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December 2024

When I sat down to write this guide, I found myself wrestling with a familiar feeling of helplessness. As a lawyer and advocate who has worked within the immigrant community, I've witnessed firsthand how quickly policy changes can upend lives. The rising tide of anti-immigrant rhetoric and potential policy shifts on the horizon filled me with a deep concern for our community's future.

But then I remembered something crucial: throughout my journey from an undocumented student to a lawyer with DACA, I learned that even in the darkest times, there are always paths forward. Sometimes they're not the paths we initially hoped for, but they exist. The key is knowing where to look and having the right information to make informed decisions.

This guide emerged from that realization. While I can't predict or prevent political changes, I can share what I've learned about navigating systems and finding opportunities even in challenging circumstances. Each section represents not just information, but hard-won lessons from our community's collective experience.

I wrote this guide as a practical tool, but also as an act of hope. It's my way of saying that no matter what comes next, we will find ways to move forward together. Our community has always been resourceful, resilient, and supportive of each other. This guide is simply one more resource in our collective toolkit.

My greatest hope is that someone will find in these pages the specific information they need to take their next step forward, whether that's pursuing education, understanding their rights, or protecting their family's future. Because ultimately, that's how we've always made progress – one step, one person, one family at a time.

We may not know what the future holds, but we know that knowledge, preparation, and community support are powerful tools. This guide is my contribution to that ongoing work of creating paths forward, even in uncertain times.

Juventino Meza, J.D.

Sharing guide:

If you are inclined to do so, you can download this image (English/Spanish) and share this link https://bit.ly/MnUndocumented to this page to track access. Linking to this page will able automatic updates rather than downloading the guide and uploading to a different website.

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Enero 2025

Cuando me senté a escribir esta guía, me encontré luchando con un sentimiento familiar de impotencia. Como abogado y defensor que ha trabajado dentro de la comunidad inmigrante, he presenciado de primera mano cómo los cambios políticos pueden trastornar vidas rápidamente. La creciente marea de retórica anti-inmigrante y los posibles cambios de política en el horizonte me llenaron de una profunda preocupación por el futuro de nuestra comunidad.

Pero entonces recordé algo crucial: a lo largo de mi viaje desde estudiante indocumentado hasta abogado con DACA, aprendí que incluso en los tiempos más oscuros, siempre hay caminos hacia adelante. A veces no son los caminos que inicialmente esperábamos, pero existen. La clave está en saber dónde buscar y tener la información correcta para tomar decisiones informadas.

Esta guía surgió de esa realización. Aunque no puedo predecir o prevenir cambios políticos, puedo compartir lo que he aprendido sobre cómo navegar sistemas y encontrar oportunidades incluso en circunstancias desafiantes. Cada sección representa no solo información, sino lecciones duramente ganadas de la experiencia colectiva de nuestra comunidad.

Escribí esta guía como una herramienta práctica, pero también como un acto de esperanza. Es mi manera de decir que no importa lo que venga después, encontraremos formas de avanzar juntos. Nuestra comunidad siempre ha sido ingeniosa, resiliente y solidaria entre sí. Esta guía es simplemente un recurso más en nuestro conjunto de herramientas colectivo.

Mi mayor esperanza es que alguien encuentre en estas páginas la información específica que necesita para dar su próximo paso adelante, ya sea persiguiendo educación, entendiendo sus derechos o protegiendo el futuro de su familia. Porque en última instancia, así es como siempre hemos progresado – un paso, una persona, una familia a la vez.

Puede que no sepamos qué nos depara el futuro, pero sabemos que el conocimiento, la preparación y el apoyo comunitario son herramientas poderosas. Esta guía es mi contribución a ese trabajo continuo de crear caminos hacia adelante, incluso en tiempos inciertos.

Juventino Meza, J.D.

Compartiendo la guía: Si está inclinado a hacerlo, puede descargar esta imagen (English/Spanish) y compartir este enlace https://bit.ly/MnUndocumented a esta página para hacer seguimiento del acceso. Enlazar a esta página permitirá actualizaciones automáticas en lugar de descargar la guía y subirla a un sitio web diferente.

Useful Resources for Undocumented Minnesotans:

Updated December 18, 224

This page will continue to change as more resources are identified. It is important that rather than downloading and uploading the guide into your website, that you link directly to the original link (available at https://bit.ly/UndocumentedMN) because updates will be made automatically.

