BIA-recognized immigration help in Pennsylvania — free DOJ-accredited organizations
This page lists every non-profit in Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania
36 organizations listed in the EOIR Recognition & Accreditation Roster for Pennsylvania, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin County Legal Services | Chambersburg | 336 Lincoln Way East, Suite B, Chambersburg, PA 17201 | (717) 262-2326 | 01/16/15 | Active |
| Multicultural Community Resource Center (MCRC) | Erie | 554 East 10th Street, Erie, PA 16503 | (814) 455-0212 | 03/17/25 | Active |
| Church World Service Lancaster | Harrisburg | 2101 N. Front Street, Building 3, Suite 301, Harrisburg, PA 17110 | (717) 358-9351 | 08/17/06 | Active |
| Compass Immigration Legal Services | Harrisburg | 717 N. 2nd Street, Harrisburg, PA 17102 | (717) 576-3427 | 02/09/24 | Active (pending renewal) |
| International Service Center, Inc. | Harrisburg | 21 South River Street, Harrisburg, PA 17101 | (717) 236-9401 | 12/19/24 | Active |
| PRIME - Ecumenical Commitment to Refugees | Havertown | 1254 West Chester Pike, Suite 205B, Havertown, PA 19083 | (610) 259-4500 | 02/23/96 | Active (pending renewal) |
| Catholic Social Services Diocese of Scranton | Hazleton | 200 W Church Street, Hazleton, PA 18201 | (570) 455-1521 | 01/14/25 | Active |
| Immigrant Hope - South Central PA | Hummelstown | 216 E. Canal Street, Hummelstown, PA 17036 | (717) 673-2019 | 01/16/25 | Active |
| Church World Service Lancaster | Lancaster | 158 E. King St, Lancaster, PA 17602 | — | 08/17/06 | Active |
| PRIME - Ecumenical Commitment to Refugees | Lancaster | 604 New Holland Avenue, Suite B, Lancaster, PA 17602 | (717) 396-9300 | 02/23/96 | Active (pending renewal) |
| Global Arrival Aid Charities | Milton | 25 Belford Blvd, Suite 3, Milton, PA 17847 | (570) 212-9211 | 05/29/24 | Active |
| African Cultural Alliance of North America Inc. | Philadelphia | 5530 Chester Avenue, 2nd Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19143 | (215) 729-8225 | 07/28/10 | Active |
| Catholic Social Services, Archdiocese of Philadelphia Immigration Legal Services | Philadelphia | 222 N. 17th Street, Suite 901, Philadelphia, PA 19103 | (215) 854-7019 | 07/08/25 | Active |
| Esperanza Immigration Legal Services (EILS) | Philadelphia | 4261 North 5th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19140 | (215) 324-0746 | 04/13/11 | Active |
| Friends of Farmworkers d/b/a Justice at Work | Philadelphia | 990 Spring Garden Street, Suite 300, Philadelphia, PA 19123 | (215) 733-0878 | 06/21/21 | Active |
| HIAS Pennsylvania | Philadelphia | 123 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19109 | (215) 832-0900 | 08/11/25 | Active |
| Migrance Initiative Inc. | Philadelphia | 4701 B Street, Suite 1-B, Philadelphia, PA 19120 | (267) 270-7265 | 03/04/25 | Active |
| Nationalities Service Center | Philadelphia | 1216 Arch Street, 4th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 191075812 | (215) 893-8400 | 07/02/58 | Active |
| New World Association of Emigrants from Eastern Europe | Philadelphia | 9857 Bustleton Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19115 | (215) 856-7316 | 06/09/17 | Active (pending renewal) |
| The Sisters of Saint Joseph Welcome Center | Philadelphia | 728 E. Allegheny Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19134 | (215) 634-1696 | 06/29/11 | Active |
| Friends of Farmworkers d/b/a Justice at Work | Pittsburg | 1010 Western Avenue, Suite 300, Pittsburg, PA 15233 | (412) 701-4368 | 06/21/21 | Active |
| Acculturation for Justice, Access and Peace Outreach (AJAPO) | Pittsburgh | 1835 Centre Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15219 | (412) 391-4985 | 09/01/09 | Active |
| Arise Immigration Services | Pittsburgh | 1217 Biltmore Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15216 | (412) 445-7604 | 06/11/24 | Active |
| Casa San Jose | Pittsburgh | 2116 Broadway Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15216 | (412) 343-3111 | 06/08/18 | Active |
| Christian Immigration Advocacy Center | Pittsburgh | Allegheny Center Alliance Church, 250 East Ohio Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15212 | (412) 532-6181 | 05/11/18 | Active |
| Global Arrival Aid Charities | Pittsburgh | 1555 Broadway Ave., Second Floor, Pittsburgh, PA 15216 | (570) 212-9211 | 05/29/24 | Active |
| Jewish Family and Children’s Service | Pittsburgh | 5743 Bartlett Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15217 | (412) 422-7200 | 03/31/01 | Active (pending renewal) |
| Community Justice Project | Reading | 35 North 6th Street, Mez 103, Reading, PA 19601 | (610) 370-7296 | 09/16/19 | Active |
| Catholic Social Services Diocese of Scranton | Scranton | 300 Wyoming Avenue, Scranton, PA 18509 | (570) 207-2283 | 01/14/25 | Active |
| Community Justice Project | Scranton | 111 South Maine Avenue, Scranton, PA 18504 | (570) 354-2741 | 09/16/19 | Active |
| Women’s Faith Circle Legal Services | Sharon Hill | 122 Reese Street, Sharon Hill, PA 19079 | (267) 367-2488 | 11/20/24 | Active |
| Westside Community Center | West Chester | 430 Hannum Avenue, West Chester, PA 19380 | (610) 314-4327 | 12/16/24 | Active |
| Catholic Social Services Diocese of Scranton | Wilkes Barre | 33 East Northampton Street, Wilkes Barre, PA 18701 | (570) 822-7118 | 01/14/25 | Active |
| Thrive International Programs, Inc. | Williamsport | 202 E. 3rd Street, Williamsport, PA 17701 | (570) 337-2898 | 09/08/17 | Active (pending renewal) |
| CASA, Inc. | York | 907 Roosevelt Avenue, York, PA 17404 | (717) 219-7974 | 10/25/10 | Active |
| Pennsylvania Immigration Resource Center | York | 294 Pleasant Acres Road, Suite 202, York, PA 17402 | (717) 600-8099 | 06/26/25 | 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 Pennsylvania — the EOIR court that hears removal cases for residents of Pennsylvania
- Legal aid in Pennsylvania — 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).