We all know by now that President-elect Trump has promised the largest deportation program in U.S. history. This understandably has many of our immigrant students and their families worried. Due to Plyer v. Doe, we don't ask immigration status in schools, though many of our students and families confide in us that they are undocumented or perhaps fear becoming undocumented if the program they are here on is terminated (i.e. Temporary Protected Status, humanitarian parole, etc.).
So what are educators supposed to do if an immigrant student or family asks for help? First let us start with what NOT to do. You are not an immigration attorney. Let me repeat that. You. Are. Not. An. Immigration. Attorney. So whatever you do, do not try to advise your students or families about their options because there is a good chance you could make their situation worse! Furthermore, please do not promise them "everything will be ok" because you don't know that.
Here's what you can and should do if families ask you for help. This short list is most appropriate for school counselors, social workers, community school coordinators and the like, because these types of resources and conversations should already be in their wheelhouse. If you are a teacher (even an EL/ML teacher), I would strongly encourage you to partner with your school counselor or similar colleague to tag team here (even if it's more of a learning opportunity for them).
Consider the following 3 steps:
Refer the family to a pro bono immigration attorney. Here are a few key national directories:
Help the family create a family preparedness plan or at least give them one of the following resources. (Note: this type of plan is a collection of documents and important information about family member’s medical history, childcare preferences, social security numbers, financial matters, and more. A preparedness plan also outlines immediate and longer-term actions to be taken if a member of the family is detained or otherwise at risk.)
Give the family "know your rights" materials.
The Immigrant Legal Resource Center's “Red Cards” help people assert their rights and defend themselves in many situations, such as when approached by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Available in 16 languages and can be printed for free or ordered for a fee.
Know Your Rights Under the U.S. Constitution – No Matter Who Is President (available in English, Spanish, Chinese, Arabic, and Korean).
And there you have it. As non-attorneys, your role pretty much stops there, at least in terms of how you can help individual families. Are there broader things schools and districts can do to support immigrant students and families? Sure! Many schools and districts have policies related to ICE, school board resolutions, training for teachers on creating a welcoming climate, and so on and so forth, but those are for another blog post. We hope this short, targeted list of steps to take has been helpful.