Resources for Immigrant Families

Guides to City Services Regardless of Immigration Status

Created by The Mayor's Office for Immigrant Advancement, the Guide to City Services provides information such as housing, healthcare, education, immigrant rights and food assistance for our fellow Bostonians regardless of immigration status. This guide is available in the following languages:

Emergency Planning Guide for Families

The Massachusetts Office of Attorney General Maura Healey put together a Guide for parents with uncertain immigration status since they may be concerned about the care and custody of their children in the event of sudden detention or deportation by federal immigration officials. The guides provide legal options to consider and are currently available in English, Portuguese, Spanish, and Haitian Creole.

Planning for a Family Emergency Packet

In a time of increased immigration enforcement, many immigrant families are looking for resources to proactively prepare in the event that they are detained and thereby separated from their children. The Planning for a Family Emergency Packet provides an overview of an immigrant’s constitutional rights when confronted by law enforcement as well as introduce key legal tools including how to assist immigrant parents in filling out specific forms to temporarily authorize someone to care for their children including accessing school, medical and other needs in case they are detained or separated.

Materials produced by Massachusetts Law Reform Institute in collaboration with the following organizations: ACLU of Massachusetts, Catholic Charities Archdiocese of Boston, Children’s Law Center of Massachusetts, Community Legal Services and Counseling Center, Greater Boston Legal Services, Harvard Immigration and Refugee Clinic, Kids in Need of Defense, Massachusetts Appleseed Center for Law and Justice, Northeast Justice Center, and the Political Asylum/Immigration Representation Project

Know Your Rights

The Immigrant Defense Project has developed Know Your Rights flyers, booklets and posters in various language available at their site. The link will provide you with access to the following resources listed below.

The National Immigrant Law Center (NILC) put together a "Know Your Rights No Matter Who is the President" fact sheet, which provides information on basic rights and suggestions on how to assert your rights regardless of your current legal status. Please click on the below links to view the fact sheet.

American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU): Know your Rights: Stopped by Police, Immigration Agents or FBI

In the city of Boston, Mayor Walsh has promised to continue developing trusting relationships between law enforcement and the immigrant community. It is vital to know that documented and undocumented immigrants alike can continue to rely on the Boston Police department when reporting crimes. In the event that you or your family are stopped by a law enforcement official, it's important to understand your rights. The ACLU collected this information into a single document which can be found below in various languages.

Qualification to Stay in the U.S.

iAmerica, a website filled with interactive tools and information for immigrants, has developed an excellent tool to help you find out what is your path for staying in the U.S. Make sure to visit their site here and complete their Immi interview tool. Available in both English and Spanish(Español)

Supporting Your Immigrant Children

Kalina Brabeck, Associate Professor of Counseling, Educational Leadership and School Psychology at Rhode Island College and M. Brinton Lykes, Center for Human Rights and International Justice Co-Director and Professor of Community-Cultural Psychology at Boston College, put together some tips to help parents support their immigrant children after the 2016 election. Please click the following link: Having Difficult Conversations with Children about the US Election: Tips for Immigrant Parents (Available in Spanish/Español ).


The Boston Public Health Commission created an amazing flyer to share useful information with immigrant parents after the 2016 election. They provided recommendations on what parents can do to deal with children's fear and take care of their own needs.

Family Preparedness Plan

Talking to your children about our current political climate is difficult. Nonetheless, it is important to have a plan and prepare in the case of an emergency. The Immigration Legal Resource Center (ILRC) has a great plan to help you prepare for the unexpected and be ready. This plan is available in both English and Spanish(Español).

Guides and Toolkits for Muslim Families

The Boston Public Schools embraces diversity and welcomes students and families from all backgrounds, regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, religion, and ability. Below you will find information to support our families in the Muslim community.

American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)

https://www.aclu.org/feature/know-your-rights-immigration#anti-muslimdiscrimination

    • ACLU created a Know Your Rights Anti-Muslim Discrimination Handout, which is available in the following languages:
    • ACLU also developed a short video in various languages to educate immigrants about what to do when faced anti-Muslim discrimination. Please click the following link in your preferred language to check out the video!

BPS Resource Navigator for EL Parents & Guardians

The Office of English Language Learners proudly shares a Resource Navigator with families that provides a glimpse at some of the most well-known resources available to families in Boston.

This resource navigator is available in:

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