{"id":352859,"date":"2025-01-24T12:12:55","date_gmt":"2025-01-24T17:12:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/immigration\/immigration-overview\/what-can-i-do-if-my-parent-or-family-member-is-undocumented.html"},"modified":"2026-04-13T10:20:00","modified_gmt":"2026-04-13T15:20:00","slug":"what-can-i-do-if-my-parent-or-family-member-is-undocumented","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/immigration\/immigration-overview\/what-can-i-do-if-my-parent-or-family-member-is-undocumented.html","title":{"rendered":"What Can I Do If My Parent or Family Member is Undocumented?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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What Can I Do If My Parent or Family Member is Undocumented?<\/h1>\n\n
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\n By Balrina Ahluwalia, Esq.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by Joseph Fawbush, Esq.<\/a>\n | Last updated\n
\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

\n \n <\/i>\n Fact-Checked\n <\/summary>\n\n
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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n\n\n

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Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n

An undocumented immigrant is someone residing in the U.S. without legal authorization. They might be unauthorized for various reasons, such as entry without inspection or visa overstay. For citizens and lawful permanent residents, multiple paths exist to help their undocumented relatives adjust their status, depending on their circumstances.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Approximately 6.3 million households in the United States include someone who is an undocumented immigrant. Nearly 70% of these households<\/a> also include U.S. citizens or others who are in the country legally. These \u201cmixed-status\u201d households are often home to U.S. citizen children and their undocumented immigrant parents.<\/p>\n

Their future, at best, can be unpredictable.<\/p>\n

With mass deportations<\/a> occurring throughout the country, it\u2019s important to understand the current climate as well as options that may be available to those with undocumented loved ones.<\/p>\n

In this article, we explore three paths that may be available for citizens and lawful permanent residents<\/a> (LPRs) to gain legal status for their undocumented parents and other immediate relatives.<\/p>\n

The best course of action for each family will depend heavily on their specific circumstances and current immigration policy. An immigration attorney<\/a> can review your situation and current laws and advise on the next best steps.<\/p>\n

But let\u2019s first confirm who is considered an unauthorized or “undocumented” immigrant.<\/p>\n

Undocumented Immigrants<\/h2>\n

An undocumented immigrant is someone who lives in the United States but doesn\u2019t have legal authorization. An immigrant may be in the U.S. without legal status for several reasons. These include:<\/p>\n