Legal Advocates Recommend At-Risk Families Prepare for Detention or Deportation

With increasing frequency over the past eight weeks, Minnesota attorneys and advocates are recommending that residents and families at risk of detainment or deportation have a plan in place. As a first line tool in case of separation, many are suggesting a Delegation of Parental Authority (DOPA) be made so that a trusted adult can be legally designated to make decisions and provide care for a child in case their parents are absent.

In Make Plans for Your Kids, Minnesota Advocates Urge Immigrant Parents in ICE Crosshairs, Imprint News discusses the pros and cons of the DOPA and other legal options with several attorneys, including Pheng Thao of Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid.

To make sure that families are legally prepared, the Volunteer Lawyers Network launched new Deportation Preparedness Phone Services to help clients understand what they can do to take care of the family members, personal property, and financial obligations they may leave behind if they get detained or deported. In addition, a fact sheet was developed by Legal Services State Support in collaboration with the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota, Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid, Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services, The Advocates for Human Rights, and the Volunteer Lawyers Network. It was supported by funding from the State of Minnesota Department of Human Services. The fact sheet, Making Sure Your Family is Ready if you Get Deported, explains preparations families can make related to documents and identification, children, money and cars, and rental property. This and other related fact sheets, such as Resources for People Detained or Worried About Being Detained is available on LawHelpMN.org in several languages.