Know Your Rights Resources

These resources have been created by legal service organizations to provide helpful general information to immigrant communities. 

  • Red Cards from the Immigrant Legal Resource Center - All people in the United States, regardless of immigration status, have certain rights and protections under the U.S. Constitution. The ILRC’s Red Cards help people assert their rights and defend themselves in many situations, such as when ICE agents go to a home. These are available in multiple languages. 
  • ILRC Know Your Rights Toolkit - this includes red cards, multilingual Know Your Rights handouts, and more. 
  • ILRC Immigration Preparedness Toolkit - The ILRC’s Immigration Preparedness Toolkit is a resource-packed informational document designed to help immigrants with no legal status or in mixed status families begin to understand the immigration legal landscape and plan for their own journey through an ever-changing, complex system in the United States. This is available in English and Spanish. 
  • Keep Your Benefits California - this website offers guidance for immigrants about public benefits and public charge. 
  • LIBRE - Linking Immigrants to Benefits, Resources, and Education - LIBRE has information and resources about immigrants' access to a range of benefits and resources. 
Free and Low Cost Immigration Legal Service Providers

In need of immigration assistance? The organizations below can help, whether you are trying to get a visa, seeking asylum in this country, renewing DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals), applying for permanent residency under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) or applying to become a U.S. citizen, among other situations. Contact one of the organizations below to get the help you need for free, or at a low cost.

Organization

Address

Phone

Agency Information

San Mateo County Rapid Response Hotline

  

203-666-4472

203-NO-MIGRA

Call if immigration comes to your home, work, neighborhood or if there are ICE raids nearby, to receive immediate support.
Asian Pacific Islander Legal Outreach

1121 Mission St, San Francisco, CA 94103

310 8th St., Suite 305, Oakland, CA 94607

415-567-6255

510-251-2846

APILO assists immigrants in navigating the legal system by providing consultation, representation, and referrals for the following legal areas: Adjustment of Status, Asylum, DACA Renewal, Naturalization, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, T Visas and U Visas, VAWA Self Petitions, and Removal Defense.

Bay Area Legal Aid San Mateo County

1048 El Camino Real, Suite A, Redwood City, CA 94063

Telephone: 650-358-0745

Advice Line: 800-551-5554

Free legal assistance to low-income domestic violence survivors in San Mateo County in the areas of family law, immigration law, housing law, & economic justice law.

Catholic Charities Refugee & Immigrant Services

36 37th Avenue San Mateo, CA 94403

650-295-2160

Immigration attorneys & Board of Immigration Appeals Accredited Representatives help immigrants apply for citizenship, adjustment of status, Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) & U-visas, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, petitioning for family members, & DACA.

Coastside Hope

99 Avenue Alhambra, PO Box 1089 El Granada 90418

650-726-9071

The Board of Immigration Appeals Accredited Representative helps those seeking permanent residency & citizenship, including free citizenship prep classes.

Community Legal Services of East Palo Alto

1861 Bay Road East Palo Alto, CA 94303

650-326-6440

Immigration attorneys help residents with immigration processes including U-visa applications & Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) self-petitions, removal defense, ICE raids defense & community education, SIJS petitions, DACA applications, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, state or federal criminal background checks, & work permit renewals.

Immigration Institute of the Bay Area

600 Allerton Street, Suite 101, Redwood City, CA 94063

650-780-7530

Immigration attorneys & Board of Immigration Appeals Accredited Representatives assist with citizenship, DACA, family petitions,

adjustment of status, removal of conditions, U-visas, VAWA, TPS, employment authorization, FOIA's, travel documents, replacement of permanent residence cards, & represent them throughout the application process.
La Raza Centro Legal  474 Valencia Street, Suite 295, San Francisco, CA 94103 415-575-3500

Legal consults, assistance with applying for immigration relief, residency, citizenship, DACA, asylum, deportation defense. 

Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County

330 Twin Dolphin Drive, Suite 123, Redwood City, CA 94065

650-558-0915

Provides legal advice & counsel on civil matters to low income individuals, families & groups. Pro-bono immigration services for teen parents & their families who have been victims with assistance & representation on immigration applications (VAWA, U-visa's, DACA, deportation defense, etc).
Oasis Legal Services 1900 Addison St. Suite 100, Berkeley, CA 94704 510-666-6687 Legal assistance for LGBTQ+ immigrants, including assistance with asylum, residency, naturalization, VAWA, and family petitions.

