Find Legal Help

Esta Página en Español

The ACLU of Maryland cannot offer legal advice or immediate responses to legal help requests at this time. However, we remain committed to dismantling systemic oppression using legal strategies, such as lawsuits and strengthening legal rules.

Tip Reporting

To report non-urgent tips on civil rights violations in Immigration enforcement or detention, please complete our Immigrants' Defense Tip Form here.

To report non-urgent tips on civil rights violations you experienced or witnessed in Maryland, please complete our Civil Rights Tip Form here.*

_{*Please do not rely on our tip forms to find a lawyer. We will review the information provided to understand legal threats and develop strategies - including possible cases - but we are unable to respond or assist in most cases. To find a lawyer, please consider the referral resources below.}

Immigrants' Rights Resources

For detailed information regarding your rights in immigration enforcement, please visit National Immigration Law Center's (NILC) website for:

Rights during immigration arrest or detention: https://www.nilc.org/resources/know-your-rights-what-to-do-if-arrested-d...
How to find a loved one after immigration arrest: https://www.nilc.org/resources/how-to-find-a-loved-one-after-a-u-s-immig...

ACLU
The American Civil Liberties Union advocates for full legal protections to support our immigrant communities by filing strategic lawsuits and fighting for lasting policy change.

Review KYR materials on the website at: https://www.aclu.org/know-your-rights/immigrants-rights/

CASA de Maryland
CASA organizes and advocates for Latine and immigrant communities in Maryland. Contact CASA if you or someone you know has experienced immigration enforcement. The organization assists with educational, financial, legal, employment, and more opportunities. CASA continues to lead the charge to protect our valuable immigrant communities and may offer referrals, resources, and direct representation.

Call the CASA de Maryland ICE Raids tipline by phone to: 1.888.214.6016.
Review CASA KYR & other materials on their website at: https://wearecasa.org

Amica Center for Immigrant Rights
Amica defends immigrant people and children facing detention and deportation by offering legal services and engaging in strategic litigation in the D.C.-Maryland-Virginia region. Contact Amica Center if you or someone you know is currently in immigration detention. Amica Center may provide legal representation, legal information, and referrals to people in detention or in removal proceedings.

Call the Amica Center immigration detention hotline by phone to: 202.331.3329.
For legal representation, please see Amica’s Get Help form on their website at: https://www.amicacenter.org/get-help/
For legal resources – including tools for lawyers and advocates, please see Amica’s Legal Resources page on their website at: https://www.amicacenter.org/legal-resources/

General Resources

You may find a general guide to legal issues and resources at:

You may find private lawyer referrals at:

To find lawyers for Criminal Matters:

For policing issues, please review our Police Accountability Self Advocacy Toolkit on this webpage.

For prison-related matters (state prison & Baltimore City jails only), have the person inside contact the Prisoners, Rights Information System of Maryland (PRISM) in writing to PO Box 929, Chestertown, MD 21601.

See also a blank patient data release form and our webpage, “What Happened to My Loved One?”

Police Accountability Self-Advocacy Toolkit

From 2015 to 2022, 123 people in Maryland were killed by the police. This number is too great and doesn’t even count the people, families, and whole communities who survive so much physical and mental harm from needless – often racist – run-ins with police. This institutional failure is made worse by flawed “accountability” structures designed to protect police and bypass justice.

The ACLU of Maryland Police Accountability Self-Advocacy toolkit describes ways a person may use existing, though inadequate, accountability structures. We also hope this self-kit will highlight the flaws of the system and encourage you to change it.

GET THE TOOLKIT

What Happened to My Loved One?

Requesting Death Records from Maryland Jails and Prisons

When someone you love passes away inside a Maryland prison or jail, it can feel impossible to find out what happened. While the process for seeking death-related information can differ depending on the facility, this guide hopes to shed some light on where to start.

Learn more about the estate process

Maryland Parole Partnership

The Maryland Parole Partnership (MPP) is the result of the lifelong work of numerous people serving life sentences who organized behind prison walls, the family members who supported them, and the advocates they recruited to join them. Our goal is to help facilitate meaningful parole consideration for individuals serving parole eligible life and long-term prison sentences that have been incarcerated for at least 25 years, have demonstrated their maturity and rehabilitation, and are ready to contribute to our communities.

Learn more about MPP