International, Immigrant, and Noncitizen Workers

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Resources for Noncitizen Graduate Workers and Students

The information for this page is for international, immigrant, and noncitizen workers and students. The NUGW International and Immigrant Workers Working Group meets Sundays at 10 am over zoom. Please reach out to your stewards on slack, or fill out the Get Involved form on the home page, for more information.

Published by NUGW-UE 1122, August 2025.

Know Your Rights

Regardless of your immigration status, one of the best ways to protect yourself and those around you is to know your rights when interacting with ICE, federal agents, or law enforcement inside the United States. The Immigrant Defence Project provides information about your rights at home, on the streets, in your car, and more in a variety of languages. If you prefer video form, We Have Rights provides Know-Your-Rights videos in several languages. Based on a Know Your Rights training hosted in February, 2025, you graduate union, NUGW-UE 1122, put together answers to some questions you might have about your rights.

You also have rights at work. The National Day Laborer Organizing Network provides information about your rights if ICE comes to your workplace. If you want, you can hang this sign on your lab, office, or classroom to mark it as a private work area and help educate your peers about their rights.

To report ICE Activity, access deportation legal support, or get legal & social service referrals, call the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant & Refugee Rights hotline at (855)453-7693. To learn about verified ICE activity in your area, join ICIRR’s IL Eyes on ICE Text Network. Also click here for a digital download of their Know Your Rights card.

Be Prepared In Case You are Detained

In the unfortunate scenario that a person is detained by ICE or law enforcement, it is important to be prepared. This might include filling out forms that enable lawyers to better advocate for the detained person, having a care plan for the detained person’s dependents, and designating a “buddy” with access to important documents. This Worksheet for Safety Planning helps walk through these steps.

Travel

If you plan to travel, it is important to be prepared. Northwestern’s Office of Student and Scholar Services (OISS) details the documents you should carry while traveling. Fragomen provides information on planning travel on an F-1 student visa. 

Your rights when interacting with United States border patrol agents when travelling are restricted compared to your rights within the United States. The Asian Law Caucus describes your rights when travelling. Creating Law Enforcement Accountability & Responsibility provides further information about your rights when flying while Muslim. Also, check out ACLU’s FAQ on your rights when travelling. 

At U.S. borders, your electronic devices are subject to unwarranted search. Information found on your device may be used to deny your entry to the U.S. The ACLU provides detailed information on what border agents can do with your electronic devices. To help protect yourself, practice good digital hygiene. Immigrant Arc provides a brief guide on digital hygiene. For an in-depth guide on digital hygiene, check out this report from the Electronic Frontier Foundation.

Visa

OISS maintains a webpage with information about visa renewal. The Asian Law Caucus provides further information on travel and visa concerns for international students. Fragomen discusses recent developments in immigration policy which might impact international travel and visa renewal.

Attending Protests

Your right to political speech and protest is protected under the U.S. Constitution, regardless of your immigration status. The National Immigration Law Center describes your rights to participate in protests. The Asian Law Caucus and Council on American-Islamic Relations put together this guide to protesting and community safety.

Resources from Your Union

Northwestern University Graduate Workers (NUGW-UE 1122) has gathered resources to help you learn about your rights. This includes a recording and slides from a Know Your Rights training NUGW-UE hosted in February, 2025.

UE has put together some guidance and resources for those in the United States on F1 visas, including information about the Union Higher Education Rapid Response Hotline (888-416-2110), which you can call in the event that you are experiencing an unexpected change in immigration status or any other immigration-related emergency.

Recent Developments in Immigration Policy

While your basic rights inside the United States are derived from the Constitution, specific laws and policies around immigration remain in flux. Asian Law Caucus maintains information about recent developments in United States immigration policies and your rights under these policies. They also regularly produce guides and reports on various immigration topics. Fragomen provides information on navigating recent developments in immigration policy. The National Immigration Law Center also has guides, toolkits, and policy briefs about issues impacting immigrant communities.

Additional Information & Resources