Know Your Rights

Everyone has basic rights under the U.S. Constitution and civil rights laws. Learn more here about what your rights are, how to exercise them, and what to do when your rights are violated with the resources below.

New York Immigration Coalition – NYIC provides community Resources for Immigrant NYers. NYIC also provided Know Your Rights wallet cards in multiple languages to public libraries in NYS, visit your local library to get one. (See image above for examples)

Immigrant Defense Project – Provides instructions for communication with ICE.

A New Path: A Guide to the Challenges & Opportunities After Deportation – This guide is for people who live with the threat of deportation to Mexico or Central America. Know your rights, learn where to get legal help, and make a plan in case of possible deportation. Below is access to our complete guide as well as individual chapters. Available in English or en Español.

NYS Local Immigration Resources – Immigration information and resources.

ALA OIF: Libraries and Immigration Enforcement – The Office for Intellectual Freedom of the American Library Association blog post providing instructions for handling ICE in your library.

NYSL: Info to Help New York’s Libraries Safeguard the Rights of Immigrants – NYSED and NYSL are committed to safeguarding the rights of individuals including both citizens and noncitizens. This information in this blog post highlights and clarifies relevant resources for public and association libraries to support efforts to safeguard immigrants and noncitizens, considering recent threats of increased federal immigration actions in our communities.

ACLU: Know Your Rights – Provides resources for immigrants, health care providers, LGBTQ+ individuals, and more.