Free and Low-Cost Immigration Legal Help: Where the Official Lists Are
For people in immigration court proceedings, the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) maintains a List of Pro Bono Legal Service Providers with non-profit organizations, attorneys and referral services that may be able to provide free legal services. For legal problems in general, USAGov points to programs that may help find a free or low-cost attorney, and some of them limit their services to people with low incomes.
What the official pages say
The pro bono list for immigration court
The List of Pro Bono Legal Service Providers page says the List "is provided to individuals in immigration proceedings" and "contains information on non-profit organizations and attorneys who have committed to providing at least 50 hours per year of pro bono legal services before the immigration court location where they appear on the List." It also covers "pro bono referral services that refer individuals in immigration court proceedings to pro bono counsel." The page says the List is "Published quarterly (January, April, July, and October)." The Public Resources Program page adds that "Individuals in removal proceedings are provided the List" and that the organizations, referral services and attorneys on it "may be able to assist in providing pro bono (free) legal services in immigration proceedings." The same page says the program maintains the List and monitors whether providers keep to the regulatory requirements.
What "pro bono" means on that list
The List page quotes the regulation: pro bono legal services are "those uncompensated legal services performed for indigent aliens or the public good without any expectation of either direct or indirect remuneration." It also states that "The List is not to be used by organizations or attorneys for the purpose of solicitation for paid legal services."
What a listing does not mean
The disclaimer on that page states that "EOIR does not endorse any of these organizations, referral services, or attorneys." It adds that EOIR does not participate in, and is not responsible for, the "representation decisions or performance" of those listed. The information on the List is provided to EOIR by the providers themselves.
General legal aid directories
The USAGov legal aid page describes programs that "may help you find a free or low-cost attorney." It says "Some limit their services to people with low incomes" and suggests that you "Search for help in your state and find contact information using your zip code or address." Its directories include a finder of legal aid in your community for people with low incomes, a site whose services "are for people with low to moderate incomes," a "Directory of law school pro bono programs" and an online service where people with low incomes can ask a lawyer questions. That service states: "They will not answer questions involving crimes."
Other help inside the immigration courts
The Public Resources Program provides written materials and technical assistance for Self-Help Legal Centers within immigration courts, and these centers "assist individuals in immigration removal proceedings to learn about the immigration court process and their responsibilities." A separate nationwide program provides qualified representatives, for example attorneys, to "certain unrepresented, detained individuals who have been found mentally incompetent to represent themselves in immigration proceedings" by an Immigration Judge or the Board of Immigration Appeals.
What is not covered or depends on the situation
Much depends on where you live and on the kind of problem. USAGov says "Depending on where you live, you may be able to get help with different types of legal issues," and the types it names are family, civil, housing, employment and consumer law; immigration is not among them. Some of the programs on that page also limit their services by income. The pro bono list is aimed at people in immigration proceedings, and the qualified representative program covers only the certain individuals that the Public Resources Program page describes. These pages do not say whether a given provider will take a case, what kind of help it offers or how soon it will reply.
Where to look next
The Find Legal Representation page on the official site links the pro bono list, the Pro Bono Portal, the Recognition and Accreditation Program and a list of attorneys and representatives who currently may not practice immigration law, and our guides on how to find authorized immigration help and how to spot a fake immigration website cover related questions.
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This page is general information drawn from the official pages cited below, not advice about any case. A question about a personal situation belongs with an independent attorney.
- Justice Department (EOIR): Pro bono legal service providers
- USAGov: Legal aid
- Justice Department (EOIR): Find legal representation
- Justice Department (EOIR): Public resources program
VisaNow.AI is not a law firm and does not give legal advice. This page is general information taken from official government pages; it does not assess anyone's case. An attorney-client relationship arises only with an independent attorney. Check the official pages for current details.
Information current as of 2026-10-29