More than 46 million people living in the United States were born elsewhere. Their positive contributions are immeasurable, but their rights are under attack. President Trump’s recent immigration executive orders seek to increase immigration detention, upend constitutional due process, threaten sanctuary jurisdictions, decimate legal pathways to residency and citizenship, and more. These actions are designed to cause confusion, sow chaos and dysfunction, and waste resources. They are cruel, extreme, and legally suspect.
This guide of Vera-verified information and resources was created to help immigrants navigating these challenging times along with advocates striving for a humane and just immigration system.
On this page:
Know Your Rights and Planning Resources
If you are at risk of being arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and detained or deported, many organizations offer resources to help you and your family prepare.
For urgent needs, ReadytoStay.org
offers information on rapidly changing immigration policies and connects immigrants to local legal aid services.
The Immigrant Defense Project and American Civil Liberties Union offer general “Know Your Rights” materials to help you understand and assert your rights.
The Acacia Center for Justice’s legal guides and videos can help you navigate various immigration situations, including applying for bond from immigration detention. Similarly, LawHelp.org’s Immigration Legal Help hub outlines legal options available to immigrants in the United States and contact information for local organizations providing a range of immigration legal services. The Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project offers a series of videos specifically tailored for people seeking asylum. The Mayan League offers resources for people who speak Indigenous languages.
State-Specific Legal Help and Resources
In the criminal legal system, people are guaranteed the right to an attorney, but that same right does not exist in immigration court, even though the consequences can be just as severe—if not worse. Immigration proceedings are incredibly complex and nearly impossible to understand without legal representation, and those challenges are far greater for people in immigration detention. During the first Trump administration, Vera founded the Safety & Fairness for Everyone (SAFE) Network to build publicly funded immigration legal defense programs at the state and local levels, ensuring that people facing deportation have access to a lawyer. Additionally, if you are seeking legal help, the Immigration Legal Resources Pro Bono Net’s National Immigration Legal Services Directory can provide you with a list of local legal aid organizations.
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