Minnesota Resources for Undocumented Students

• Minnesota Office of Higher Education - Minnesota Dream Act State Grant

• Minnesota Office of Higher Education - FAFSA/MN Dream Act Trainings

• University of Minnesota - Twin Cities: DACA Students

• The Minnesota Dream Act at the University of Minnesota

• University of Minnesota Dream Fund - Emergency Grants

• The University of Minnesota - U Promise Scholarship

• Minnesota Private Colleges Council

• Augsburg University Student Support

• Macalester College Student Admissions and Aid

• St. Olaf College Student Aid

• Gustavus Adolphus College Admissions

• Carleton College Admissions

• University of Saint Thomas Financial Aid Information

• Saint Catherine University Financial Aid Information

• Minnesota State Colleges

• Metropolitan State University Student Support

• Normandale Community College Student Support

• Hennepin Technical College Student Resources

• Inver Hills Community College Student Resources

• Dakota County Technical College Financial Aid Information

• South Central College Financial Aid Information

• Minnesota State University Mankato Financial Aid Information

• Saint Cloud State University Financial Aid Information

• Saint Paul College Types of Financial Aid

• Driver licenses for all

• Portico Healthnet - MinnesotaCare expansion

• Working and Earning an Income While Undocumented*

• Getting an ITIN*

• National Student Exchange*

* Not a Minnesota resource but relevant for Minnesota undocumented folks.

Private Scholarships

• Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers Twin Cities Professional Chapter (SHPE-TC) Academic Scholarship

• Immigrants Rising's List

• My Undocumented Life

• MPOWER Financing

• Dream[ers] Students United

• Scholarships for Undocumented Students

• Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund scholarship list

• Page Education Foundation Scholarships

• Unidos MN List of Scholarships for Undocumented Students (2015)

• Unidos MN Scholarship List sign up

• Golden Door Scholars Program

• TheDream.US Scholarship

Financing resources

• SELF Loan

• Dreamers Graduate Loan Program

• MPOWER Financing

• Mission Asset Fund

Other Minnesota resources

• Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota resource list

• Advocates for Human Rights

• Minnesota Legal Aid

• Portico Healthnet - MinnesotaCare expansion

• Minnesota Latino Affairs Council

• Mn Deot. of Heath - Health Services Directory

• COPAL Resources list

• Legal Kiosk Project - find legal services in your area all over MN

• Chicano Latino Students services list

• Volunteer Lawyers Network Family and Immigration Preparedness Resources: This page contains a compilation of resources and guides. It also includes forms such as Delegation of Parental Authority.  

• Creating safe and supportive schools for immigrant and English learner students: This resource, created by the Minnesota Education Equity partnership, is described as a toolkit for upholding the human and educational rights of Minnesota students.

• Welcoming America Preparation and Rapid Response Resource Collection: This collection of resources, compiled by Welcoming America, is a living document containing multilingual resources and will continue to be updated. 

Legal Clinics from ILCM:

• Walk-in (no appointment needed):

  • Unidos Legal Clinic (Minneapolis)

  • Park Avenue Legal Clinic (Minneapolis)

  • Community Action Center (Faribault)

• By appointment

  • Brian Coyle Center (Minneapolis)

  • Waite House (Minneapolis)

• Other Legal Clinic Options

  • Pillsbury United Community Legal Services (Minneapolis)

  • Volunteer Lawyers Network Clinics (Minneapolis, St. Paul, Faribault)

• Minnesota resettlement agencies

  • Catholic Charities of Southern Minnesota 

  • International Institute of Minnesota 

  • Lutheran Social Services of Minnesota 

  • Minnesota Council of Churches: Refugee Services 

  • Arrive Ministries 

Here is a printable list of services: bit.ly/LegalServicesMN 

Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration resources:

• 10 Practices to Safeguard Undocumented Student Data in Higher Education

• 5 Ways Campuses Can Support Non-Citizen Students and Employees – This one-pager outlines five essential ways U.S. colleges and universities can support non-citizen students and employees during this critical time.

• Handling Uncertainty: Tips for Working with Undocumented Students through their Career Journey – This guide for career advisers, higher ed practitioners, and educators provides essential information and actionable strategies to help undocumented students make informed decisions as they navigate their career journeys.

• Data Protections for FAFSA Information – This guide provides an overview of how FAFSA information is used to determine financial aid eligibility and what protections are in place for families’ personally identifiable information (PII). It also helps counselors address concerns from families about the safety of submitting FAFSA forms.

• Directory of Resources to Support DACA Recipients, Undocumented Students, and Institutions of Higher Education – This page contains a list of all of the Presidents’ Alliance’s materials, including resources, advocacy tools, and best practices, to help institutions of higher education support Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients, undocumented students, and other Dreamers.

Know Your Rights

This section includes practical tips and resources for actions immigrant families can take now to prepare, as well as information about the rights everyone has in the United States, regardless of immigration status.

General Guidance

• Know Your Rights Under the U.S. Constitution – No Matter Who Is President (National Immigration Law Center, April 2024)An overview of your rights as an individual if you have an encounter with ICE and ways to find help.

• Know Your Rights and What Immigrant Families Should Do Now (Immigrant Legal Resource Center, April 2017) This resource provides practical tips for things immigrant families can do now to prepare as well as information on rights everyone has in the United States, regardless of immigration status.

• Know Your Rights Cards (New York Youth Leadership Council) Printable Know Your Rights cards in different languages and KYR videos in English and Spanish.

