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Family Separation

If you are an immigrant caregiver (including a parent, a legal guardian, a legal custodian, or other relative) who is worried that you may be separated from your child because of immigration enforcement, get help to plan for the future by:

  • Contacting a free and trusted legal services provider by calling MOIA's Legal Hotline 800-854-0365
  • Choosing an emergency contact, in the event that you are detained. Consider memorizing their phone number. This should be someone you trust, including someone like your lawyer.
  • Updating emergency contact information at your child's school by updating a Blue Card in their school.
  • Appointing someone to take care of your child and make important decisions in case you are unable to do so.

There are several ways to appoint someone to take care of your child:

  1. The first way is to designate a person in parental relationship. You can do this by filling out a form called the OCFS-4940 with the NYS Office of Children and Family Services. This can be done immediately and does not require you to go to court.
    • To find this form in many languages, visit the Form Search web page. Enter "4940" in the search bar and sort by "Number".
    • For more information on this process, visit the instructions section in the form.
  2. The second way to do this is through a process called Standby Guardianship. This process requires filing with a court.
Immigrant Caregivers Flyer

Resources for Immigrant Parents and Caregivers Flyer

Resources and contact information

For free, safe immigration legal help, including help in understanding and designating a standby guardian, you can call the MOIA Immigration Legal Support Hotline at 800-354-0365 or call 311 and say, "Immigration Legal."

Every New Yorker without exception Flyer

For more information related to immigrant health—including printable “Every New Yorker, Without Exception” posters available in 15 languages for your office’s waiting and exam rooms—visit the NYC Health Department’s Immigrant Health Care webpage at nyc.gov/immigranthealth.