Resources Archives – Borderless Magazine NFP

Photo illustration by Max Herman/Borderless Magazine

Health Resources Top Stories

Where to Find Free, Low-Cost Health Coverage Regardless of Status

Thousands of Illinois immigrants have lost health coverage, with the end of the Health Benefits for Immigrant Adults (HBIA) program July 1. Borderless Magazine compiled a guide to explain who’s affected and what options are available.

Lucy Baptiste and Tara MobasherJuly 22, 2025

Christian K. Lee/Chalkbeat

Education Immigration Policy Resources

Five Things to Know About Immigration Policy and Illinois Schools

President Donald Trump is using executive orders to roll back rights for immigrants. Here is what to know about Illinois’ and Chicago’s immigration policies and how they relate to schools.

Samantha Smylie and Reema Amin, Chalkbeat ChicagoJanuary 29, 2025

Oscar Gomez/Borderless Magazine

Education Immigration Policy Resources

What Immigrant Communities Should Know About Their Rights

All immigrants in the U.S. have rights, including the right to remain silent. Here’s what you should know if you encounter federal immigration agents.

Katrina Pham and Tara MobasherJanuary 17, 2025

Molly Devore/Block Club Chicago

Resources

Where to Find Turkey Giveaways This Thanksgiving

If you need food this Thanksgiving, here is a guide to upcoming turkey giveaways in Chicago.

Fiona WuNovember 20, 2024

coats over various colors hang on a rack

Michelle Kanaar/Borderless Magazine

Resources Where to find

Where To Find Free or Cheap Winter Coats In Chicago

From coat drives to free stores to resale shops, here are places to get free or low-cost coats and jackets this winter in the Chicago area.

Diane Bou KhalilNovember 7, 2024

Oscar Gomez/Borderless Magazine

Education Resources

Where to Find Free English Language Classes in Chicago

City Colleges of Chicago, Chicago Public Libraries and other local organizations that offer free English classes for adults across the city.

Tara MobasherOctober 10, 2024

Photo illustration by Max Herman/Borderless Magazine. Source image: Maxim Gertsen / Alamy Stock

Resources

Looking to Buy a Home? These Groups Offer Homeownership Counseling in Chicago

Whether you want to buy a house, a townhouse, or a condo, these organizations can help you get your new home.

Mauricio PeñaSeptember 17, 2024

Illustration by Edel Rodriguez, special to ProPublica

Labor Resources

What You Need to Know If You’re Hurt While Working on a Wisconsin Dairy Farm

ProPublica spoke to lawyers, health care providers, government officials and others to help workers understand their rights if they’re injured on the job.

Maryam Jameel, ProPublica and Melissa Sanchez, ProPublicaJune 17, 2024

Illustration by Mike Centeno for Borderless Magazine

Health Immigration Policy Resources

Where to Find Free, or Low-Cost Mental Health Support in Chicago

Borderless compiled a list of organizations across the Chicagoland area that provide free or low-cost mental health support.

Diane Bou KhalilFebruary 20, 2024

Samantha Cabrera Friend for Borderless Magazine

Health Immigration Policy Resources

How to Help Migrants Coming to Chicago

Where to donate food, clothing, money and more to help migrants arriving in Chicago from Texas and other southern states.

Katrina Pham and Diane Bou KhalilJanuary 16, 2024

Michelle Kanaar/Borderless Magazine

Resources Where to find

Where To Find Free or Cheap Winter Coats In Chicago

From coat drives to free stores to resale shops, here are places to get free or low-cost coats and jackets this winter in the Chicago area.

Diane Bou KhalilNovember 10, 2023

Sebastián Hidalgo for Borderless Magazine

Resources Where to find

Where to get free food by neighborhood in Chicago

Here are a few food pantries where you can receive groceries or a hot meal in each of Chicago’s 77 community areas.

Katrina PhamOctober 17, 2023

Oscar Gomez for Borderless Magazine

Resources Where to find

How to access food benefits programs and free groceries in Chicago

Chicagoans can access free food through food stamps and local food pantries, but eligibility requirements vary. Here’s how you can get food regardless of your immigration or citizenship status in Chicago.

Katrina PhamOctober 17, 2023

Chicagoans rally against Russian invasion of Ukraine

Photo by Colin Boyle/Block Club Chicago

Organizing Resources Things to do

How to Support Ukrainians

A running list of events held by Chicagoans to build solidarity with and awareness of the ongoing war in Ukraine

Borderless Magazine StaffFebruary 24, 2022

Photo by Michelle Kanaar/Borderless Magazine

Health Resources

Where to Find Free COVID-19 Tests in Chicago

PCR and rapid testing is available throughout the Chicago area. Stay on top of your health and find a testing site in your neighborhood.

Diane Bou KhalilNovember 1, 2021

Health Immigration Policy Resources

FAQ: What You Need to Know About COVID Vaccines in Immigrant Detention Centers

A confusing rollout has left many immigrants detained by ICE relying on local governments to get a COVID vaccine.

Adriana RezalOctober 13, 2021

Photo courtesy of Department of Homeland Security

Immigration Policy Resources

What to Know About the U.S. Deportations of Haitians

After photos of Border Patrol agents whipping Haitian asylum seekers were made public, immigrant advocates are calling for an end to Title 42 deportations.

Borderless Magazine StaffSeptember 23, 2021

Illustration by Cha Pornea

Resources

How to Help Afghan Refugees in Chicago and Beyond

Donate money or volunteer to support in-need Afghan refugee families escaping the Taliban

Claire VoonAugust 20, 2021

African, food, restaurant, Yassa, Chicago

Photo courtesy of Yassa African Restaurant

Arts & Culture Resources

The Ultimate Guide to African Food in Chicago

Craving Ethiopian, Egyptian, Ghanaian or Somali food? We’ve got you covered with our exhaustive list of Chicago’s must-try African restaurants.

