BIA-recognized immigration help in Maryland — free DOJ-accredited organizations
This page lists every non-profit in Maryland currently authorized by the U.S. Department of Justice (Board of Immigration Appeals / BIA) to provide immigration legal representation. Source: EOIR Recognition & Accreditation Roster, updated quarterly.
BIA-recognized organizations are the cheapest legitimate immigration legal help available — many provide representation free or for sliding-fee based on income. Their accredited representatives (Full Accreditation can appear in court; Partial Accreditation handles USCIS filings only) practice ONLY immigration law.
BIA-recognized organizations in Maryland
31 organizations listed in the EOIR Recognition & Accreditation Roster for Maryland, as of the roster published April 20, 2026. These non-profits are authorized by the Board of Immigration Appeals to provide immigration legal representation at low or no cost.
| Organization | City | Address | Phone | Recognized | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Immigrant Connection at Path to Hope | Annapolis | 168 West Street, Annapolis, MD 21401 | (443) 203-8020 | 01/24/25 | Active |
| Immigration Outreach Service Center (IOSC) | Balitmore | 5400 Loch Raven Blvd, Suite 1, Balitmore, MD 21239 | — | 07/10/25 | Active |
| Amica Center for Immigrant Rights | Baltimore | 1 N. Charles Street, Suite 2305, Baltimore, MD 21201 | (202) 899-1424 | 11/19/24 | Active |
| Asylee Women Enterprise, Inc. | Baltimore | 4500 Frankford Ave., Baltimore, MD 21206 | (443) 850-0627 | 04/22/25 | Active |
| CASA, Inc. | Baltimore | 2706 Pulaski Highway, Baltimore, MD 21224 | (410) 732-7777 | 10/25/10 | Active |
| Immigration Legal Services Associated Catholic Charities | Baltimore | 430 S. Broadway, Baltimore, MD 21231 | (667) 600-2941 | 10/06/99 | Active (pending renewal) |
| International Rescue Committee, Inc. | Baltimore | 900 E Fayette St., Rm 118, #96, Baltimore, MD 21203 | (410) 327-1885 | 02/23/96 | Active |
| Tahirih Justice Center | Baltimore | 211 E. Lombard Street, Suite 307, Baltimore, MD 21202 | (410) 999-1900 | 03/22/10 | Active |
| Briggs Center for Faith and Action | Bethesda | 5148 Massachusetts Avenue, Bethesda, MD 20816 | (301) 229-7725 | 07/23/19 | Active |
| Luminus Network, Inc. | Columbia | 10400 Little Patuxent Parkway, Suite 450, Columbia, MD 21044 | (410) 992-1923 | 11/09/00 | Active (pending renewal) |
| Chesapeake Multicultural Resource Center | Easton | 331 E. Dover Street, Easton, MD 21601 | (443) 786-1120 | 05/17/16 | Active |
| Spanish Speaking Community of Maryland, Inc. | Frederick | 329 S. Jefferson Street, Frederick, MD 21701 | (240) 877-7466 | 09/28/18 | Active |
| Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington | Gaithersburg | 201 East Diamond Avenue, 3rd Floor, Gaithersburg, MD 20877 | (301) 740-2523 | 09/19/25 | Active |
| Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital Area | Greenbelt | 7474 Greenway Center Drive, Suite 1200, Greenbelt, MD 20770 | (202) 723-3000 | 06/26/90 | Active |
| CASA, Inc. | Hyattsville | 8151 15th Avenue, Hyattsville, MD 20783 | (240) 491-5725 | 10/25/10 | Active |
| Okyeman Union of Greater Washington Area, Inc. | Laurel | 14333 Laurel Bowie Road, Suite 307, Laurel, MD 20708 | (301) 850-2958 | 01/03/25 | Active |
| Abundant Love Worship Center | Randallstown | 9806 Liberty Road, Randallstown, MD 21133 | (443) 898-2891 | 02/22/24 | Active (pending renewal) |
| CASA, Inc. | Rockville | 14645 Rothgeb Drive, Rockville, MD 20850 | (240) 491-5780 | 10/25/10 | Active |
| Word of Life Center Immigration Services | Salisbury | 212 W Main Street, Suite 302, Salisbury, MD 21801 | (443) 783-0554 | 11/30/18 | Active |
| Ayuda | Silver Spring | 8757 Georgia Avenue, Suite 800, Silver Spring, MD 20910 | (240) 594-0600 | 09/18/24 | Active |
| CASA, Inc. | Silver Spring | 734 University Avenue E., Silver Spring, MD 20903 | (240) 491-5754 | 10/25/10 | Active |
| Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington | Silver Spring | 12247 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20902 | (301) 942-1790 | 09/19/25 | Active |
| Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. | Silver Spring | 8455 Colesville Rd, Suite 960, Silver Spring, MD 20910 | (301) 565-4800 | 05/01/25 | Active |
| Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS) | Silver Spring | 1300 Spring Street, Suite 500, Silver Spring, MD 20910 | (301) 844-7300 | 09/09/25 | Active |
| International Rescue Committee, Inc. | Silver Spring | — | 02/23/96 | Active | |
