Clear answers about U.S. immigration — free, and in your language.

Step by step

1. 1Gather information: the person's full name exactly as on their documents, country of birth, date of birth, and — if you have it — their A-Number (9 digits, on any immigration document).
2. 2Search the ICE Online Detainee Locator (free, official): locator.ice.gov. New detainees may take some hours to appear — try again later the same day.
3. 3If not found online, call the ICE Detention Reporting and Information Line: 1-888-351-4024 (Mon–Fri, operators speak Spanish).
4. 4Check if there is a court case: EOIR Automated Case Information — acis.eoir.justice.gov or 1-800-898-7180 (needs the A-Number).
5. 5Find legal help immediately — see the free legal help section. A detained person has the right to a lawyer (at their own expense) and, in many cases, to ask a judge for release on bond.

Good to know

• Detained people can make phone calls. Make sure your family memorizes at least one phone number — cell phones are taken away.
• Every detention facility has a free legal orientation and a list of free legal service providers — the detained person can ask for it.
• If a judge sets a bond, it can be paid online through ICE's official system CeBONDS or at designated ICE offices. Never pay a "bond" to a private person.
• Prepare a family plan in advance: copies of documents, A-Numbers written down, a trusted adult authorized to care for children.

The essentials

• Which countries are designated right now? The list and deadlines change. The only reliable source is the official USCIS TPS page — check it, not social media rumors.
• Deadlines matter most. Each country has an initial registration period and re-registration windows. Missing a re-registration deadline can mean losing status.
• TPS is temporary. It does not by itself lead to a green card, but some TPS holders qualify for other options — that is exactly the kind of question a licensed attorney should analyze.
• Court decisions can change everything quickly. If your country's designation is being terminated or litigated, get advice from a licensed attorney or accredited representative before your documents expire — not after.

Common questions

• Can I work with TPS? Yes — TPS applicants can request an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) with the same application or separately with Form I-765.
• My EAD expired but I re-registered — can I still work? In many cases USCIS auto-extends TPS-based EADs and publishes the extension in the Federal Register; your employer can verify it. Check the official TPS page for your country.
• Can I travel abroad? Leaving the U.S. without advance permission (Form I-512T travel authorization) can destroy your status. Never travel without talking to a licensed attorney first.
• Someone offered to "renew my TPS" for a fee. Re-registration is a form you file with USCIS with a government fee (or a fee waiver). See how to avoid fraud.

The basics

• Form I-765 is filed with USCIS on paper or, for many categories, online at my.uscis.gov. Filing online gives you instant delivery confirmation and case tracking.
• Renew early. You can generally file a renewal up to 180 days before your current card expires.
• Automatic extension: for many renewal categories, a timely-filed renewal automatically extends your existing EAD for up to 540 days. Your receipt notice (Form I-797C) plus the expired card can prove work authorization — show your employer the USCIS guidance.

If your case is taking too long

1. 1Compare with normal processing times: egov.uscis.gov/processing-times. If your case is outside normal time, the same page lets you submit a free case inquiry.
2. 2Expedite request — free, but only for defined reasons: severe financial loss, humanitarian emergency, government interest, or clear USCIS error. Read the official criteria: how to make an expedite request.
3. 3CIS Ombudsman — a free, independent office that helps when USCIS is stuck: dhs.gov/case-assistance.

Red flag: anyone charging money to "speed up" your work permit through connections is lying — there is no such service. The tools above are the only real ones, and they are free.

Track your case — free

• Case status online: egov.uscis.gov/casestatus — enter the 13-character receipt number from your I-797C notice.
• Online account: my.uscis.gov — see notices, respond to requests for evidence, update your address.
• Moved? File your change of address within 10 days — online at uscis.gov/addresschange. Missed mail from USCIS or the court is one of the most common ways people lose their case.
• In court proceedings? Your address change goes to the court too (Form EOIR-33) — the USCIS form alone is not enough.

Thinking about changing status?

Moving between statuses — for example from TPS, parole, or a visa to something more permanent — is the area with the highest stakes and the most traps. A wrong filing can create years of problems or trigger removal proceedings.

• Read the official overview of your options: USCIS — Green Card eligibility categories.
• Then — before filing anything — have your specific history reviewed by a licensed attorney or DOJ-accredited representative. Many offer free or low-cost consultations (next section).
• Never let anyone file an asylum application or any other form "just to get you a work permit." Filings you don't qualify for can lead to deportation and permanent bars.

