BIA-recognized immigration help in New Jersey — free DOJ-accredited organizations
This page lists every non-profit in New Jersey 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 New Jersey
34 organizations listed in the EOIR Recognition & Accreditation Roster for New Jersey, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercy Center - New Jersey | Asbury Park | 1106 Main Street, Asbury Park, NJ 07712 | (908) 677-5416 | 02/07/24 | Active (pending renewal) |
| Camden Center for Law and Social Justice | Atlantic City | 9 N. Georgia Avenue, Atlantic City, NJ 08401 | (856) 583-2950 | 07/03/25 | Active |
| Word of Hope Inc. | Bloomfield | 299 Glenwood Avenue, Suite 201, Ofc 1, Bloomfield, NJ 07003 | (973) 283-5776 | 02/27/26 | Active |
| Camden Center for Law and Social Justice | Bridgeton | 312 North Pearl Street, Bridgeton, NJ 08302 | (856) 583-2950 | 07/03/25 | Active |
| Camden Center for Law and Social Justice | Bridgeton | 126 N. Broadway, 2nd Floor, Camden, NJ 08102 | (856) 583-2950 | 07/03/25 | Active |
| Dream Alive Foundation of New Jersey | Cinnaminson | 101 Route 130 S, Adams Building Suite 106, Cinnaminson, NJ 08077 | (856) 314-8435 | 03/14/24 | Active |
| Immigrant Hope-Clifton NJ | Clifton | 45 Hazel Street, Clifton, NJ 07011 | (973) 928-4103 | 12/30/13 | Active |
| Vanessa’s Social Services and Multi-Services Inc. | East Orange | 134 Evergreen Place, Suite 504, East Orange, NJ 07018 | (862) 252-9232 | 02/11/25 | Active |
| International Rescue Committee, Inc. | Elizabeth | 208 Commerce Place, 4th Floor, Elizabeth, NJ 07201 | (908) 351-5116 | 02/23/96 | Active |
| Jefferson Park Ministries | Elizabeth | 70 W Grand Street, Elizabeth, NJ 07201 | (908) 469-9508 | 09/17/12 | Active |
| Pro America Immigration Services, Corp | Elizabeth | 520 Westfield Avenue, Suite 207, Elizabeth, NJ 07208 | (908) 469-4121 | 03/23/18 | Active |
| Alianza Hispana USA | Hackensack | 23 Fair Street, Hackensack, NJ 07601 | — | 02/13/25 | Active |
| Hope 4Immigrants a NJ Nonprofit Corporation | Hamilton | 3048 S. Broad Street, Suite B, Hamilton, NJ 08610 | — | 08/11/25 | Active |
| Classis New Brunswick Community Development Corporation - DIRE Legal Services | Highland Park | 238 Raritan Avenue, Highland Park, NJ 08904 | (201) 591-5348 | 07/08/21 | Active |
| Christ Alive Christian Fellowship International Ministry Inc. (CACFIM) | Irvington | 2 Oak Avenue, Irvington, NJ 07111 | (201) 301-5646 | 09/15/17 | Active (pending renewal) |
| Church World Service New York | Jersey City | 591 Summit Avenue, Suite 300, Jersey City, NJ 07306 | (201) 659-0467 | 02/27/25 | Active |
| Jersey City Division of Immigrant Affairs at the Department of Health and Human | Jersey City | 394 Central Ave, Jersey City, NJ 07306 | (201) 547-4328 | 08/21/20 | Active |
| National Association of New Americans, Inc. D/B/A NANA | Kendall Park | 1 Beekman Road, Suite 5, Kendall Park, NJ 08824 | (315) 215-1500 | 01/28/25 | Active |
| Servicios Latinos de Burlington County, Inc. | Mt. Holly | 795 Woodlane Road, Box 10, 2nd Floor, Mt. Holly, NJ 08060 | (609) 518-7171 | 03/11/15 | Active |
| Catholic Charities Diocese of Metuchen | New Brunswick | 56 Throop Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ 08901 | (732) 324-8200 | 03/05/25 | Active |
| Jewish Family Services of Middlesex County | New Brunswick | 219C Blackhorse Lane, New Brunswick, NJ 08902 | (732) 777-1940 | 03/07/25 | Active |
| Puerto Rican Action Board (PRAB) | New Brunswick | 754 Route 18N, Suite 202, New Brunswick, NJ 08816 | (732) 828-4510 | 11/16/12 | Active |
| American Friends Service Committee Immigrant Rights Program | Newark | 89 Market Street, 6th Floor, Newark, NJ 07102 | (973) 643-1924 | 08/11/25 | Active |
| Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Newark | Newark | 976 Broad Street, Newark, NJ 07102 | (973) 733-3516 | 06/22/76 | Active (pending renewal) |
| La Casa De Don Pedro, Immigration Services Program | Newark | 39 Broadway, 2nd Floor, Newark, NJ 07104 | (973) 481-4568 | 11/09/00 | Active (pending renewal) |
| Juntos Por Venezuela - EEUU A NJ Nonprofit Corporation | North Bergen | 7704 Kennedy Boulevard, Store 2, North Bergen, NJ 07047 | (646) 727-5553 | 02/27/25 | Active |
| LANBI Center for Humanities and Civics, Inc. | Orange | 35-47 Cleveland Street, Orange, NJ 07050 | (908) 625-3121 | 09/04/24 | Active |
| IACO Immigration and American Citizenship Organization | Paterson | 301 Main Street, Suite 401, Paterson, NJ 07505 | (973) 472-4648 | 02/28/06 | Active |
| Catholic Charities Diocese of Metuchen | Perth Amboy | 319 Maple Street, Perth Amboy, NJ 08861 | (732) 324-8200 | 03/05/25 | Active |
| Catholic Charities Diocese of Metuchen | Phillipsburg | 700 Sayre Avenue, Phillipsburg, NJ 08865 | (732) 324-8200 | 03/05/25 | Active |
| El Centro Hispanoamericano | Plainfield | 525 E. Front Street, Plainfield, NJ 07060 | (908) 753-8730 | 09/10/25 | Active |
| El Centro de Recursos para familias of Catholic Charities Diocese of Trenton | Trenton | 327 South Broad Street, Trenton, NJ 08608 | (609) 394-2056 | 03/16/11 | Active |
| Latin American Legal Defense & Educational Fund, Inc. | Trenton | 714-716 S. Clinton Avenue, Trenton, NJ 8611 | (609) 688-0881 | 07/24/13 | Active (pending renewal) |
| Lutheran Social Ministries of New Jersey | Trenton | 189 South Broad Street, Trenton, NJ 08601 | (609) 393-4900 | 05/16/90 | 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 New Jersey — the EOIR court that hears removal cases for residents of New Jersey
- Legal aid in New Jersey — 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).