Immigration Legal Help

If your loved one is illegally detained, they might be able to get out of detention by filing a “Habeas Petition.” Write the information in this form down to help with a Habeas Petition: Risk of Detention Form. Give the information to a lawyer.

Free Legal Help:
Call the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota at 651-641-1011 during detention line intake hours: Monday-Thursday: 1 – 3 p.m. They have free lawyers. BUT, they don’t have enough lawyers to help everyone. But you should still apply for free help.

Find a Paid Lawyer
Paid immigration lawyers in Minnesota are very busy right now. You might have to call many lawyers to find someone who can help. You usually pay lawyers a “retainer” to have them on call. The retainer works like a "starter fund" for future legal work they do for you. You usually pay about $5,000-$15,000 for a retainer, but it depends on the lawyer and your case. Here are 3 places we recommend using to find paid lawyers: 

• The Minnesota Lawyer Referral and Information Service (MNLRIS) is a public service of the Hennepin and Ramsey County Bar Associations. It is designed to connect people who have legal concerns with private attorneys. Referral counselors are not attorneys; however, they can provide general information about the legal process and the local legal community, help you focus on the legal issues you're facing and determine the area of law in which you need assistance, and help you set up an appointment with screened and qualified attorneys. Lawyer Referral charges a $30 administrative fee to maintain this service. There is no additional charge by the attorney for the initial consultation.
  
  Complete an Online Self-Referral form or talk to a referral counselor by calling 612-752-6699 during regular business hours: Monday to Friday, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
   
• www.ailalawyer.com: To find lawyers, search www.ailalawyer.com. For Type of lawyer, choose "Detained Immigrants." For State/Province, choose Minnesota.
   
• The Advocates for Human Rights maintains a list of lawyers who help with immigration law: The Advocates for Human Rights Lawyer Referral List

In special cases, like if your loved one is detained without their medicine, your U.S. Senator or Representative may be able to help. Minnesota has 2 U.S. Senators who represent the whole state. Minnesota has 8 U.S. Representatives who each represent one part of the state. Go to their websites to find out how to call them or send a request form for help.

• Find your U.S. Representative
• Senator Amy Klobuchar: Call 612-727-5220 for immigration help
• Senator Tina Smith: Call 651-221-1016

If you or someone you know needs their immigration bond paid, fill out the Midwest Immigration Bond Fund Intake Application. Do not fill out the application unless bond has been granted.

If they are detained in Texas, New Mexico, or Colorado, you can ask for help from the Contigo Immigrant Justice.

• To get help for people detained by ICE, including getting money added to their inmate account so they can talk to their families, Conversations with Friends might be able to help: Conversations with Friends Programs
   
• For more help, like finding food and rent support:
  • call Monarca Rapid Response Line: (612) 441-2881
  • call COPAL Navigator Line: (612) 255-3112

• How to Find a Loved One After a U.S. Immigration Arrest
   
• Resources for People Detained or Worried About Being Detained
   
• Know Your Rights: What to Do if You Are Arrested or Detained by Immigration
   
• Immigration Bonds

Free Legal Help: 
VLN’s Deportation Preparedness Phone Service helps clients understand what they can do to take care of the family members, personal property, and financial obligations they may leave behind if they get detained or deported.

Apply to get free help.

Find a Paid Lawyer
Paid immigration lawyers in Minnesota are very busy right now. You might have to call many lawyers to find someone who can help. You usually pay lawyers a “retainer” to have them on call. The retainer works like a "starter fund" for future legal work they do for you. You usually pay about $5,000-$15,000 for a retainer, but it depends on the lawyer and your case. Here are 3 places we recommend using to find paid lawyers: 

• The Minnesota Lawyer Referral and Information Service (MNLRIS) is a public service of the Hennepin and Ramsey County Bar Associations. It is designed to connect people who have legal concerns with private attorneys. Referral counselors are not attorneys; however, they can provide general information about the legal process and the local legal community, help you focus on the legal issues you're facing and determine the area of law in which you need assistance, and help you set up an appointment with screened and qualified attorneys. Lawyer Referral charges a $30 administrative fee to maintain this service. There is no additional charge by the attorney for the initial consultation.
  
