Before anything else, please:
Protect your personal information! We will not ask for any information on this site. You should be suspicious of anyone (except your attorney) asking for detailed personal information, even if they seem like they want to help. Also, try to consider the risk that people you share sensitive personal information with may be vulnerable to immigration enforcement themselves: is it low risk, or higher risk?
Don't leave sensitive information in a place where unauthorized people can find it.
As part of your plan, you may decide to use legal documents that will contain personal information and must be signed and stamped by a notary public. (Notarization helps to prove that the document was really signed by the person whose name is on it and that that person signed it willingly.)
Notaries can be found at banks, UPS stores, and the public library.
In Virginia, a notary may not legally charge more than $10 to notarize a document and most banks will notarize a document for free.
Notaries may not give legal advice in the United States unless they are also licensed lawyers. Never ask or pay a notary for legal advice. They are not qualified to provide it, and relying on legal advice from a notary can be dangerous. You should talk with an attorney instead.
Reach out for more help, as needed. If you own real estate or business property, or have any criminal background, you should talk to an attorney for legal help. If you have children or adults who depend on you, you may want to talk to an attorney about legal options in case you are detained or deported.
Places that can help you plan and find an attorney include:
Legal Aid Justice Center (LAJC) [https://www.justice4all.org/] (Charlottesville, VA)
Office: (434) 977-0553
International: 1-800-269-4717 (In Mexico, dial 001 first)
LAJC is able to assist with bond cases (the process to pay money to get out of jail on bond)
COSPU [https://www.cospu.org/] (Harrisonburg, VA) Phone: (540) 860-0304
New Bridges [https://newbridgesirc.org/] (Harrisonburg, VA) Phone: (540) 438-8295
Don't panic! Take action, but don't rush. It takes time to plan. Do what you can with your family and your community to plan a little bit each day or two over a few weeks, rather than getting overwhelmed or giving up.
Next: Parts of the plan