Diane Bou KhalilAugust 18, 2021

domestic, violence, immigration, Apna, Ghar, Borderless, women, abuse, gender

Resources

How to Confront Domestic Violence

Apna Ghar’s Maha Waseem on how immigrants are particularly vulnerable to domestic violence and what we can do to support survivors.

Diane Bou Khalil and Claire VoonApril 20, 2021

immigration, tips, lawyer, noncitizen, criminal court, deportation, courts

Photo by April Alonso for Borderless Magazine/Catchlight Local

Immigration Policy Resources

Ask a lawyer: 5 tips for noncitizens in criminal court

Hena Mansori, the head of the new immigration unit at the Cook County Public Defender's Office, offers advice for noncitizens who come into contact with the justice system.

Rita OcegueraApril 1, 2021

immigrants, conviction, court, criminalization, deportation, defender, attorney, courts, representation

Photo by April Alonso for Borderless Magazine/Catchlight Local

Immigration Policy Resources

Cook County aims to disrupt the conviction-to-deportation pipeline

A new unit within the Cook County public defender's office wants better representation for noncitizens clients at risk of being deported.

Carlos BallesterosMarch 31, 2021

Education Immigration Policy Resources

LGBTQ detainees can get free books with Chicago program

Books for Migrants provides LGBTQ migrants in detention a book of their choice every month.

Ata YounanMarch 17, 2021

vaccine, Chicago, coronavirus, resource, pandemic, health

Health Resources

Here’s How You Can Get Vaccinated Against Coronavirus In Chicago

Here's where, how and when you can get vaccinated against COVID-19 in Chicago.

Kelly BauerMarch 10, 2021

grants, Little Village, Chicago, resources, pandemic, Latinx, business

Health Resources

Little Village Businesses Can Apply For Up To $3,000 Micro-Grants

Along with financial assistance, the Road to Recovery program offers technical help for businesses struggling during the pandemic.

Mauricio PeñaMarch 9, 2021

Borderless Magazine, team, immigration, journalism, news

Resources

Borderless Magazine 2020 Impact Report

Learn how Borderless Magazine amplified the struggles and strengths of immigrant communities in the Midwest in 2020.

Borderless Magazine StaffMarch 4, 2021

Asian, harassment, bystander, training, intervention, Chicago

Health Organizing Resources

With Anti-Asian Attacks On The Rise, Webinar Teaches Bystanders How To Help

During the past few months, Catherine Shieh has been leading bystander intervention trainings over Zoom to help stem the rise in anti-Asian attacks throughout the country.

Esther Yoon-Ji KangMarch 2, 2021

Max Herman / CatchLight Local Chicago

Arts & Culture Labor Resources

The South Side Mutual Aid Group Fighting Food Insecurity with Meals that Feed the Soul

Farm, Food, Familias partners with diverse chefs to bring dishes with cultural specificity to Black and Latinx communities in need.

Chelsea VerstegenFebruary 10, 2021

Resources

Ten Things to Watch and Read about Immigration this Winter

From stories about undocumented immigrants to comedies about first-generation families, here are some of our favorite things to watch and read about immigration.

Claudia HernándezDecember 22, 2020

Resources

Where to Find Turkey Giveaways This Thanksgiving

Community organizations throughout Chicago are giving out food and clothing to families in need this holiday season.

Diane Bou KhalilNovember 19, 2020

Español Resources

How to Get Help Voting in Illinois

Wondering how to register to vote? How to vote by mail? ¿Quieres saber cómo registrarte para votar? ¿Cómo votar por correo?

Diane Bou Khalil and Nissa RheeOctober 23, 2020

Resources

After Court Ruling, What’s Next for TPS?

Temporary Protected Status, or TPS, helps 300,000 people work and live in the United States. But a recent court ruling threatens to end the humanitarian program.

Diane Bou KhalilSeptember 28, 2020

Immigration Policy Resources

What You Need to Know About the New Restrictions on Work Visas

How Trump’s new executive order impacts American companies and immigrants who work or want to work in the United States.

Claudia HernándezJuly 8, 2020

Photo by Michelle Kanaar

Immigration Policy Resources

Immigration Judges Sue Over Censorship

The National Association of Immigration Judges' Samuel Cole talks about a Trump administration rule that he says muzzles judges.

Diane Bou KhalilJuly 8, 2020

Immigration Policy Resources

Should I Apply for DACA? Can I Renew? Lawyer Answers DACA Recipients’ Questions

Vanessa Esparza-López, a supervising attorney with the National Immigrant Justice Center’s Immigrant Legal Defense Project, explains how the Supreme Court's ruling will impact DACA recipients.

Diane Bou Khalil and Cassidy JacksonJune 29, 2020

DACA immigration Mexico Dreamers Supreme Court Illustration

Grae Rosa for Borderless Magazine

Immigration Policy Resources

Supreme Court Protects DACA: Understanding the Court’s Decision and the Obama-era immigration policy

The Supreme Court rejected President Trump's termination of DACA today. The policy has allowed over 825,000 immigrants to work and go to school in the United States since 2012.

Francisco VelazquezJune 18, 2020

Resources

A People’s Guide to Fighting Racism

Six Black and Latinx community leaders share what we need to do to address structural racism.

Diane Bou Khalil and Nissa RheeJune 11, 2020

Health Resources

Six immigrant organizations that need your help during the coronavirus outbreak

As COVID-19 continues to spread in Illinois, immigrant organizations are looking to protect their oldest, most vulnerable community members.

Leslie HurtadoMarch 18, 2020