  Complete an Online Self-Referral form or talk to a referral counselor by calling 612-752-6699 during regular business hours: Monday to Friday, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
   
• www.ailalawyer.com: To find lawyers, search www.ailalawyer.com. For Type of lawyer, choose "Deportation - Removal" or "Detained Immigrants." For State/Province, choose Minnesota.
   
• The Advocates for Human Rights maintains a list of lawyers who help with immigration law: The Advocates for Human Rights Lawyer Referral List

• Risk of Detention Form: If you are illegally detained, you might be able to get out of detention by filing a “Habeas Petition.” Write down the information in the form. Make sure a trusted friend of family member has the form so they can give it to a lawyer in case you are detained.
   
• Delegation of Parental Authority (DOPA): this is a document that lets someone take care of your children if you are detained or deported.
   
• Power of Attorney: this is a document that lets someone take care of property or money matters for you if you are detained or deported.
   
• Passports for Children Born in the U.S.: If you get deported and want your children to join you, it is a good idea to make sure your children have passports ahead of time.

• VLN Deportation Preparedness Manual
   
• Deportation Planning Manual
   
• Making Sure Your Family is Ready if you Get Deported
   
• Delegation of Parental Authority (DOPA)
   
• Powers of Attorney
   
• Passports for Children Born in the U.S.

• Do not answer your door without a judicial warrant. If someone knocks on your door or rings the doorbell, DO NOT answer your door unless you know who it is. See the difference between a Judicial Warrant and an ICE Warrant.
   
• If you don't have a Green Card or Citizenship: Try not to go out if you don’t need to. Have a US Citizen or Green Card family member or trusted friend run errands. Think about having your groceries delivered. For more help, like finding food and rent support, call the Monarca Rapid Response Line at (612) 441-2881, or the COPAL Navigator Line at (612) 255-3112. 
   
• Make copies of all of your immigration paperwork. If you go out, take copies of your paperwork with you. Always leave another copy at home.
   
• If you are detained, they may tell you to sign an order of deportation. You do not have to sign. If you sign, you cannot fight your case anymore.
   
• Green Card Holders: Make sure your green card is current. You MUST carry it with you. Make a copy and keep it at home or in another safe place. 
   
• U.S. Citizens: You have the right to refuse to answer questions about your citizenship. BUT you can choose to answer questions to make it easier. If you want to carry proof of your citizenship, a passport card is easier to carry than an actual passport. It is also cheaper. Learn how to get a passport card. 

If you believe federal law enforcement violated your constitutional rights, you can report the incident to the Minnesota Attorney General using the Federal Action Reporting Form. The ACLU of Minnesota also has a form you can use if you think your rights were violated: Report unlawful conduct by Federal Agents to ACLU-MN.

If you or someone you know was detained for protesting or being a legal observer: Call the National Lawyers Guild at (612) 444-2654. 

If you are a Native American who believes ICE violated your rights: call Native American Rights Fund at (303)447-8760 or email at rfa@narf.org

• Resources for People Detained or Worried About Being Detained
   
• ICE Watch Legal for FAQs and legal guidance for protesters, observers, and witnesses
   
• We Have Rights video series
   
• Your Rights to Record and Observe Law Enforcement
   
• Know Your Rights Red Card you can print at home

Under the U.S. Constitution, you can film what you can easily see from a public space. This includes when law enforcement does things in public. For example, arresting someone on a public street or in a front yard if you can see it from the public sidewalk.

BUT it is not legal for you to interfere with (try to stop) what law enforcement does. They may ask you to stay a reasonable distance away. Staying 8-10 feet away is usually a good distance.

Remember: Situations can change and escalate quickly. Just because you have the legal right to observe law enforcement does not mean you will stay safe. Use your instincts and common sense to decide whether you are comfortable observing.

If you or someone you know was detained for protesting or being a legal observer: Call the National Lawyers Guild at (612) 444-2654. 

