services New Americans Initiative Partners By Assistance Provided and Language
• National Resources from Immigrants Rising
• New Americans Campaigns’ Fee Waiver Calculator
• USCIS Citizenship Resource Center

• Community Defense Trainings from the Immigration Advocates Network

• Deportation Defense Manual – Make the Road NY (Spanish version)

• Creating An Action Plan – A Guide for Community Leaders 

• Organized Communities Against Deportations 

• Printable Know Your Rights/ICIRR Hotline Cards

• Resources to Prepare for Raids and Other Immigration Enforcement Actions
• What to Do If You See ICE Activity

• City of Chicago – College Access for Undocumented Students
• CollegeBoard: Lista de Planificación Para la Universidad y Carreras
• ¿Como Apoya a Los Estudiantes Indocumentados en su Camino a la Universidad? Consejos para los padres
• Financial Aid & Scholarships for Undocumented Students
• Illinois Board of Higher Education Undocumented Student Liaisons
• ISAC Information for Non-Eligible Noncitizens
• MALDEF Scholarship Information Guide

• • ACLU: What to Do If You Are Stopped By Police (ESP Available)

    Illinois Department of Human Rights – Deferred Action for Labor Enforcement: On a case-by-case basis, IDHS provides undocumented or noncitizen workers who file discrimination charges or cooperate in our investigations a “Statement of Interest” to support their deferred action application. An FAQ regarding this process can be found here.

    Immigrant Legal Resource Center – Red Cards

    All people in the United States, regardless of immigration status, have certain rights and protections under the U.S. Constitution. The ILRC’s Red Cards help people assert their rights and defend themselves in many situations, such as when ICE agents go to a home.

    Know Your Parental Rights if You Are Arrested by ICE in the United States: Fact sheet from the Women’s Refugee Commission. Spanish available here.

    Know Your Rights and What Immigrant Families Should Do Now: It’s important for everyone to know their rights if approached by an immigration (ICE) agent as well as how families can best prepare for something happening. This resource provides practical tips for things immigrant families can do now to prepare as well as information on rights everyone has in the United States, regardless of immigration status. (Available in Spanish, Russian, Chinese, Korean, Arabic, Vietnamese and Tagalog.) 

    Know Your Rights & Resources for Asylum Seekers – State of Illinois: Regardless of your immigration status, the U.S. Constitution provides you with basic rights, including due process and equal protection rights. As an immigrant, refugee or asylum seeker, you have different rights to federal protection and services consistent with your immigration status in the U.S. Fact sheet available in Spanish, Polish, Arabic, Hindi, Chinese and Russian.

    Know Your Rights While Protesting as a Non-Citizen: This pamphlet from the National Lawyers Guild Chicago offers guidance on the Constitutional rights of non-citizens and guidance for encounters with law enforcement, especially during protests. A Spanish version can be found here.

    Legal Aid at Work – Workplace Raids: Workers Rights: This fact sheet offers information on workplace raids — including your rights during a raid — plus tips on how to prepare for a raid at your workplace. It also describes how raids are conducted. Remember that everyone has rights during a workplace raid — regardless of their immigration status. Available in Spanish and Chinese.

    Plyler v. Doe Information from MALDEF

    Training & Materials from Immigration Advocates Network

    What to Do if Immigration Comes to Your Workplace

    Undocumented Students’ Rights in K-12 Ed: A memo created by EducationCounsel outlining the rights of undocumented students in K-12 public schools in the event of further attacks on DACA. 

• A Guide for Parents in Illinois who are Undocumented: Planning for your Children in Case of Detention or Deportation
• AFT Protecting Our Students One-Pager
• Coalition for Immigrant Mental Health – Finding Mental Health Support and Crisis Counseling
• Newcomer Families and Winters in the Midwest – A Best Practices Guide by IRC Specialist Carly Spina
• Reimagining Mental Health Support for Migrants – A Free Comprehensive Online Course from the Coalition for Immigrant Mental Health (CIMH) and Lurie Children’s Hospital
• Supporting Immigrant and Refugee Children: A Guide for Parents and Caregivers (Spanish version here)
• UndocuBlack Network Mental Wellness Initiative
• Welcoming Refugees – Webinars & Resources

After the Election: Ideas for Teachers of ELLs: Originally created by our friends at Colorin, Colorado after the 2016 election, but many of the resources and guidance presented here are still relevant for supporting students and promoting conversation. 

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals – A Guide for Educators & School Support Staff: This guide was created for educators and service providers who teach, mentor and help our American undocumented youth (DREAMers). Educators, school support staff and service providers are often the first individuals a student comes out to as an undocumented immigrant, a trend that will likely continue under the federal government program Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). It’s critically important that educators and service providers know about the tools and resources available to help DACA recipients and DACA-eligible students. 

IFT – Education & Support for Newcomers: IFT has compiled some resources for educators to help you understand, support, and teach these new students who are living through the trauma of displacement, political violence, and war.

Illinois Childhood Trauma Coalition: The Illinois Childhood Trauma Coalition’s Committee on Refugee and Immigrant Children and Trauma (RIC) was founded in 2015 to address the critical, unique and growing needs of children and families from refugee and immigrant communities. They have resources for talking to children about trauma and professional development. 

Immigrant & Refugee Children: A Guide for Educators & School Support Staff: Tools and resources to help protect and prepare youth and families in case of an immigration and customs enforcement (ICE) raid.

Immigrant Trauma & Mental Health Resources: Immigration is a traumatic experience for many immigrant families and children. Fleeing persecution or natural disasters, experiencing violence during their journey, and the stress of adjusting to a new life in the U.S. can take a toll on mental health. The ILC Public Education Institute has compiled these articles, videos and other resources to help.

ISBE Multilingual Department Newcomer Resources: Resources regarding Title III, newcomer toolkits from OELA, NCELA and more, and social-emotional support and resources for newcomers. 

Learning for Justice – Immigration Resources: Tell complex stories about immigration in the United States and find strategies for serving immigrant students and families. These resources can help you teach accurately about immigration and offer undocumented and ELL students resources and support. Address immigration myths, research changing demographics and explore the value of a diverse society.

My (Un)Documented Life: Long-running blog with up-to-date information and first-person perspectives by and for undocumented students and their families.

Navigating Tough Topics in the Classroom – Tips for ELL Educators: There are a number of steps that caring educators can take to build community, establish shared guidelines, and ensure that English language learners (ELLs) and immigrant students are included and supported in these discussions in meaningful ways — steps can make a significant difference when tough topics arise.

Seeking Sanctuary: How Schools Can Protect and Advocate for Undocumented Students: This policy brief from Generation Progress focuses on higher education, but some guidance can be applied to the K-12 realm as well. 

Undocumented Students’ Rights in K-12 Ed: A memo created by EducationCounsel outlining the rights of undocumented students in K-12 public schools in the event of further attacks on DACA.