How To Help Undocumented Immigrants
Plant a flag, be discreet, and let them come to you.
As a DACA recipient, my wife, Daniela, was reluctant to sign up for anything, so when her employer organized a conference call about the work implications of DACA, one of her coworkers (and a good friend) registered so that Daniela wouldn’t have to. By signing up, Daniela’s friend gave her access to the information session without Daniela having to share personal information. That’s a good friend and an intuitive ally (she comes from a family of immigrants too). Therein lies one of the biggest insights allies should know about undocumented immigrants:
Many feel like they’re keeping a shameful secret.
DISCLAIMER: The great majority of undocumented immigrants have nothing to be ashamed of. They came here for a better life. Many resided here legally before having their protections lapse, which can happen for a variety of reasons. Many came here as children, growing up as de facto U.S. citizens without the rubber stamp. The great majority of undocumented immigrants should not be ashamed, but the unfortunate reality is that rampant demonization of undocumented immigrants makes many feel this way. They shouldn’t, but one can hardly blame them.
If you want to be an ally to undocumented immigrants, remember the Golden Rule: Keep their status private. Maybe you have undocumented friends. Maybe you don’t. Maybe you don’t know. Whatever the case, maintaining discretion is paramount.
If you have undocumented friends
Do as Daniela’s friend did: Sign up for newsletters, Zoom calls, conference calls or in-person events that may be of interest to undocumented immigrants. Offer to attend events on their behalf if they don’t feel comfortable attending.
Ask them if there are specific questions they want answered at a given event. Ask those questions. Go prepared with your own questions. Take notes.
If they plan on attending rallies or other events, go with them. Be vigilant. Be aware of your surroundings. Have a quick exit route in mind if an event starts to go south, or if local authorities become aggressive.
Know the rights of undocumented immigrants. Here is an article chock-full of resources by the eminently thorough :
Access as many relevant materials as you can, both physical and digital, and distribute those materials to your undocumented friends.
Stay up to date with legislation that may impact their status (DACA, DREAM Act, H-1B1, etc.)
Be prepared to speak up for undocumented friends in public places. Many of them won’t speak up themselves for fear of outing themselves as undocumented. There are many, MANY misconceptions about undocumented immigrants, like their supposed criminality. Be aware of those misconceptions and be prepared to debunk them in real time in public spaces, especially if your undocumented friends are within earshot. That will signal to them that they have people willing to defend them publicly.
Never pry. Let them come to you on their own terms, but make it clear that you’re there for them whenever they need you. This varies depending on the relationship you have. It could be a conversation, an email, or attending one of those aforementioned events on their behalf.
If you just want to help
NOTE: Several of the points above apply even if you don’t directly know undocumented people.
Donate your time (and money) to immigrant advocacy groups, like United We Dream, and civil liberties organizations, like the ACLU, which has 54 chapters across the United States. You may also be able to find local organizations doing good work.
Be an ally within your community.
Here’s a good overview of what businesses and schools should know about immigrant rights by :
And here are some great resources for undocumented students and parents, compiled by :
Know whether or not you live in a sanctuary city, county or state, places where ICE’s jurisdiction and ability to deputize local law enforcement is limited by local ordinances, resolutions or policies. Use that knowledge to the benefit of local immigrants and migrants.
If you see ICE or local law enforcement operating outside of the bounds of the law or using excessive force, intervene, if possible, but if you don’t feel safe doing so, record the incident and report the agent or officer.
Be aware of local shelters for migrants. If you see migrants in need, direct them to those locations.
Refrain from using dehumanizing language, like “illegal,” “criminal,” or “alien.”
Plant a flag. Let people in your community know that you’re an ally. You can do that in a number of ways. If you’re a business owner, talk to your staff about immigrant rights and what to do in the event ICE shows up asking questions. If you’re part of a community listserv or newsletter, mention that you’ll be volunteering at a local immigration advocacy organization. So on and so forth. Be loud about your allyship.
The life of an undocumented immigrant can be scary and lonely. Be a port in the storm.
Thank you so much for speaking out about this!