Know Your Rights & Community Defense Resources
YUSRA is committed to ensuring our communities are informed, prepared, and supported in moments of uncertainty and heightened attacks, targeting, and surveillance against our communities. This page brings together resources and opportunities to learn and act together.
Resources
General Community / Families / Individuals
Know Your Rights Materials
Legal Aid:
Hotlines & Rapid Reporting:
Ohio Immigrant Hotline: 419‑777‑HELP (4357) | hotline@ohioimmigrant.org
Ohio National Lawyers Guild (NLG) Hotline: 614-654-6477
ICEOut.org: collection of community-submitted reports of possible ICE activity in Ohio, reviewed and categorized by verification status, to inform the public and raise awareness.
REMEMBER — Use the SALUTE method:
Size/Strength—How many agents are present?
Actions/Activities—What did you see them doing?
Location and Direction—Where are they and where are they headed
Uniform/Clothes—What are they wearing? (Describe as much as possible. Uniform? Plain clothes? Identifying logos, etc.)
Time—What time did the event occur
Equipment and Weapons—What are you able to see?
Narrative Talking Points
Ohio Immigrant Alliance: If you are talking to the media, making public remarks, writing materials, or doing other communications about this, review these talking points and statement.
Muslim Power Hub: Messaging Guide—Responding to Anti-Muslim Attacks & Scapegoating.
Preparedness Tips for Individuals / Families:
Keep copies of identification and immigration documents in a secure location.
Know legal contacts and share emergency numbers with trusted family/friends.
Educate all household members, including children, on their rights.
Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC):
Emergency Contact Form: Download and fill out in case of detainment
Schools / Educators
Ohio is Home – Keep Schools Safe: Check out resources for educators, administrators, and families.
Preparedness Tips for Schools:
Do not allow ICE entry without a judicial warrant.
Have clear communication plans for families in multiple languages.
Train staff on Know Your Rights and emergency contacts.
Businesses / Employers
National Immigration Law Center: A Guide for Employers: What to Do if Immigration Comes to Your Workplace
American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU): Guidance for Private Establishments in Ohio
Preparedness Tips for Businesses:
Post emergency legal contact numbers.
Maintain confidential personnel records.
Educate staff on their constitutional rights.
Use “personal area” signs inside of your business to prevent unauthorized entry by federal agents.
Healthcare Providers / Clinics
ACLU Ohio: Guidance for Health Centers in Ohio
Preparedness Tips for Clinics:
Train staff on patient privacy rights and ICE interaction protocols.
Post Know Your Rights info in waiting rooms.
Develop a rapid legal response plan for patients.
Masajid & Other Places of Worship
ACLU Ohio: Guidance for Places of Worship in Ohio
Preparedness Tips for Faith Communities:
Use “Private Area” signage to limit ICE entry (see more info below).
Train staff and volunteers on encounter protocols.
Create a rapid alert system for community members.
KYR Pass (Digital Wallet)
Carry your rights with you at all times.
Download the KYR Pass and save it directly to your digital wallet
Use it to clearly and calmly assert your rights during encounters with law enforcement or federal agents.
Note: You can add the KYR Pass in multiple languages to the same device. Download additional languages to support and share information with the communities you serve and interact with.
More languages will be added soon
Printable KYR Poster
Help spread accurate information in community spaces.
Clear, easy-to-read Know Your Rights information
Designed for masajid, community centers, and small businesses
“Private Area” Signs for Masajid & Community Spaces
Federal agents, including ICE, cannot enter private areas without a valid judicial warrant.
Public vs. Private space
Generally, a public area is one where the general public (patrons, etc.) can come in.
A private area is one that the general public cannot access. For example, think of an office that is marked "employees only" and is separated from public areas by a door.
These printable signs:
Clearly designate spaces as private
Help protect congregants and community members
Support masajid and organizations in setting boundaries consistent with the law
Legal Disclaimer: This page provides general information only and is not legal advice. Policies may change. For personal guidance, please speak with a licensed immigration attorney.
Things You Can Do
Donate money to Our Helpers, which is providing direct, on-the-ground support, including food for families.
Learn best practices (SALUTE method) and guidelines for filming federal agents.
Upcoming Trainings
& Solidarity Events
YUSRA hosts trainings and community spaces to build collective readiness and care.
These include:
Safety planning and rapid response education
Solidarity events and information sessions
View upcoming trainings and events below by YUSRA or other community organizations.
Saturday, Dec. 20 at 3pm-5pm EST
Join us for a community-wide virtual gathering designed to ground us in what’s happening, hear directly from trusted speakers, and prepare ourselves to respond effectively and safely.
This gathering is meant to bring our communities onto the same page, build shared understanding, and equip attendees with the tools needed to protect and support Somali families with dignity and unity.
Friday, Dec. 19 at 3pm-4:30pm EST
This training will share important skills for documenting ICE activity and supporting neighbors in your community.
ICE Watch is a key strategy being used by groups across the country to protect their communities against aggressive activity by ICE agents.
Practicing ICE Watch protects our neighborhoods from immigration enforcement by ensuring our community members know their rights, have a plan, and know how to act in the event of targeting by ICE.
In addition to covering the basics of ICE Watch, we will discuss new analysis on ICE operations and safety guidance.
Saturday, Dec. 20 at 4pm-6pm EST
ICE agents are flooding into the city in an all-out blitz against our immigrant neighbors and coworkers. This follows Trump's disgusting address last night where he attacked our immigrant community, and our Somali neighbors.
Join us for a mass meeting to share Know Your Rights materials, hear an urgent political orientation, and discuss the next steps for our fight to kick ICE out of Columbus!