Know Your Rights & Legal Aid Resources
Minnesota Education Equity Partnership (MNEEP) Toolkit
Guide for teachers for school immigration protocols and creating supportive classroom environments. This outlines the legal and ethical responsibilities of providing education access for all. Made for K-12 educators but may be useful for ABE programs too.
National Employment Law Project (NELP) Guide for Employers
The NELP guide provides employers with essential steps to take if immigration enforcement comes to the workplace, including understanding rights and responsibilities, preparing for ICE visits, and protecting workers’ rights during immigration actions.
Immigration Enforcement Guidance for Educators (MN Attorney General’s Office)
Memorandum from Keith Ellison’s office discussing ways schools can support students’ communities and the protections offered under state and federal law. Offers citations specific to Minnesota law. Intended for K-12 schools but also useful for ABE programs. Current as of February 2025. Full press release included here.
This directory contains contact information for local advocates and organizations that assist with human rights.
School Crisis Playbook: Deportation Response (updated 02.13.2025)
Provided by Fugees Family, Inc. that navigates deportation policies with practical tools and preparedness.
Quick Reference for School Officials (California Department of Justice)
This provides a step-by-step guidance on what to do if an immigration-enforcement officer comes to your school.
Executive Orders Affecting Nonprofits
From the MN Council of Nonprofits, this provides guidance on what the National Council of Nonprofits knows about executive orders that will directly or peripherally impact the charitable nonprofit sector.
Refugee and Immigrant Helpline (MN Department of Human Services)
1-800-814-4806 or [email protected] helps to connect immigrants and refugees with statewide resources for jobs, legal help, housing assistance, etc. Navigators speak English, Spanish, Ukrainian, and Russian; other languages available through telephonic interpreters.
Printable Know Your Rights Red Cards (Immigrant Legal Resource Center)
Includes PDFs and instructions for printing your own “red cards” for distribution. Available in 18 languages, including Amharic, Tigrinya, Ukranian, Hmong, French, and Spanish (no Oromo, Somali, or Karen). The organization suggests printing them double sided on heavy red card stock.
Red Cards for Purchase (Printed Union)
Professionally printed Know Your Rights “red cards.” Available in 18 languages (see above). Prices begin at $40 for 100 cards, with discounts for larger orders. Double sided (English and other language of choice).
Immigration Policy Tracking Project (Yale Law School)
Tracks changes to U.S. immigration law and policy. You can search by specific immigration status under “subject matter” category to see latest updates and announcements.
Factsheet: Warrants and Subpoenas (National Immigration Law Center)
Discusses the differences between judicial and administrative warrants and subpoenas, using the example of a school asked to release an immigrant student’s records. PDF that includes examples of what these documents may look like.
Step-by-Step Family Preparedness Plan (Immigrant Legal Resource Center)
Walks through various topics to help families to prepare themselves for interaction and possible detention with law enforcement, particularly immigration. California-focused but general idea applicable to all states.
Rapid Response Toolkit (Catholic Legal Immigration Network, CLINIC)
Instructions for setting up preparedness plans to be used before, during, and after immigration raids. Includes advice for setting up a rapid response team and communicating with media and the wider community.
Toolkit: Higher Education for Immigrant Students (National Immigration Law Center)
Information on higher education access to immigrants, with a focus on availability of enrollment and financial aid for undocumented students. Includes state-by-state information and updates on ongoing advocacy. May be useful for GED or College Readiness instructors.
Rights and Protections Hub: Protecting Campus Community Members (Higher Ed Immigration Portal)
Collection of resources for teachers and administrators discussing school policies re: release of immigrant student data and what to do if immigration officers come to campus. Focused on higher ed but general ideas can be applied to ABE programs also.
Unauthorized Practice of Immigration Law (Catholic Legal Immigration Network, CLINIC)
One-page sheet giving advice for working with an immigration attorney or representative and ensuring that person is authorized to practice. May be useful to give to students who mention they are looking for an immigration lawyer, or for instructors helping students obtain legal assistance. Information is also available as a PDF.
Your Rights If Immigration Shows Up at Work (Legal Aid at Work)
FAQ discussing topics such as what to do if immigration officers come to a workplace, which spaces they are allowed to enter, and the difference between an “immigration raid” and an “immigration audit”.
How to Find an Immigration Lawyer (Informed Immigrant)
Provides advice for finding an immigration lawyer, red flags and green flags when communicating with lawyers, and links to several nationwide lawyer directories.
Know Your Rights Trainings (MN Immigrant Rights Action Committee, MIRAC)
Available to arrange volunteer-led “Know Your Rights” trainings at local sites and organizations. Also has a 30-minute “Know Your Rights” video in Spanish presented by an immigration attorney.
Minnesota Nonprofit Legal Aid Providers:
- Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota (ILCM) 1-800-223-1368
- Services Offered: Immigration – most (but not all) types of cases, including ICE detainees, DACA, U visa, T visa, VAWA, citizenship, TPS, SIJS, and others
- Who is Eligible? Immigrant residents of MN or ND; income at or below 187.5% of federal poverty guidelines
- The Advocates for Human Rights (612) 341-9845
- Services Offered: Immigration – asylum seekers, Afghan evacuees, detainees, T visa, minors
- Who is Eligible? Residents of MN, ND, or SD; cases will be screened at intake
- Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid (MMLA) 1-877-696-6529
- Services Offered: Immigration – deportation defense, citizenship, U/T visa, VAWA, some green card applications
- Who is Eligible? Low income or senior; residents of 20 central MN counties (includes Hennepin)
- Services Offered: Immigration – deportation defense, citizenship, U/T visa, VAWA, some green card applications
- Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services (SMRLS) (651) 222-5863
- Services Offered: Immigration – citizenship, green card adjustment, replacement green cards
- Who is Eligible? Low income or senior; residents of 33 counties of southern MN (includes Ramsey, Washington, Dakota)
- International Institute of Minnesota (651) 377-8642
- Services Offered: Immigration – citizenship, green card renewal, refugee/asylee adjustment, T visa, DACA renewal, work permit renewal
- Who is Eligible? No eligibility restrictions – services are low cost, not free
- Arrive Ministries 612-798-4332
- Services Offered: Immigration – citizenship, family petitions, refugee/asylee follow-to-join, green cards
- Who is Eligible? No eligibility restrictions – services are low cost, not free
- Volunteer Lawyers Network (612) 752-6677
- Services Offered: Immigration, bankruptcy, debt collection, employment, family law, housing law, general civil issues (call for specifics)
- Who is Eligible? Income restrictions – call for details