Puente de la Costa Sur

620 North Street, Pescadero CA 94060

8865 La Honda Road, La Honda CA 94020

650-879-1691

 

650-747-0248

Support with immigration forms (some), housing applications forms, translations (some), navigation of services such as DMV, EDD, Court System, Notary Public, birth certificate corrections, etc.

Stanford Law School - Immigrants’ Rights Clinic

559 Nathan Abbott Way, Crown Quadrangle, Stanford, CA 94305

650-724-9068

Assist in adjustment of Status, Asylum applications, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), Deferred Action for Parents of Americans & Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA), Habeas Corpus, NACARA, Removal hearings, T visas, Temporary Protected Status (TPS), U visas, Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) petitions

Tahirih

881 Sneath Lane, Suite 115, San Bruno, CA 94066

650-270-2100

Services include screening, assessment, counsel & advice, &/or full- scale legal representation that includes gender-based asylum, violence Against Women’s Act Petitions, T Visas (for survivors of trafficking), U Visas, & Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (for abused, abandoned, or neglected children).

 
USCIS Links

US Customs and Immigration Services (USCIS) is the main government agency that processes immigration applications in the United States. See below for links to USCIS resources: 

  • Check Your Case Status - use this tool to track the status of an immigration application, petition, or request that you have already submitted. 
  • Citizenship and Naturalization Information - this is a general overview of what citizenship and naturalization are.
  • Explore My Options - this tool shows immigration options that you might be eligible for. This does not guarantee you will be approved. 
  • Multilingual Resource Center - search for USCIS resources by language, topic, and content. 
  • Study for the Citizenship Test - this page provides information about the English test and Civics test that are part of the naturalization process. 
  • Find a Civil Surgeon - USCIS designates certain doctors as civil surgeons. That means they are authorized to perform immigration medical examinations. Find a civil surgeon using this link. 

 
Parole in Place and Employment Visa Waivers

On June 18, 2024, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced a new process to consider, on a case-by-case basis, requests for parole for certain noncitizen spouses of U.S. citizens, as well as the children of these noncitizen spouses. 

On Thursday November 7th, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas ruled to end the Parole-in-Place program for undocumented spouses and step-children of U.S. citizens. This program went into effect in August and was quickly suspended following a legal challenge by a group of states. 

Mixed-status families, and anyone with immigration legal concerns, are encouraged to consult with a trusted immigration legal services provider to explore their options. Find a legal services provider here. 


As a part of the June 2024 announcement, the Biden administration announced it will take action to facilitate the employment visa process for those who have graduated from college and have a high-skilled job offer, including DACA recipients and other Dreamers. 

Learn more and find resources here. 
DACA Resources
DACA Update: 

On Sept. 13, 2023, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas issued a decision finding the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Final Rule unlawful. 

  • Current grants of DACA and related Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) remain valid until they expire, unless individually terminated.
  • USCIS will continue to accept and process DACA renewal requests and accompanying applications for employment authorization.
  • USCIS will continue to accept initial requests, but per the order, not process initial DACA requests.
  • Some DACA recipients may be eligible for employment-based visas or other immigration pathways. Learn more from Path2Papers here. 
  • The Immigrant Legal Resource Center has created a Frequently Asked Questions resource accessible here.
  • United We Dream has resources and information here. 
  • Find Your Ally offers free immigration legal services for community college students, staff, and faculty. Learn more here. 

 
Housing Legal Services

Immigrants have rights under the Fair Housing Act, regardless of their immigration status. A number of San Mateo County organizations can help if you are facing eviction or a rent increase, harassment or discrimination by a landlord or are living in an unhealthy or unsafe home. Find out what you can do to remain in your home - contact one of the organizations below to get the information and help you need for free, or at a low cost.
Employment Legal Services

If you were denied wages or work benefits you earned, sustained a workplace injury, need more information about family leave laws or are experiencing sex/gender discrimination or harassment at work, get guidance or counseling to help resolve your problem. Contact one of the organizations below to get the help you need for free, or at a low cost.
Other Legal Services

Depending on your legal need, one of these organization may be able to help you. If you are unsure where to begin, you can call the Office of Community Affairs for assistance.