• Warrants & Subpoenas: What to Look Out for and How to Respond (National Immigration Law Center) This factsheet clarifies immigration enforcement and subpoena powers and what to do in response to receiving an immigration warrant or subpoena.

Workplace Rights

• A Guide for Employers: What to Do if Immigration Comes to Your Workplace (National Immigration Law Center, November 2024) This guide provides practical advice for addressing immigration-related actions in the workplace. First published in December 2017, it is available in multiple languages, including Chinese, Korean, Spanish, and Thai.

• Frequently Asked Questions: DACA and Your Workplace Rights (National Immigration Law Center, June 2024) In light of the ongoing uncertainty about the future of DACA, our FAQ provides background on your workplace rights as a worker with DACA. Originally published in September 2017.

Protest and Civic Participation

• 10 Things Noncitizen Protestors Need to Know (Immigrant Legal Resource Center, May 2024) A one-pager in English and Spanish to learn about the top 10 things noncitizen protestors should know before they take to the streets to exercise their rights.

• Know Your Rights: Immigrants’ Participation in Protests (National Immigration Law Center, November 2020) This resource provides immigrants and their allies with accurate information so that immigrants can know their rights, understand the possible risks of participating in protests, and feel empowered to participate meaningfully, safely, and fully in our democracy

Community Resources

• Rapid Response Toolkit (CLINIC, November 2024) The newly released toolkit is based on best practices and lessons learned from communities conducting rapid responses during ICE raids and arrests. It provides a plan of action for communities to support and guide people during and after a raid, as well as how-to-guide and a model notebook to help you build an inclusive  rapid response team.

• Train-the-Trainer Workshop, Community Slides and KYR Presentations (Immigrant Defense Project) Immigrant Defense Project has a Train-the-Trainers Workshop to prepare advocates, teachers, organizers, and allies to give Know-Your-Rights presentations to others.

• Lessons from East Tennessee: A Toolkit for Organizations Responding to Mass Worksite Immigration Raids (National Immigration Law Center, May 2019) This resource is designed for advocates to respond immediately when ICE conducts a worksite raid in their community.

Detention and Deportation Defense

This section includes information and resources about how to prepare against and act effectively if immigrants are detained or have a deportation order.

Support and Visitation

• Help for People in Detention or Facing Deportation (Informed Immigrant) This resource provides an overview of what to expect if someone is detained or is experiencing a potential deportation, how to locate a loved one if they have been picked up or transferred to ICE, and more.

• How to Visit Someone in Detention (Detention Watch Network) Introductory guide to immigration detention visitation for those wishing to volunteer to visit detainees and provide them with friendship and company.

Preparedness

• Deportation Defense Manual (Make the Road New York) This manual provides information, resources and a guide to create a plan of action to protect targeted communities against hyper enforcement perpetuated by ICE. 

• Step-by-Step Family Preparedness Plan (Immigrant Legal Resource Center, November 2024) This Resource Toolkit goes into detail about different childcare options available in case of an absent parent, where to find trusted immigration services in your community, and how to prepare to assert your constitutional rights in the presence of an immigration officer.

• Immigration Preparedness Toolkit (Immigrant Legal Resource Center, April 2020) This free toolkit offers in-depth, yet easily accessible information that outlines the basics about a variety of topics including: your rights during ICE confrontations, the different types of immigration options available, ideas for building your consultation roadmap, and tips on covering your bases while waiting for relief.

• Know Your Rights Resource Library (Informed Immigrant, November 2024) This resource library provides information on immigrant defense, KYR for various scenarios, how to use a red card, how to prepare for an immigration raid and what to do if someone you know gets arrested.

• Deportation 101 (Immigrant Defense Project)Deportation 101 is a training tool that educates and builds the capacity of immigrant and criminal justice service providers, immigrant leaders, and community organizers to respond to their members’ and clients’ needs as they interact with the criminal justice system. 

• Differences between ICE, ISAP, and Immigration Court (Innovation Law Lab, January 2022) This Innovation Law Lab resource is an explainer video outlining the difference between ICE, ISAP, and Immigration Court.

Legal Support

In this section you can find information and resources that help individuals access available and reputable legal services.

• How to Find an Immigration Lawyer (Informed Immigrant) This guide provides information on how to find a good immigration lawyer, where to find one, how to prepare to meet with a lawyer, and how to avoid fraud.

• Find a Service Organization Near You (Informed Immigrant) Find legal providers, social workers, community organizers and others by zip code.

• Find an Attorney (National Immigration Project) National Immigration Project attorney search network by state. 

• AILA Private Immigration Lawyer Search Tool (American Immigration Lawyers Association) Find legal providers by state.

• iAmerica: Legal Services Search Tool (iAmerica) Find legal providers by zip code.

• National Immigration Legal Services Directory (National Immigration Law Center) You can search for immigration legal services providers by state, county, or detention facility. Only nonprofit organizations that provide free or low-cost immigration legal services are included in this directory.

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If you want to suggest changes or additions, please email: juventino[at]juventino-meza.com and someone will review your suggestions.