U.S. Community Resources
U.S. Community Resources for Immigrants, Families, and Supporters
If you are an immigrant, refugee, asylum seeker, family member, friend, faith leader, or community supporter, this page brings together trusted resources to help you prepare, respond, and accompany loved ones during moments of uncertainty.
These resources include Know Your Rights materials, emergency planning tools, legal aid directories, immigration court information, detention support, and ways to accompany migrants through JRS/USA’s Migrant Accompaniment Network.
Who This Page Is For
Immigrants and Asylum Seekers
Find resources to understand your rights, prepare for emergencies, locate legal aid, and access support if you or a loved one is detained.
Families and Friends
Learn what to do if someone you love is arrested, detained, facing an ICE check-in, or preparing for immigration court.
Supporters and Faith Communities
Access tools to accompany migrants, host vigils, prepare communities, and respond with care and solidarity.
Start Here: What Do You Need?
Know Your Rights
Find multilingual resources that explain rights during encounters with ICE or law enforcement.
Prepare for an Emergency
Use planning tools to create a family preparedness plan and identify trusted emergency contacts.
Find Legal Help
Locate trusted legal aid and immigration support resources across the United States.
Support a Loved One
Learn what to do if a family member, friend, or community member is detained or has a court date.
Know Your Rights Resources
Everyone in the United States has rights, regardless of immigration status. These partner resources can help immigrants, families, and supporters understand what to do during an encounter with ICE or law enforcement.
Emergency Planning for Immigrant Families
Emergency planning can help families prepare in advance for immigration enforcement, detention, or separation. These tools can help you identify emergency contacts, organize documents, prepare children and caregivers, and connect with trusted legal support.
Find Legal Aid
Immigration law is complex, and legal advice should come from a qualified immigration attorney or accredited representative. Use trusted directories to search for legal aid near you.
If a Loved One Is Detained
If someone you love has been detained, it can be difficult to know where to begin. Start by gathering identifying information, checking detention locator systems, contacting trusted legal help, and documenting all communication.
- Emergency Legal Help: Dial 2150# or call (202) 442-3363
- Court Date Information: 1-800-898-7180
- Family Support Hotline: 1-855-435-7693
- Detainee Locator: ICE Online Detainee Locator System
Helpful Immigration Court Resources
For migrants preparing for immigration court, and for supporters accompanying someone to court, these guides can help explain what to expect and how accompaniment can provide support.
- Court Accompaniment Informational Guide — English
- Court Accompaniment Informational Guide — Spanish
- Immigration Court Case Information
- EOIR Automated Case Information
- 1-800-898-7180
- EOIR Automated Case Information
- Learn more about immigration court accompaniment
How Supporters Can Help
Families, friends, faith communities, and neighbors can play an important role in supporting immigrants and asylum seekers. Support may include helping someone find legal aid, creating an emergency plan, accompanying them to court, sharing trusted resources, or simply being present during moments of fear and uncertainty.
Through the JRS/USA Migrant Accompaniment Network, volunteers can receive training and join others across the country who are accompanying migrants through court hearings, ICE check-ins, and community-based support.
Resources for Parishes and Faith Communities
Catholic parishes, schools, ministries, and faith communities play a vital role in welcoming immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers. Whether your community is looking to learn, pray, advocate, accompany, or respond to an urgent need, these resources can help you take meaningful action.
Accompany
Learn how individuals and parish groups can accompany migrants through immigration court, ICE check-ins, and community-based support.
Educate
Access Catholic teaching, migration resources, and educational materials to help your parish better understand forced displacement and migration.
Advocate
Join advocacy efforts that support refugee protection, humane immigration policies, and the dignity of migrants and asylum seekers.
Pray
Incorporate prayers, reflections, and liturgical resources into parish life to support migrants, refugees, and displaced people worldwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I do if a loved one is detained by immigration officials?
Start by writing down everything you know, including the person’s full legal name, date of birth, country of birth, A-number if available, and last known location. Then contact trusted legal aid, check the ICE detainee locator, and avoid signing documents without legal guidance.
How can I help an immigrant family prepare for an emergency?
Help the family identify emergency contacts, gather important documents, create childcare plans, save legal aid contacts, and understand their rights during encounters with ICE or law enforcement.
Where can immigrants find legal aid in the United States?
Immigrants can use trusted legal aid directories from organizations such as CLINIC, the Immigration Advocates Network, and other nonprofit legal service providers to find qualified help near them.
Can I accompany someone to immigration court?
Yes. Supporters can accompany migrants to immigration court as a moral presence and observer. Volunteers do not provide legal advice unless they are qualified legal representatives.
What should supporters avoid doing?
Supporters should avoid giving legal advice unless they are qualified to do so, sharing unverified information, posting sensitive details publicly, or pressuring someone to take action before they have spoken with trusted legal support.
