These nonprofit organizations in South Dakota 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 South Dakota residents. Capacity is limited — call first; most require an appointment.

  • Caminando Juntos — 311 E 14th St., Sioux Falls, SD 57103 · (605) 274-3735. Sioux Falls Hispanic ministry (founded by the Aberdeen Presentation Sisters; an independent nonprofit since June 2025) that files immigration applications with USCIS for the Latino community: adjustment of status (green cards), family-based petitions, naturalization/citizenship, DACA, work permits (employment authorization), Temporary Protected Status (TPS), and consular processing. It serves Spanish speakers, including people without legal status, and charges an affordable fee (lower than private attorneys). It handles USCIS filings, not deportation defense in immigration court. Office hours are roughly Monday–Friday; call ahead or use the website to confirm intake.
  • LSS Center for New Americans (Lutheran Social Services of South Dakota) — 300 E 6th Street, Sioux Falls, SD 57103 · (605) 731-2000. The immigration-legal program of Lutheran Social Services of South Dakota, with immigration specialists who help mainly with affirmative cases: family-based petitions and reunification, adjustment of status, naturalization/citizenship, travel documents, affirmative asylum, Temporary Protected Status (TPS), work permits, and humanitarian relief including T visas, U visas and VAWA petitions. A nominal fee is charged. It generally does not provide deportation defense (removal-court representation) or employment-based immigration. NOTE: the program has faced federal-funding cuts (its Yankton office was scaled back in 2025); call first to confirm it is taking new cases. Services in Spanish and many other languages; based in Sioux Falls, statewide toll-free 1-866-242-2447.
  • South Dakota Voices for Peace — P.O. Box 600, Sioux Falls, SD 57101 · (605) 782-9560. Sioux Falls nonprofit that provides FREE (no-cost) immigration legal services to a narrow group: children in immigration court (including unaccompanied minors seeking lawful status) and immigrant survivors of crime, including domestic violence — for example U visas, T visas, and VAWA self-petitions, regardless of immigration status. For general immigration questions outside these categories it refers people to trusted outside attorneys rather than taking the case itself. Services are available in Spanish and other languages; intake by phone or at info@southdakotavoicesforpeace.org.

South Dakota Free Legal Answers — A free, online civil-legal clinic (run through the American Bar Association’s Free Legal Answers program) where lower-income South Dakota residents can post a civil legal question and have a volunteer attorney answer it at no cost. It is a general civil-legal portal, NOT an immigration program — the site itself directs immigration and federal questions to a separate resource and volunteers cannot represent you in court — but it can be a starting point for related civil matters.

South Dakota has no immigration court of its own. Removal (deportation) cases for people living in South Dakota are heard by the Fort Snelling Immigration Court in Fort Snelling, Minnesota (Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building, 1 Federal Drive, Suite 1850, Fort Snelling, MN 55111), which also covers North Dakota and Minnesota. Many hearings are held by video, and public/filing hours are 8 a.m.–4 p.m. Central, Monday–Friday. 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 South Dakota 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.