Family Preparedness

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Are you worried about what might happen to your children if you are detained by immigration or deported? What if you have a serious medical condition and you’re not able to care for them? There are steps you can take to make sure that your family is prepared, and that your children are cared for by someone you trust if you are unable to care for them yourself.

Prepare for Possible Immigration Detention or Deportation

Guides

These guides provide information on steps to take to prepare your family in case you are detained or deported.
 

• National Partnership for New Americans (NPNA): Two-page quick-start guide for creating a family preparedness plan. Guide in English.
• National Immigrant Justice Center: What to Do if You or a Loved One Is Detained (August 2025):
  • English, Spanish, Arabic, French, Haitian Creole
• ​National Immigration Law Center: How to Find a Loved One After a U.S. Immigration Arrest. Available in Spanish, Haitian Creole, Chinese - Simplified, Chinese - Traditional, Korean, Vietnamese, Arabic
• Informed Immigrant (English) (Español)
• United We Dream: Preparedness Packet. Includes checklists, contact forms, planning tools for parents and caregivers. English and Spanish.
• People's Law Library of Maryland: Family Safety Planning
  • Part 1: how to choose a caregiver
  • Part 2: what documents to prepare. 
• Appleseed Network: Deportation Manual for Immigrant Families (June 2025)
  • English (pdf, 198 pages)
  • Español (pdf, 203 páginas)

Tools

Forms to keep track of your family's important information or update emergency contacts

• Montgomery County HHS: Emergency Family File (English) (Español)
• Montgomery County Public Schools: MCPS Form 565-1

​Apps to send out notifications to your emergency contacts if you encounter ICE

• United We Dream's Notifica App 

Protect Your Children

• The Standby Guardianship Project (English) (Español): 240-535-5966 
  • Learn how to legally designate someone to take care of your child if you are in danger of being detained, deported, or have serious health issues. Having a standby guardian will prevent your child from entering the foster care system if you are unable to care for them.
  • The Standby Guardianship Project helps you take steps to prepare for:
    • Creating a Family Plan
    • Identifying a caretaker
    • Completing the Form
    • filing Petition by Standby Guardian if parent needs standby guardian after 180 days, and more.
  • Webinar explaining the Standby Guardianship Law in Maryland. Video in English and Spanish.
• Maryland Court Form for designating a standby guardian in English, Spanish, French, Brazilian Portuguese, Amharic, Russian, Chinese, Korean, Hindi, Arabic, Yoruba, Urdu, Tagalog, Twi, Igbo, Somali.
• People's Law Library of Maryland: Alternatives to Guardianship: Powers of Attorney. Video explaining the financial "Power of Attorney" in English.
• Women's Refugee Commission:
  • Make a Plan: Essential Steps for Migrant Parents for Preventing Family Separation (June 2025)
  • Detained or Deported. What about my children? What to do if you can't be with them. (pdf, 111 pages). English, Spanish.

Avoid Immigration Scam

• Ayuda: Project END
  • Flyer describing Project END's service, including legal help and fraud prevention for immigrants who have been victims of notario fraud or other scams. English, Spanish, French, Haitian Creole, Vietnamese, Amharic, Arabic, Chinese, Korean, and others.
  • Video explaining how to recognize and report immigration fraud. English, Spanish.
• USAHello: A guide that helps immigrants recognize and avoid common scams, including fake legal services and fraudulent document offers. English, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, and others.
• United States Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR): Are You a Victim of Fraud? English, Spanish.