Family Preparedness Planning
Each family should have an emergency preparedness plan. It’s always a good idea to be ready for any emergency, just like with natural disasters. Even though we hope you never need to use it, having a plan on hand helps reduce stress when the unexpected happens.
This guide will help you create a family preparedness plan, no matter your immigration status.
Because immigrants and families with different immigration statuses face extra challenges, we also include additional tips specifically for immigrant families.
Click here to access the Spanish emergency preparedness plan.
Make a plan to care for your family
Have a plan so a trusted adult can care for your children if you can’t. This plan should include emergency numbers, a list of important contact information, a sworn statement from the caregiver, and a file with important documents. This guide includes examples of how to prepare these documents. If you want your children to go with you to your home country in case of deportation, or stay in the U.S. under a trusted adult’s care, you should start planning these arrangements now.
Talk to Your Kids About the Plan
It’s important to talk with your children in case a parent is detained or deported. Without worrying them, reassure your children that they will be cared for if, for any reason, you can’t take care of them, even for a short time. Let them know who will care for them until you can. Here are some tips to make these conversations less stressful:
Listen closely. Pay careful, sensitive attention to your child’s questions and worries. Don’t minimize their fears—hear them out.
Choose the right space. Have these talks in a calm, safe place without interruptions, and give enough time so neither you nor your child feels rushed. It can help to have all family members present.
Be prepared. Before starting, have a plan in mind for what would happen if your family faced deportation. Kids feel more secure knowing their parents have a plan.
Keep it simple. Answer questions clearly and directly, giving enough information to help them understand without overwhelming them. This can feel challenging and stressful for you too, which is completely normal.
Additional resources
Decide Who Will Take Care of Your Children If You Can’t
Ideally, the person you name as the caregiver for your children should be a U.S. citizen or someone with immigration status who won’t face the risk of detention or deportation. Make sure this person knows they are on the emergency contact list and knows how to access all important documents and information.
Memorize this person’s phone number, and make sure your children do, too.
Schools will only release your children to the people listed on your emergency contact letter. For that reason, keep the information on your emergency letter up to date with the school, after-school programs, daycare, or other programs. Emergency contact forms or “who can pick up my children” forms should include the names of who can and cannot pick up your children. If you have a restraining order against someone, make sure to give a copy to the school.
Make sure the people who can pick up and care for your children know where your child is and which school they attend. Give them all information about your children, as shown in the sample form included in this guide.
Write Down Instructions if Your Children Have a Medical Condition or Are Taking Medication
Make sure to write down any medical conditions or allergies your children can have, any medication they are taking, as well as their doctor’s information and health insurance. Keep a copy f this information in your important document’s folder. Give a copy to your child’s school and to the person responsible for caring for your child. Let your child know where they can find this information if you are not available.
Decide What Type of Care Plan You Want for Your Children
If your plan is for your children to stay in the United States with a caregiver in case you are detained or deported, decide whether you want an informal or formal care plan. There are different ways an adult can care for your children if you are unable to do so.
Verbal Agreement. The most informal plan is simply letting an adult know your wishes for your children and having them verbally agree to follow your instructions and care for your children if you can’t. The benefit of this is that it’s simple and easy—you don’t need to fill out any forms or legal documents, and it doesn’t affect your rights as a parent. The downside is that the adult you choose won’t have legal authority to make medical or school decisions for your children, which could be a problem if you are deported and can’t care for your children for an indefinite period.
Make Sure All Children Have A Valid Passport
If your children were born in the United Stated, visit www.travel.state.gov for more information on obtaining a passport or this site for passport scheduling questions.
Tell Your Family and Emergency Contacts How to Locate You if You’ve Been Detained
Family members can use the ICE detention locator: https://locator.ice.gov/odls/homePage.do. Make sure your family and emergency contacts have a copy of your number (your Alien Registration Number can be found on your ICE immigration documents) if you have one.
Important Documents to Consider…
Passports
Birth Certificates
Marriage Certificates
Parental Authority Delegation (DOPA)
Immigration Representation Form (Form G-28)
Form to allow ICE to release information (Form ICE 60-00)
Authorization to request a passport (Form DS-3052)
Power of attorney for your home, bank account, car, or wage collection
Any restraining orders you have against anyone (if applicable)
Alien Registration Number (A-number) and any other immigration documents (work permit, permanent resident card, visa, etc.)
Documents showing your residence in the U.S. and your physical presence in the country
Driver’s license and/or other forms of identification
Social Security card or ITIN number
Birth records (for children born in the U.S. but registered in parents’ country of origin) (if applicable) for dual citizenship
Emergency numbers and important contact information
Medical information for your children, including health insurance, list of medications, and doctor information
Any other documents you want to keep easily accessible
Learn About Your Immigration Options
If you have a permanent resident card, find out if you can apply for citizenship.
If you are in the U.S. on a visa, find out if you can get a permanent resident card.
If you don’t have immigration status, find out if you might be eligible for a green card, a visa, or a work permit.
If you have a criminal conviction or have been arrested, learn how this could affect your status and whether there’s a way to clear it from your record.
If you are detained or placed in deportation proceedings, request a hearing before a judge to get out of detention and fight your deportation.
Facing deportation—whether voluntary or not—can be very difficult. If you receive a deportation order or decide to return to your home country to be with loved ones, it’s helpful to know what to expect. The guides below, organized by country, share information about resources and programs that may be available when you return home.
More resources:
