BIA-recognized immigration help in Wisconsin — free DOJ-accredited organizations
This page lists every non-profit in Wisconsin currently authorized by the U.S. Department of Justice (Board of Immigration Appeals / BIA) to provide immigration legal representation. Source: the EOIR Recognition & Accreditation Roster, last updated 10/18/2026. EOIR updates it periodically, not on a fixed schedule.
BIA-recognized organizations are non-profits that serve primarily low-income clients — many provide representation free or for sliding-fee based on income. Their accredited representatives (Full Accreditation can appear before the immigration courts, the BIA and DHS; Partial Accreditation may represent clients only before DHS) practice ONLY immigration law.
BIA-recognized organizations in Wisconsin
24 offices run by 17 distinct organizations listed in the EOIR Recognition & Accreditation Roster for Wisconsin, as of the roster published October 18, 2026. The table has one row per office, so an organization with several locations appears more than once. The roster also lists 1 extension office of these organizations that is not a row in the table; it is listed below it. These non-profits are recognized through EOIR’s Recognition & Accreditation Program (U.S. Department of Justice) to provide immigration legal representation at low or no cost.
| Organization | City | Address | Phone | Recognized | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| World Relief | Appleton | 510 East Wisconsin Avenue, Appleton, WI 54911 | (920) 231-3600 | 09/25/24 | Active |
| World Relief | Eau Claire | 221 W Madison Street, Suite 107, Eau Claire, WI 54703 | (920) 231-3600 | 09/25/24 | Active |
| Catholic Multicultural Center | Fitchburg | 5256 Verona Road, Fitchburg, WI 53711 | (608) 661-3512 | 06/16/17 | Active (pending renewal) |
| Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Green Bay | Green Bay | 1825 Riverside Drive, Green Bay, WI 54301 | (920) 272-8234 | 08/22/25 | Active |
| Racine Interfaith Coalition | Kenosha | 6218 26th Ave, Kenosha, WI 53143 | (262) 652-5545 | 03/24/25 | Active |
| Catholic Charities of the Diocese of La Crosse | La Crosse | 508 S. 5th Street, La Crosse, WI 54601 | (608) 519-8024 | 03/27/02 | Active |
| Catholic Multicultural Center | Madison | 1862 Beld Street, Madison, WI 53713 | (608) 661-3512 | 06/16/17 | Active (pending renewal) |
| Centro Hispano, Inc. | Madison | 2403 Cypress Way, Madison, WI 53713 | (608) 255-3018 | 06/16/15 | Active (pending renewal) |
| End Domestic Abuse Wisconsin: The Wisconsin Coalition Against Domestic Violence | Madison | 1400 E. Washington Avenue, Suite 262, Madison, WI 53703 | (608) 256-1015 | 02/13/25 | Active |
| Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Green Bay | Manitowoc | 1418 Grand Avenue, Manitowoc, WI 54220 | (920) 272-8234 | 08/22/25 | Active |
| Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Green Bay | Menasha | 1475 Opportunity Way, Menasha, WI 54952 | (920) 734-2601 | 08/22/25 | Active |
| Community Center for Immigrants | Milwaukee | 1433 N. Water Street, Suite 400, Milwaukee, WI 53202 | (414) 708-2303 | 10/09/24 | Active |
| Elmbrook Church/James Place Immigration Services | Milwaukee | 807 S. 14th Street, Suite 200, Milwaukee, WI 53204 | (414) 269-9952 | 05/03/24 | Active |
| Hanan Refugee Relief Group | Milwaukee | 3927 South Howell Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53207 | (414) 800-4168 | 10/31/24 | Active |
| International Institute of Wisconsin, Inc. | Milwaukee | 1110 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Dr., Suite 420, Milwaukee, WI 53203 | (414) 225-6220 | 07/01/58 | Active |
| Lutheran Social Services of Wisconsin and Upper Michigan, Inc. | Milwaukee | 3974 S. Howell Avenue, Suite 2, Milwaukee, WI 53207 | (715) 579-8746 | 11/19/24 | Active |
| Neighborhood House of Milwaukee/International Learning Program (ILP) | Milwaukee | 2819 W Richardson Place, Milwaukee, WI 53208 | (414) 344-4777 | 09/15/08 | Active |
| Sojourner Family Peace Center | Milwaukee | 619 W Walnut Street, Milwaukee, WI 53212 | — | 03/04/25 | Active |
| UMOS, Latina Resource Center | Milwaukee | 2701 S. Chase Avenue, Suite D, Milwaukee, WI 53207 | (414) 389-6600 | 11/28/14 | Active |
| Racine Interfaith Coalition | Racine | 2302A DeKoven Avenue, Racine, WI 53403 | (262) 635-9532 | 03/24/25 | Active |
| Rapids Hunger Foundation Inc. | Racine | 2915 Romayne Avenue, Racine, WI 53404 | (414) 795-2411 | 02/10/25 | Active |
| Immigrant Hope - Forest Lakes | Stevens Point | 2309 Eagle Summit, Stevens Point, WI 54467 | (612) 251-1324 | 09/16/25 | Active |
| Elmbrook Church/James Place Immigration Services | Waukesha | 129 West Broadway, Waukesha, WI 53186 | (262) 544-9472 | 05/03/24 | Active |
| Catholic Charities of the Diocese of La Crosse | Wausau | 540 South 3rd Avenue, Wausau, WI 54401 | (715) 849-3311 | 03/27/02 | Active |
Extension offices in EOIR’s roster dated 10/18/26 that are not rows in the table (the roster gives no date or status for these offices; their organizations are in the table):
- Elmbrook Church/James Place Immigration Services, South Howell Avenue-Milwaukee Extension Office: 4204 S Howell Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53207, (414) 269-9952
How to verify and contact a BIA-recognized organization
- Confirm current status at the EOIR roster — recognition can be withdrawn, and EOIR updates the roster periodically — check the “Report Last Updated” date at the top of the roster PDF.
- 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” — USCIS’s list of who may help you with immigration matters includes licensed attorneys, DOJ-accredited representatives working for an organization on DOJ’s recognized list, and law students or graduates supervised by one of them. 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 Wisconsin — the EOIR court that hears removal cases for residents of Wisconsin
- Legal aid in Wisconsin — 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: 2026-09-24. 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 Recognition & Accreditation (R&A) Program, administered by EOIR, is governed by 8 CFR 1292.11-1292.20. Recognition is valid for six years, unless the organization has conditional recognition, valid for two years — granted to an organization not recognized before, one with federal tax-exempt status pending, or one approved again after its recognition was terminated (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 2026-10-18 EOIR roster: 1,450 recognized organizations operate 1,566 offices nationwide — read that 1,450 as roster listings, one per organization per city, so an organization with offices in three cities is counted three times; the roster’s own header counts 950 distinct recognized organizations. Those offices are staffed by representatives holding Full Accreditation (immigration courts, the BIA and DHS) or Partial Accreditation (DHS only, including USCIS).
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 at justice.gov/eoir/recognition-accreditation-roster-reports and updates it periodically — the file carries its own “Report Last Updated” date at the top. Verify an organization’s CURRENT status (Active vs Pending Renewal vs Provisional vs Withdrawn) before signing a representation agreement. Organizations whose recognition EOIR terminates (8 CFR 1292.17) are removed from the recognition and accreditation roster.
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).