These nonprofit organizations in District of Columbia offer FREE or low-cost immigration legal help. If you need help with DACA, asylum, citizenship, deportation, or any immigration case, contact these options BEFORE paying private fees.

These nonprofits provide free or low-cost immigration legal services to District of Columbia residents. Capacity is limited — call first; most require an appointment.

  • Ayuda — 1990 K Street NW, Suite 500, Washington, DC 20006 · 202-387-4848. Long-established nonprofit (50+ years) serving low-income immigrants in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. Handles family-based petitions, asylum, removal/deportation defense, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS), VAWA and crime/trafficking victim (U/T visa) cases, adjustment of status, TPS, DACA, and naturalization. Consultations cost $100 per person, but no one is turned away for inability to pay, and fees may be reduced or waived for qualifying low-income clients thanks to grant funding. Appointments are made by phone beginning at 9:00 a.m.; call the D.C. office to confirm current consultation days and intake hours.
  • CARECEN DC (Central American Resource Center) — 1460 Columbia Road NW, Suite C-1, Washington, DC 20009 · 202-328-9799. Community organization serving low-income Latino immigrants in the Washington metro area through attorneys and DOJ-accredited representatives. Helps with family-based immigration and consular processing, humanitarian cases (crime, domestic-violence, and trafficking victims), adjustment of status and waivers, naturalization, and brief services for TPS, work authorization, DACA, and green-card renewals. Initial legal consultation is $75. Intake caveat: as of this review they accept only about 10 virtual appointments per week, so call early in the week (Mondays) for the best chance of getting on the calendar.
  • Amica Center for Immigrant Rights — 1025 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 701, Washington, DC 20036 · 202-331-3320. Formerly the Capital Area Immigrants’ Rights (CAIR) Coalition (rebranded to Amica Center in 2024). The main organization in the D.C. region focused on free legal services for immigrants who are detained or at risk of deportation, including a Children’s Program for minors. Services are free. Important intake caveat: Amica Center serves only people who are currently or were recently in immigration detention and who lived in D.C., Maryland, or Virginia; it does not take general (non-detained) immigration cases and refers those callers to other resources, including the Immigration Advocates Network directory.
  • Just Neighbors — 703-979-1240. Nonprofit providing immigration legal services to low-income immigrants, asylees, and refugees across D.C., Maryland, and Virginia; an affiliate of the Justice For Our Neighbors Network and the Immigration Law & Justice Network. Handles asylum, domestic-violence-based visas, work permits including TPS and DACA, family reunification, and immigrant-rights education through walk-in clinics and appointment-based full-representation clinics. Services are offered at no cost to qualifying low-income clients. Intake caveat: capacity is limited (the organization reports turning away about three people for every client it takes on), so contact them to confirm current intake availability.

LawHelp.org/DC — The District’s free legal-aid portal, run by the D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center in partnership with the D.C. Consortium of Legal Services Providers (funded by the D.C. Bar Foundation). Its immigration section lists local providers, Know-Your-Rights guides, and clinic schedules; it routes you to legal-aid organizations rather than representing you directly.

There is no EOIR immigration court inside Washington, D.C. Removal cases for non-detained D.C. residents are generally heard at the Annandale Immigration Court in Annandale, Virginia (7619 Little River Turnpike, Suite 400, Annandale, VA 22003; 703-343-4000), which covers D.C. and Northern Virginia. Some D.C.-area cases are also assigned to the Hyattsville Immigration Court in Hyattsville, Maryland. Always check the hearing location printed on your own Notice to Appear, or look up your case at acis.eoir.justice.gov. Among the organizations listed, CARECEN DC works through both attorneys and DOJ-accredited representatives, so non-attorney accredited staff can assist with USCIS matters there. The U.S. Department of Justice (EOIR) publishes a List of Pro Bono Legal Service Providers for that court. None of the organizations on this page pay us — these are public-interest referrals, not sponsored links.

National resources (available to District of Columbia residents)

Directories and hotlines

Specific-case hotlines

  • Asylum: RAICES (1-866-RAICES-4), CLINIC asylum line
  • Detention: NIPNLG (1-800-867-2924)
  • VAWA / domestic violence: 1-800-799-SAFE (national line)
  • Human trafficking victims: National Human Trafficking Hotline 1-888-373-7888

⚠️ Important: Avoid fraudulent “notarios”

AVOID PEOPLE CALLING THEMSELVES “NOTARIO PÚBLICO” FOR IMMIGRATION if not attorneys or BIA-accredited reps. US notary publics are NOT attorneys (unlike Latin America). People without legal credentials practicing immigration are violating federal law.

Verify credentials:

How to prepare for consultation

  1. Bring ALL documents: passport, green card if any, USCIS letters, criminal records, tax returns, evidence of family relationship, immigration status history
  2. Be HONEST: even about criminal records or past issues. Attorney needs FULL truth to defend you well.
  3. Ask about timelines and possible outcomes
  4. Confirm cost (if applicable) in writing before committing
  5. Bring translator if your English is limited

Last verified: 2026-06-20.

General procedural information for educational purposes. Not legal, tax, or immigration advice. Laws and fees change — verify with the issuing agency before taking action. For case-specific guidance, consult a licensed immigration attorney or other appropriate professional.