Supporting Illinois’ Child Care and School Communities—
Know Your Rights Resources
In response to recent federal executive orders challenging citizenship and creating fear and uncertainty in diverse community spaces including in child care and school settings, Advance Illinois has compiled a list of resources to help superintendents, educators, providers and organizations support their communities. These resources include information on understanding one’s rights in immigration and legal situations, as well as guidance on how those affected can access necessary support.
American Civil Liberty Liberties Union (ACLU)
We Have Rights
Scenario Videos Empowerment videos in different languages to prepare for and safely defend our rights during encounters with Immigration & Customs Enforcement
Immigrant Legal Resource Center
Know Your Rights printable red cards (multiple languages)
United We Dream, National Immigration Law Center, First Focus and the AFT
Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights
Know Your Rights (multiple languages)
ILLINOIS RESOURCES
State and Local Government
Illinois Attorney General’s Office:
Illinois Department of Human Services:
Early Childhood
Every Child Ready Chicago
Passcode: ftEi5!SL
Illinois Cares for Kids : Know Your Rights (multiple languages)
The Illinois Department of Human Services, Division of Early Childhood will continue to provide additional resources as information becomes available.
K-12
Illinois State Board of Education
Multilingual Newcomer Resources Immigration, District, SEL resources for newcomers, refugees, and immigrants
Chicago Public Schools
Guidance and Resources Regarding New Presidential Administration The content on this page will continue to evolve based on CPS response to policy changes at the federal level. (multiple languages)
Higher Ed
Various Illinois postsecondary institutions have general and campus-focused resources to support undocumented students.
United We Dream
The Resurrection Project – Immigrant Justice
Know Your Rights (multiple languages)
Workshops
Resource and workshop information for families directly impacted by ICE
Illinois Dream Fund
Know Your Rights Guide and Other Resources includes the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights’ Deportation Safety Plan (multiple languages) to help ensure the safety of a family’s children, property, or other assets.
NATIONAL ECE RESOURCES
The Center for Law and Social Policy
Safe Space Guide This guide gives practitioners, advocates, and policymakers information and resources to design and implement “safe space” policies that safeguard early childhood programs against immigration enforcement.
Children Thrive Action Network
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
National Immigration Law Center (NILC) and Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition
A Toolkit for Organizations Responding to Mass Worksite Immigration Raids toolkit advocates can reference to respond the moment ICE conducts a worksite raid in their community.
American Immigration Lawyers Association
If ICE Visits a Home, Employer, or Public Space Handouts in multiple languages
National Partnership for New Americans
NPNA Community Navigator & Inclusion Institute Trainings Provides training and technical assistance to nonprofits and local and state government agencies to better serve and engage immigrant and refugee communities.
Please contact communications@advanceillinois.org if you encounter any links that no longer work.
What To Do
Learn more here about your rights as an immigrant, and how to express them from ACLU
Empowerment videos in different languages to prepare for and safely defend our rights during encounters with Immigration & Customs Enforcement
We Have Rights – Scenario Videos
Know Your Rights printable red cards in multiple languages
Early Childhood Resources for Families and Providers
Every Child Ready Chicago
ECRC Advisory Committee Meeting 01.28.25 - Recording Passcode: ftEi5!SL
Illinois Cares for Kids: Know Your Rights - The Illinois Department of Human Services, Division of Early Childhood will continue to provide additional resources as information becomes available.
National ECE Resources
NAEYC Safe Space Guide
Children Thrive Action Network Protecting Locations from Immigration Enforcement - For Providers
Workshops in Illinois
Immigrant Justice - Resurrection Project:
Know Your Rights Workshop for those directly impacted: Sign-up
Workshop for professionals/ designed for non-legal staff, info below. Sign up here for a workshop on February 14, 2025.
If you know a family who was directly impacted by ICE, they can sign up for workshop here
News Coverage
Borderless Magazine A nonprofit and multilingual news outlet that focuses on immigrant stories and has been on the ground reporting on recent immigration concerns.
Additional Resources
llinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights
Illinois Dream Fund Know Your Rights
Illinois Department of Human Rights
National Immigration Law Center: Know Your Rights
A Toolkit for Organizations Responding to Mass Worksite Immigration Raids
American Immigration Lawyers Association
National Immigrant Justice Center
Immigrant Legal Resources Center
Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund
Immigrant Community Resources for case management services, legal services, domestic violence, health care access, mental health services, LGBTQ+ resources, human trafficking and family support network resources