Legal Resources
New Jersey Family Emergency Planning Guide – Office of New Americans
A Family Emergency Plan can help you and your loved ones prepare for unexpected situations, such as immigration enforcement actions, by ensuring everyone knows what to do and where to find important information.
The New Jersey Family Emergency Planning Guide provides guidance on having conversations with family members, organizing important documents, identifying trusted emergency contacts, making plans for children and other dependents, and preparing for potential disruptions.
Planning ahead can help reduce uncertainty and give your family greater peace of mind.
Download guides in English, Spanish and Haitian Creole.
Visit this website for downloadable guides in additional languages.
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS
Our partners at USCRI (US Committee for Refugees & Immigrants) have created downloadable “Know Your Rights” and “Safety Planning” Guides. This is helpful information for all immigrants, regardless of status. The guides are currently available in English, Spanish, and Haitian-Creole. Click on the links below to download.
Please visit the USCRI website for updates as they make the guides available in additional languages, as well as for the latest information.
Click here for Know Your Rights in Haitian Creole
Click here for Know Your Rights in Spanish
Click here for Know Your Rights in English
Click here for Know Your Rights in Dari
Click here for Know Your Rights in Pashto
Click here for Safety Planning Guide in Haitian Creole
Click here for Safely Planning Guide in Spanish
Click here for Safety Planning Guide in English
Click here for Safety Planning Guide in Arabic
Click here for Safety Planning Guide in Dari
Click here for Safety Planning Guide in Pashto
Know Your Rights: ACLU Video Series for Interacting with Immigration Agents
Sometimes images convey messages in a way that words cannot, and these videos do a great job of it. Click here and please share this video resource far and wide!
Know Your Rights in motion: Watch this ACLU video series to know your rights when interacting with ICE in English, Español (Spanish), اُردُو (Urdu), العَرَبِيَّة (Arabic), Kreyòl Ayisyen (Haitian Creole), Pусский (Russian), 普通话 (Mandarin).
Temporary Protected Status
TPS Temporary Protected Status | USCIS – Visit this page for the latest developments in the TPS program
In-House Legal Assistance
D.I.R.E. Legal Services – Providing low-cost immigration legal services to low-income immigrants and their families 201-591-5348
Please Note: Client volume is high, so please call to make sure your case can be considered.
In addition to any referrals that clients may receive from their I-RISE case manager, here are a few additional options that may be helpful:
Legal Services of New Jersey – Important General Information
Learn about asylum, citizenship and naturalization, deportation, InfoPass, special visas for victims of violent crime, filing tax returns as a citizen or a non-citizen, and more. Click the link above for the latest info.
Catholic Charities of Trenton
Services- Provides access to Department of Justice (DOJ)-accredited case managers that provide civil legal assistance that is recognized by the Department of Justice.
- Helps complete immigration petitions and translate documents.
- Provides immigration information and referrals
- Offers evening citizenship classes to prepare you for naturalization and the information you may need
- In collaboration with St. Francis Community Center, they offer classes to help non-English-speaking immigrants with English language skills.
DISCLAIMER: Please contact the provider to make sure you are eligible for their services and they handle your type of case.
Catholic Charities of Camden
Services
- Provides support by connecting local parishes to community members who have to report to ICE, appear in immigration court, or request accompaniment for other immigration proceedings so that no one stands alone.
- Connects immigrant families to existing community resources that will help integrate, protect, and enable families to comply with legal requirements and reach their full potential and human development.
- Brings awareness regarding existing immigration policies and their impacts on communities.
- Creates solidarity and public support for new policies that support immigrant families and improve local communities.
- Bridge cultural differences to foster a community of welcome and understanding.
DISCLAIMER: Please contact the provider to make sure you are eligible for their services and they handle your type of case.
Jewish Family Services of Middlesex County
The JFS Immigration Program is officially accredited by the US Department of Justice, enabling JFS to provide legal assistance and representation with various immigration applications. JFS assists clients in filling out USCIS forms including:
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- Employment authorization
- Removal of conditional residence
- Family visa petitions
- Fiancé visas
- Initial green cards
- Green card renewal
- Citizenship
- Fee waivers
- Travel documents
DISCLAIMER: Please contact the provider to make sure you are eligible for their services and they handle your type of case.
El Centro Hispanoamericano – Central NJ
El Centro Hispanoamericano promotes the rights and helps meet the needs of immigrants and refugees in New Jersey through affordable legal services, advocacy, social service referral, community education and organizing, and cultural programs. El Centro is committed to the dignity, respect, and justice for those they serve. Services include:
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- Family petitions
- Temporary Protective Status (TPS)
- Violence Against Women Act (VAWA)
- Residency
- Work authorizations
- Naturalizations
DISCLAIMER: Please contact the provider to make sure you are eligible for their services and they handle your type of case.
Lutheran Social Ministries of New Jersey – Trenton
The Immigration Program of Lutheran Social Ministries of New Jersey is recognized by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to provide low-cost immigration legal services to those unable to afford a private attorney. The Program is staffed with an immigration attorney and a DOJ Accredited Representative.
Services
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- Consultations on all immigration matters
- Family petitions
- Permanent residence, including adjustment of status and consular processing
- Citizenship
- Employment authorization
- Temporary Protected Status
- Suspension of Deportation (NACARA)
- Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) self-petitions
- Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)
DISCLAIMER: Please contact the provider to make sure you are eligible for their services and they handle your type of case.
Make the Road NJ Legal Services – Central NJ
MRNJ offers pro-bono legal representation in a wide variety of cases
Services
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- Immigration petitions
- U and T Visa applications
- Asylum applications
- DACA
- Employment matters
- Know-Your-Rights trainings & information sessions
DISCLAIMER: Please contact the provider to make sure you are eligible for their services and they handle your type of case.