Key documents for immigrants at risk of deportation

Key documents for immigrants at risk of deportation

Keep a file of all these documents in a safe place. Make a copy and leave with a trusted friend or family member.

• Passport
• Birth certificate
• Marriage license (if applicable)
• A-number and any immigration documents, for example:
  • Work permit
  • Green card
  • Visa
  • TPS (temporary protected status) card
  • Any previous deportation orders
• Driver’s license or other identification card
• Social Security card or ITIN (individual taxpayer identification number)
• Registry of birth for any children born outside the U.S.
• Any court orders, including custody/visitation order, order of protection
• Records of any arrests or convictions
• Any documents regarding the care of your children (for example, the form to Designate a Person in Parental Relation)
• Health insurance card(s)
• Documents proving that you have been in the U.S. for at least two years. (You may need this to prove you have a right to see an immigration judge before ICE can decide to deport you.) These documents could be:
  • Birth certificates of children born in the U.S. 
  • Apartment lease
  • Utility bills with your name on them
  • Pay stubs
  • Bank statements
  • Medical records
  • School records of your children