• Your Rights to Record and Observe Law Enforcement
   
• ICE Watch Legal

Minnesota's Immigration Legal Services Hub Initiative

Check for Hub Legal Clinics in your area. Clinics are in-person and by phone. Meet with a lawyer for 30 minutes to get legal advice. Sometimes they can help you with paperwork.

Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota (ILCM) 

• Current DACA holders
• Applicants for U.S. Citizenship
• Refugees and asylees who want to get their green card (residency)
• Non-U.S. citizen children abandoned, abused, or neglected by their parents
• Temporary Protected Status (TPS) applicants and current TPS holders
• Non-U.S. citizen survivors of human trafficking
• Non-U.S. citizen survivors of certain violent crimes
• Non-U.S. citizen survivors of abuse or domestic violence
• People who are detained by ICE

Learn more about the types of cases ILCM can help with.

Clients must live in Minnesota or North Dakota. 

Clients must make 187.5% or below the federal poverty guidelines.

If your loved one is detained by ICE, call 651-641-1011, Monday-Thursday: 1 – 3 p.m. 

For all other cases, call 1-800-223-1368
    Monday: 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
    Tuesday: 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.
    Wednesday: Temporarily Closed
    Thursday: 3 p.m. – 6 p.m.

Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid (MLMA) 

• permanent residents applying for citizenship
• people applying for certain types of permanent residency
• immigrant youth and seniors 
• victims of crime, domestic violence and human trafficking applying for immigration status
• medically vulnerable people who need immigration status to access medical insurance
• detained immigrants in deportation proceedings

Clients must live in one of these Central Minnesota counties: Hennepin, Anoka, Benton, Big Stone, Chippewa, Chisago, Isanti, Kandiyohi, Lac Qui Parle, Lincoln, Lyon, Meeker, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Renville, Sherburne, Stearns, Swift, Todd, Wright, Yellow Medicine.

Clients must make 200% or below the federal poverty guidelines. 

Call 612-332-1441, Mondays 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. or Thursdays 1:30 - 3:30 p.m. and ask for "immigration intake." 

Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services (SMRLS)

• refugees, asylees, U or T visa holders, and a Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) holders apply to adjust status to a lawful permanent resident (LPR)
• permanent residents apply to become US citizens and replace lost, stolen, or expiring documents
• survivors of domestic violence and violent crimes and their qualified family members obtain legal immigration status
• agricultural workers in Minnesota and North Dakota, through the Agricultural Worker Program

Clients must live in one of these Southern Minnesota counties: Blue Earth, Brown, Carver, Cottonwood, Dakota, Dodge, Faribault, Fillmore, Freeborn, Goodhue, Houston, Jackson, Le Sueur, Martin, McLeod, Mower, Murray, Nicollet, Nobles, Olmsted, Pipestone, Ramsey, Redwood, Rice, Rock, Scott, Sibley, Steele, Wabasha, Waseca, Washington, Watonwan, Winona.

Clients must make 200% or below the federal poverty guidelines. 

Call 1-877-696-6529, Monday – Friday, 9:00 am-12:00 pm, 12:30 pm-3:00 pm

Send an online application.

The Advocates for Human Rights 

• people seeking asylum
• unaccompanied children
• people in immigration detention
• people who have been victims of human trafficking.

Clients must live in Minnesota, North Dakota, or South Dakota.

Clients must make 200% or below the federal poverty guidelines. 

Call 612-341-9845 Tuesday, 10:00 - 12:00 or Thursday, 12:00 - 2:00.

Volunteer Lawyers Network (VLN) 

Clients must live in Minnesota. 

Clients must make 300% or below the federal poverty guidelines.

Deportation Preparedness Phone Service helps clients understand what they can do to take care of the family members, personal property, and financial obligations they may leave behind if they get detained or deported.  

Apply to get free Deportation Preparedness Phone Services

Phone advice and in-person clinics give clients free legal advice in most types of family and humanitarian-based immigration cases. Volunteer lawyers cannot represent you in immigration court. They also cannot help with non-immigrant cases (like a student visa) or employment-based immigration cases. They cannot help people who are detained. 

