Immigration Resources & Links

NOTE: This information is provided for general awareness only and should not be considered legal advice. Those with specific questions about their rights should consult an attorney.

• You have the right to remain silent and refuse to answer questions if stopped by federal agents or law enforcement — even if there is a warrant.
• You do not have to share your birthplace, your immigration or citizenship status, or the birthplace or status of anyone else.
• You are not required to consent to a search (please be aware that local police do have the right to pat you down if they reasonably suspect a weapon).
• You do not need to let any agent into your home unless they have a warrant signed by a judge.
• If stopped on the street, you have the right to ask if you are free to leave.

Illinois Coalition for Immigration and Refugee Rights (ICIRR) Family Support Network and Hotline

[ English |  Spanish ]

The purpose of the ICIRR Family Support Network (FSN) is to connect immigrant communities throughout Illinois to a full range of support in collaboration with member organizations

Know Your Rights Resource Guide [ English |  Spanish |  French ]

Chicago IMMR’s Resource Linktree

The Mayor’s Office of Immigrant, Migrant, and Refugee Rights (IMMR) has issued a Know Your Rights Resource Guide, which includes critical information about legal services and hotlines, key protections like the Welcoming City Ordinance, emergency family planning resources, healthcare options for all, including undocumented individuals, and details about how to recognize and report hate crimes and hate incidents. Visit the IMMR’s Linktree for more resources.

City of Chicago's Know Your Rights Flyer [ English ]

Know and Exercise Your Rights [ English, Korean ]

This resource provided by the National Korean American Service & Education Consortium (NAKASEC), showing students and families how they can protect themselves and defend their rights

Refugee Rights Rights Card [ English, Spanish | Mandarin, Polish ]

The Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR) Rights Card can be printed out and easily carried.

Know Your Rights Fact Sheet [ English | Polish | Spanish ]

The Illinois Attorney General's website provides critical information that can help students and families protect themselves and defend their rights.

Know Your Rights and What Immigrant Families Should Do Now [ English | Spanish | Chinese | Korean | Arabic | Russian | Tagalog | Vietnamese ]

This resource provided by the Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC) shows actions that families can take to prepare themselves.

The U.S. Supreme Court established in the 1982 case Plyer v. Doe that children cannot be denied a free public education based on their immigration status or their family’s immigration status. This protects the right to education for all students.

On January 21, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced that it would end a longstanding federal policy that placed restrictions on the conduct of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as it relates to schools. Under the longstanding policy, schools were considered “sensitive locations,” where ICE agents were restricted from carrying out enforcement actions, with some exceptions. While the Department of Homeland Security has not yet released text of the new policy, the announcement states that ICE agents should use "common sense" when carrying out enforcement actions.

Regardless of this policy change, CPS will continue to actively protect students, staff, and their families. In accordance with the Illinois Trust Act and Chicago's Welcoming City Ordinance, CPS:

• DOES NOT ask for our families' immigration status
• WILL NOT coordinate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)
• DOES NOT share student records with ICE, except in the rare case where there is a court order or consent from the parent/guardian
• WILL NOT allow ICE agents access to CPS facilities unless they produce a criminal judicial warrant signed by a federal judge
• WILL NOT admit ICE agents into our schools based upon an administrative warrant, an ICE detainer, or other document issued by an agency enforcing civil immigration law

CPS has provided detailed guidance to school leaders and the appropriate school-based staff regarding interactions with ICE, and is actively providing training to support this guidance.