Free & nonprofit help

• National directory of free/low-cost immigration legal services: immigrationlawhelp.org — search by ZIP code, filter by language.
• DOJ list of recognized organizations & accredited representatives: justice.gov/eoir roster.
• For people in immigration court: the official EOIR pro bono providers list.
• New York City: ActionNYC — free, safe immigration legal help: 1-800-354-0365.

Hiring a private attorney

• Search the AILA immigration lawyer search (American Immigration Lawyers Association).
• Verify the license on the state bar website (for example, in New York: NY attorney search). Every U.S. attorney appears in a state bar database — no exceptions.
• Ask for a written contract listing services and fees, and receipts for every payment.
• A real attorney will show their name, bar number, and office — and will never guarantee a result.

Red flags

• They won't give you their full name, license/accreditation number, and office address — or the name can't be found in any state bar or DOJ roster.
• They guarantee a result: "100% approval," "work permit in a month," "I know people inside."
• They ask you to sign blank forms or forms you can't read.
• They charge for government forms that are free to download, or for "queue priority" that doesn't exist.
• They keep your original documents "until you pay."
• Payment in cash only, no receipts, no written contract.

If it already happened

• You can report fraud regardless of your immigration status, and reporting does not automatically expose you to immigration enforcement.
• Report to the FTC: reportfraud.ftc.gov (in Spanish too).
• Report to your state attorney general — in New York and New Jersey, the AG's offices actively prosecute immigration services fraud.
• Get your file reviewed by a real attorney quickly — wrong filings are often fixable if caught early.
• Official USCIS guide: uscis.gov — Avoid scams.

If immigration officers come to your door

• You do not have to open the door unless they show a warrant signed by a judge with your correct name and address. An ICE administrative form (I-200/I-205) is not a judicial warrant. Ask them to slide it under the door.
• You have the right to remain silent and to say: "I choose to remain silent and I want to speak to a lawyer."
• Do not sign anything you don't understand — some papers waive your right to see a judge.

Prepare in advance

• Carry a "red card" stating your rights — free to print in many languages: ilrc.org/red-cards.
• Keep copies of all immigration documents in a safe place a trusted person can access; memorize key phone numbers and A-Numbers.
• Full official guides: ACLU — Immigrants' Rights · NILC — Know Your Rights.

Decided so far

• TPS Ukraine is valid through October 19, 2026 (for those who re-registered on time). New EADs are issued with that expiration date. USCIS — TPS
• U4U (Uniting for Ukraine): new applications from abroad remain paused since January 2025. Re-parole for people already in the U.S. is being processed again — case by case, via Form I-131 (the streamlined online filing is gone). Ukraine Immigration Task Force
• Work permits (EAD): as of October 30, 2025, DHS ended the automatic 540-day extension for most renewals filed after that date — work authorization now stops the day the card expires. File renewals as early as possible (180 days ahead). TPS-based EADs keep separate automatic extensions — check your country's USCIS page.
• TPS Haiti terminated effective July 27, 2026, after the Supreme Court's June 25, 2026 decision. Venezuela: litigation continues; some holders keep work authorization through October 2, 2026. National TPS Alliance — case status
• ICE: every field officer is expected to wear a body camera by the end of August 2026; enforcement operations continue (August 7 — 1,200+ arrests in a single Georgia operation). Review your rights and carry a red card.

Dates to watch

• ≈ August 20, 2026 — by law, DHS must announce its decision on TPS Ukraine at least 60 days before it expires. If no timely decision is announced, the designation automatically extends by at least 6 months.
• October 2, 2026 — work authorization ends for some Venezuelan TPS holders (unless courts change the picture earlier).
• October 19, 2026 — current TPS Ukraine period ends, if not extended.
• TPS litigation continues — rulings can restore or end protections quickly. Reliable trackers: USCIS, ASAP, Ukraine Immigration Task Force.
• The one point every legal aid group repeats: don't wait until the last day — discuss backup options for your specific situation with a licensed attorney early.

Have a question?

Write to us at hello@example.com or leave your question in the chat at the corner of this page. Please don't include details of your personal case.

We cannot advise you on your case — but we can point you to the right place to ask: the free legal help directory, licensed attorneys, and DOJ-accredited representatives.

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Tell us and we'll fix it. Please do not describe your personal case — we cannot answer case questions. For your case, use the free legal help directory.

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