To apply for free phone advice, call (612) 752-6677 on Monday – Thursday, 10:00am to 1:00pm.

See the list of in-person clinic: Go to www.vlnmn.org/help/clinics and scroll to Community Clinics. 

Paid immigration lawyers in Minnesota are very busy right now. You might have to call many lawyers to find someone who can help. You usually pay lawyers a “retainer” to have them on call. The retainer works like a "starter fund" for future legal work they do for you. You usually pay about $5,000-$15,000 for a retainer, but it depends on the lawyer and your case. Here are 3 places we recommend using to find paid lawyers: 

• The Minnesota Lawyer Referral and Information Service (MNLRIS) is a public service of the Hennepin and Ramsey County Bar Associations. It is designed to connect people who have legal concerns with private attorneys. Referral counselors are not attorneys; however, they can provide general information about the legal process and the local legal community, help you focus on the legal issues you're facing and determine the area of law in which you need assistance, and help you set up an appointment with screened and qualified attorneys. Lawyer Referral charges a $30 administrative fee to maintain this service. There is no additional charge by the attorney for the initial consultation.
  
  Complete an Online Self-Referral form or talk to a referral counselor by calling 612-752-6699 during regular business hours: Monday to Friday, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
   
• www.ailalawyer.com: To find lawyers, search www.ailalawyer.com. For State/Province, choose Minnesota.
   
• The Advocates for Human Rights maintains a list of lawyers who help with immigration law: The Advocates for Human Rights Lawyer Referral List

Immigrant Rights

• I-01 Immigration Warnings
   
• I-01.5 How Being Charged with a Crime Can Affect Your Immigration Status
   
• I-02 Can Undocumented Immigrants Marry in Minnesota?
   
• I-03 Immigrants, Marriage and Divorce in Minnesota
   
• I-04 Know Your Rights: What You Can Do in Minnesota if You Are Undocumented
   
• I-05 Making Sure Your Family is Ready if You Get Deported 
   

Immigration Court

• I-07 Immigration Bonds
   
• I-08 Reporting a Change of Address to the Immigration Court
   
• I-09 What to Do If You Get a Notice to Appear for Immigration Court
   
• I-10 What to Expect the First Time You Go to Immigration Court in Minnesota
   
• I-10.5 Asking for a Remote Hearing in Immigration Court
   
• I-11 How to Move Your Immigration Hearing to a Different Court (Change Your Venue)
   
• I-12 What to Do If You Miss Your Immigration Hearing (How to File a Motion to Reopen)
   
• I-13 Preparing Evidence and Testimony for Immigration Court
   
• I-13.5 Preparing Evidence for USCIS
   
• I-14.5 How to Apply for Stay of Removal in Immigration Court
   
• I-15 Immigration Fee Waivers
   

Special Immigration Statuses

• I-16 How to Apply for Temporary Protected Status
   
• I-17 Victims of Crimes and “U Visas”
   
• I-18 Immigration Relief for Victims of Family Violence
   
• I-19 Now that you are a U Nonimmigrant: Warnings, Rights and Responsibilities
   
• I-20 Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) “At-Risk Juveniles”
   

Working and Address Changes 

• I-21 How to Get Permission to Work in Minnesota
   
• I-22 Reporting a Change of Address to USCIS
   
• I-08 Reporting a Change of Address to the Immigration Court
   

Getting Public Benefits

• I-25 Understanding Public Charge
   
• I-26 Food and Cash Programs for Noncitizens
   
• I-27 Health Care for Noncitizens
   
• I-28 SSI for Noncitizens
   

Permanent Residents and Citizens

• I-31 Now That You Are a Permanent Resident: Warnings, Rights and Responsibilities
   
• I-32 Replacing or Renewing Your Permanent Resident Card ("Green Card")
   
• I-35 Becoming a U.S. Citizen
   
• I-36 Naturalized U.S. Citizens: Proving Your Child’s Citizenship