Know Your Rights

Immigrants have rights to live, work, and learn free from discrimination. This Know Your Rights page offers resources to help undocumented and mixed-status students understand protections in the workplace, privacy for student records, and how to interact safely with law enforcement.

• Access to Public Benefits

  • This section provides resources to help undocumented and mixed-status students and their families understand eligibility for public benefits and protections under immigration law. 

    • Overview of Immigrant Eligibility for Federal Programs: This guide by the National Immigration Law Center outlines which federal programs immigrants may access, based on different immigration statuses, with easy-to-understand explanations of benefits like healthcare, nutrition assistance, and more.

    • Keep Your Benefits - Online Public Charge Screening Tool: This online tool allows immigrants to check how using certain public benefits might impact their immigration status under the “public charge” rule. It’s confidential and helps users understand their choices without risking immigration consequences. 

    • Fact Sheet on Immigrants and Public Benefits: This fact sheet explains immigrant access to public benefits, including eligibility guidelines for different statuses. This resource helps clarify common questions about benefits like Medicaid, SNAP, and housing assistance.

    •  Immigrants’ Eligibility for U.S. Public Benefits [pdf]: An in-depth explainer on public benefits eligibility for immigrants, this document provides a comprehensive look at federal, state, and local programs and includes important updates about changing eligibility rules. 

    • Public Charge Resources [pdf] | Protecting Immigrant Families: This collection of resources clarifies what the “public charge” rule means and offers guidance on using public benefits safely. It’s designed to help immigrants and their families make informed decisions without fear of status repercussions. 

• Employment

  • • Immigrant and Employee Rights | U.S. Department of Justice: Offers legal support and resources on workplace rights for immigrant and minority workers, helping you understand how to protect yourself from discrimination.

    • National Origin and Immigrants' Rights | Legal Aid at Work : Offers legal support and resources on workplace rights for immigrant and minority workers, helping you understand how to protect yourself from discrimination.

    • FAQ: DACA and Your Workplace Rights | National Immigration Law Center (NILC): A helpful FAQ detailing your rights as a DACA recipient in the workplace, including protections, resources, and advice for common employment situations.

    • Workers with Temporary Protected Status |  U.S. Department of Justice: Guidance on your rights to work legally with Temporary Protected Status, with advice on documentation and employer relations.

• Housing

  • Housing Rights and Immigration Status | California’s Civil Rights Agency

    CRD is committed to ensuring that all Californians, regardless of immigration status, can live free from discrimination. You are protected from actions such as being evicted, denied an apartment, charged higher rent, or denied repairs in your rental home, if the actions are based on your race, where you are from, your culture, your primary language, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, religion, source of income, or other characteristics. You are also protected from discrimination based on your citizenship or immigration status unless you are living in some types of affordable housing, such as public or USDA rural housing. California law also prohibits housing providers from asking about your immigration status unless you are applying for affordable housing funded by the federal government. Additionally, housing providers cannot harass or intimidate you by threatening or sharing information about your immigration status to ICE, law enforcement, or other government agencies.

    Read about your rights as a tenant.

• Immigration and Law Enforcement 

  • • Immigration Enforcement Actions on University Property: This FAQ document offers guidance to California State University (CSU) employees on how to handle federal immigration enforcement actions on campus, covering policies, response protocols, and rights. It outlines steps employees can take to protect student information and uphold the university's commitment to providing a safe, inclusive environment. Students and educators can use this resource to understand their rights regarding campus privacy, learn how CSU limits cooperation with immigration enforcement, and feel empowered to foster a safe space that supports undocumented and mixed-status students. FAQs for California State University Employees about Federal Immigration Enforcement Actions on University Property [pdf]

    • Police and Immigration Enforcement | Informed Immigrant: Understand how to assert your rights if approached by law enforcement or immigration officials in public or on transportation. 

    • California Laws Protecting Immigrant's Civil Rights | California Office of the Attorney General: This resource highlights protections for immigrants who are victims of crimes, detailing their rights to seek help without fear of immigration consequences. It explains special protections, including eligibility for U and T visas, which provide legal status for victims cooperating with law enforcement. The page also covers other important topics, such as protections in the workplace, access to education, housing rights, and guidelines for interactions with law enforcement, ensuring immigrants in California understand the full range of their legal rights and resources. Learn More About Immigrant Protections in California. 

• Student Rights and Campus Safety

  • • Student Rights and Privacy (FERPA): Learn about your right to privacy under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), which protects your education records and controls who can access them. 

    • Reporting Discrimination on Campus | SJSU Title IX Office: If you or someone you know has experienced discrimination, harassment, or retaliation based on a protected status (including age, disability, gender, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, nationality, race or ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, and veteran or military status), we encourage you to file a report or contact the Office for Title IX and Equal Opportunity for resources and assistance.

    •  Immigration Enforcement on Higher Education Campuses [pdf] (AB 21): AB 21 is a California state law that provides critical protections for undocumented students in higher education. It requires colleges and universities to safeguard student information, maintain campus as a safe space from immigration enforcement, and offer resources that support student rights and privacy. This law helps ensure undocumented students can access higher education without fear of discrimination or exposure to immigration risks.

    • KYR Immigration & Students | ACLU of Northern CA: Learn about the rights of undocumented and mixed-status students, including protections from immigration enforcement in schools and privacy of student information. 

• Travel

  • • Guide for Undocumented Individuals Traveling in the U.S. | Immigrants Rising: This guide provides essential information and safety tips for undocumented individuals traveling within the United States. It covers what to expect during encounters with law enforcement, how to prepare for travel, and ways to reduce risk, whether traveling by car, bus, train, or plane. With practical advice on maintaining personal safety and understanding rights during travel, this resource empowers undocumented students and their families to make informed, safe travel decisions. 

    • Travel Documents for Non-Citizens | U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services: If you wish to return to the United States lawfully after traveling outside the United States, you generally must have: 1) valid entry document, such as a Permanent Resident Card (Green Card) or Nonimmigrant visa, or 2) valid and unexpired travel document. The type of document you need varies depending on your immigration status (including lawful permanent resident status) or if you have a pending immigration benefit request.

    • Advance Parole for DACA Recipients | Immigrant Legal Resource Center: Currently, individuals who have Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) can request and travel with Advance Parole. DACA recipients can request Advance Parole for humanitarian, employment, and education reasons. To qualify, DACA recipients will need to demonstrate that their need to travel falls within one of these categories. This community resource provides an overview of travel with Advance Parole and gives some examples of what may qualify. 

     Advance Parole Explainer

    Preparing for Re-Entry After Traveling on Advance Parole