Undocumented Immigrant Families: Rights and Resources

It’s helpful to know how to reach your country’s consulate in case of an emergency or if you need assistance. Consulates can provide a range of services, including passport renewal, legal support, and guidance in the event of detention. Here’s how you can access these services. 

This toolkit provides detained and deported immigrant and undocumented mothers and fathers with crucial information they need to protect and maintain parental rights and make well-informed, critical decisions regarding the care and welfare of their children. It includes information on how to get a lawyer, how to stay in touch with children, and how to participate in family court or child welfare hearings.

The ICIRR Family Support Network connects immigrant communities throughout Illinois to a full range of support in collaboration with member organizations.

This website offers a comprehensive guide for Illinois’ immigrant communities to know their rights and access essential resources.

The website provides list of steps and resources immigrants can use to prepare and defend themselves if agents come to their home or job, or approach them in public.

This resource for immigrant parents details the rights that parents have while being apprehended and detained. Under its own policies, ICE has a responsibility to ensure that detained parents have a say in the care of their children and keeping them safe. Downloads are available in English and Spanish. 

The website provides information on how immigrants can protect themselves and their family and defend their rights. Downloadable documents are available in Spanish, French, and Pashto. 

This website explains how undocumented parents may legally retain their parental rights even if detained or deported, but that practical obstacles often make it difficult for them to remain involved in their children’s lives. It also describes how undocumented status is sometimes treated by courts and child-welfare professionals as evidence of “unfitness,” despite laws that do not automatically revoke rights solely because of immigration status. 

This website provides a list of guides designed to help families plan for an emergency, like being detained by La Migra (ICE), getting sick, or having to leave home suddenly.

This website explains specific protections and options available to immigrants in family court such as filing petitions, seeking child support or orders of protection, and determining if they may qualify for lawful-permanent-resident status or other immigration relief.