| Spanish Speaking Community of Maryland, Inc. | Silver Spring | 8545 Piney Branch Road, Suite B, Silver Spring, MD 20901 | (301) 587-7217 | 09/28/18 | Active |
| Torture Abolition and Survivors Support Coalition International (TASSC International) | Silver Spring | 8701 Georgia Ave Suite 504, Silver Spring, MD 20910 | — | 10/24/24 | Active |
| Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington | Temple Hills | 5859 Allentown Way, Temple Hills, MD 20748 | (301) 615-0948 | 09/19/25 | Active |
| World Relief | Towson | 1220 B East Joppa Road, Suite 400D, Towson, MD 21286 | (410) 244-0002 | 09/25/24 | Active |
| Immigrant Connection at LifePoint Church | Waldorf | 10395 Berry Road, Waldorf, MD 20603 | (301) 705-9996 | 09/03/25 | Active |
| New Initiative for Civic Engagement, Inc. (NICE) | White Plains | 7820 King Arthur Court, White Plains, MD 20695 | (240) 270-2493 | 01/06/25 | Active |
How to verify and contact a BIA-recognized organization
- Confirm current status at the EOIR roster — recognition can be withdrawn, and the roster is updated quarterly.
- Call ahead to check service availability — many orgs have waitlists, especially for asylum and removal-defense cases.
- Ask about fees before signing a representation agreement. Free or sliding-fee is standard.
- Bring all USCIS notices + photo ID to your intake appointment.
- Beware of “notarios” — only BIA-recognized organizations OR licensed attorneys can give legal advice. A “notario público” in the U.S. is NOT a notario in the Latin American sense and cannot legally represent you.
Related procedural information
- Immigration court in Maryland — the EOIR court that hears removal cases for residents of Maryland
- Legal aid in Maryland — broader civil legal aid (housing, family, public benefits)
- Find an immigration attorney — AILA directory + private bar
- Avoid notario fraud — what to watch for
- Know Your Rights — ICE encounters — constitutional protections
Last verified: 2026-09-01. Source: U.S. Department of Justice EOIR Recognition & Accreditation Roster. General procedural information — not legal advice. Always verify organization status and ask about fees before signing a representation agreement.
BIA recognition program context (2025-2026)
The Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) Recognition & Accreditation Program is governed by 8 CFR 1292.11-1292.16. Recognition is valid for six years, except that an organization recognized for the first time receives conditional recognition valid for two years (8 CFR 1292.11(f)); the three-year term is the validity period of an individual representative’s accreditation, not the organization’s recognition (8 CFR 1292.12(d)). Renewals require re-application and updated documentation. As of the 2026-04-20 EOIR roster: 1,452 recognized organizations operate 1,564 offices nationwide, staffed by representatives holding Full Accreditation (court representation) or Partial Accreditation (USCIS-only practice).
To be recognized, an organization must be a non-profit that provides immigration legal services primarily to low-income and indigent clients, and if it charges fees it must have a written policy for accommodating clients unable to pay; EOIR reviews its fee schedule, fee-waiver policy and annual budget as part of recognition (8 CFR 1292.11(a)(1) and (b)). Each organization sets its own fees, and neither EOIR nor any other national source publishes what recognized non-profits — or private immigration attorneys — actually charge. Ask for the fee schedule in writing and compare quotes before you commit.
EOIR publishes the Recognition & Accreditation Roster quarterly at justice.gov/eoir/recognition-accreditation-roster-reports. Verify an organization’s CURRENT status (Active vs Pending Renewal vs Provisional vs Withdrawn) before signing a representation agreement. Organizations whose recognition was withdrawn by EOIR (typically for fraud or compliance issues) cannot practice immigration law.
For attorney directories: AILA Find-A-Lawyer at ailalawyer.com (paid membership, vetted), Legal Services Corporation grantees at lsc.gov (income-limited legal aid), American Bar Association lawyer referral at americanbar.org/groups/legal_services. Avoid “notario” fraud: in the US, a “notary public” is NOT a notario in the Latin American sense and cannot give legal advice. Report notario fraud to your state attorney general AND USCIS at uscis.gov/avoid-scams.
EOIR Hotline for case status: 1-800-898-7180 (24/7 automated; English/Spanish menu).