LOVE your IMMIGRANT Neighbor: Practical steps to support undocumented citizens and build community, 3rd Blog of 4

"God defends the cause of the orphan and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing." -Deuteronomy 10:18-19 

THIRD OF FOUR BLOGS: Obtain Legal Documents and Organize Important Information

You have identified yourself as an advocate for immigrants and maybe blessedly you have built an unexpected and beautiful relationship with an undocumented person or an undocumented community. What next?

There are a number of legal documents that undocumented citizens should have in order. These documents do not require a lawyer. They require a notary. It is hard to know exactly what legal documents each individual immigrant should have. Here are a few that my research and practical experience suggest are essentials. If you need further information, please visit the ACLU site.

Children:
If you are assisting a family with children under 18 make sure the family has a notarized document indicating legal guardianship. The legal guardian must be a documented American citizen. Why is this necessary if the individual has lots of family around them who will of course take care of their child if they are deported? If an undocumented parent is deported, their child will in all likelihood be placed in a group foster home. It doesn’t matter if that child has many relatives. If these relatives are undocumented, they will not be granted the right to care for this child. This is heartbreakingly painful. Just writing these words makes tears spring to my eyes. It is essential that every child of an undocumented immigrant has a legal document clearly stating who their legal guardian (with citizenship) is. This is a painful topic that many parents cannot bear to speak about, but they must. A legal guardian can make sure a child is safely returned to their parents if deported to their country of origin, or that child can be placed with relatives in their community. Most importantly, a legal guardian can advocate for this child and communicate with this child’s parents.

Make sure all children have a copy of their legal guardianship and know who their guardian is. If the child is too young to be responsible for such paperwork, make sure another childcare provider has these documents. Include in this paper work the name and number of the child’s primary care doctor or any other important medical information, including a list of medications. 

Finally, make sure children know how to contact you or another safe person in their community in case of emergency. Make sure the child has these names and numbers printed in a prominent place in their home and in a safe place in their backpack or with their child care provider.  

Financial Access/Power of Attorney: 
When undocumented citizens are deported they lose all access to the money they have saved in the U.S. if it is in a bank account. There are a few ways to ensure this does not happen. Many immigrants share bank accounts with a trusted friend or family member, ensuring that if they are deported someone will still have access to their account. Another way is for an undocumented citizen to grant a documented citizen power of attorney.  A power of attorney (POA) is a legal document that allows someone (the "agent" or "attorney-in-fact") to act on behalf of another (the "principal") in certain matters, such as financial or healthcare decisions, if the principal is unable to do so themselves. 

Create a list of emergency contacts 
Make sure this list of contacts is shared with family members and trusted individuals. 

Create a folder with the following information:

• Copies with everything mentioned above: guardianship, POA, bank account information, emergency contacts
• Copies of passports, licenses, and birth certificates
• Attorney information 
• Medical information, including a list of any medication and or serious medical conditions.

With permission from the undocumented citizen, make copies of all important documents and keep them in a safe place in your home for your immigrant neighbor. In fact, make a couple of copies. Depending on who the immigrant neighbor trusts, it's good to have a few people with access to this information, such as family members, trusted neighbors and friends, pastor, etc.

Further documents that our immigrant neighbors should ALWAYS carry with them:

• Identification documents, such as a passport or driver's license.
• If they have legal status, they should provide proof of their legal status, such as a green card or visa. 
• Don't carry falsified documents: Never carry or use fake documents, as this can lead to legal consequences.