LEGAL Resources
FINDING AN ATTORNEY
To find an attorney in Minnesota, there are several resources available:
Office of the Federal Defender: Many federal defendants are eligible for a court-appointed attorney assigned by the Office of the Federal Defender for the District of Minnesota.
To access these attorneys, the Court determines whether an individual is eligible for court appointed counsel. If the person is eligible, the Federal Defender is appointed to represent them. The Federal Defender then assigns an attorney from the Office of the Federal Defender to represent the client, or assigns a private attorney (a member of the Criminal Justice Act conflicts panel) to represent the client. All services are provided to the client free of charge, whether they are represented by a full time defender, or a CJA Attorney. These Services include counsel, investigative and necessary expert services.
National Lawyers Guild: You can reach out to the National Lawyers Guild of Minnesota hotline at 612-444-2654.
They have experience pairing defendants with lawyers who take civil rights cases. They can help connect those looking for legal representation with the attorneys most interested in these kinds of cases.
Volunteer Lawyers Network: Volunteer Lawyers Network, Ltd. (VLN) is a 501(c)3 non-profit that provides civil legal services to low-income Minnesotans through volunteer attorneys.
Visit their website or call (612) 752-6677 on Monday through Thursday from 10:00am to 1:00pm to talk with one of our non-lawyer employees. Please be ready to be on hold for a while.
Minnesota State Bar Association: The Minnesota State Bar Association hosts an Attorney Referral Service at www.mnfindalawyer.com.
In Ramsey County: The Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota (ILCM), The Advocates for Human Rights (AHR), and Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid (MMLA) work collaboratively represent clients who live in Ramsey County or Saint Paul, who do not have legal representation, who are detained and face removal, and who earn less than 200% of the poverty guidelines.
Contact any of the following phone numbers below to have your case evaluated:
ILCM intake/detention line: 651-641-1011
AHR intake line: 612-341-9845
MMLA intake line: 1-877-696-6529
The Office of the Attorney General: The state Attorney General’s office has helpful guidance on Hiring an Attorney.
GUIDANCE FOR LEGAL OBSERVERS
For Minnesota-specific guidance for Legal Observers:
Visit ICEWatchLegal.org, a site hosted by the National Lawyers Guild of Minnesota.
Visit LawHelpMN.org, a site hosted by Legal Services State Support, a project of the Minnesota Legal Services Coalition.
For guidance on what to do if law enforcement visits you at your home, visit If An Agent Knocks, a guide from the Center for Constitutional Rights.
Please note: these resources are not legal advice and should not be used a substitute for professional legal counsel.
REPORTING VIOLATIONS OF THE LAW
If you believe ICE / CBP or cooperating law enforcement has violated your rights, you can report the incident to:
The MN Attorney General using the Federal Action Reporting Form
The ACLU of MN at Report unlawful conduct by Federal Agents to ACLU-MN
The Hennepin County Attorney at The Transparency and Accountability Project
Governor Tim Walz created The Governor’s Council on Recording the Truth of Operation Metro Surge and Operation PARRIS. The Advocates for Human Rights are the implementing partner of the Minnesota Truth Council. Visit their website to share a story or become a partner.