RILA provides pro bono immigration legal assistance to the most vulnerable immigrants in the DC area, focusing on asylum-seekers and immigrant children who have experienced significant trauma and loss.

RILA offers the following legal services:

• Representation for defensive and affirmative asylum cases

• Assistance in obtaining and renewing Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) for all eligible clients

• Representation for youth who are eligible to petition for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJ)

• Representation for asylees, refugees and children and teens with SIJ Status in applying for Legal Permanent Residence

• Representation for survivors of violent crime and/or human trafficking in applying for U and T nonimmigrant status, respectively

• Consultation to the private bar and other nonprofit organizations on immigration issues

• Formalized training to individuals seeking to become Department of Justice (DOJ) Accredited Representatives

• Presentations on immigration law and policy to churches, schools, and community groups

Eligibility:

RILA clients are at or below 150% of the federal poverty line and eligible to apply for asylum, SIJS or another humanitarian-based immigration benefit.

How to Apply:

If you believe you are eligible for RILA's legal services, you can email rila@restorationimmigration.org and complete an intake with their intake coordinator. The intake process takes approximately one month. Click HERE to visit their site!

Just Neighbors provides immigration legal services to low-income immigrants, asylees, and refugees in the DMV area.

They assist newcomers with the following:

• DACA & TPS DACA - (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) and TPS (Temporary Protected Status) both offer eligible recipients a promise not to deport and a temporary work permit.

• REMOVAL DEFENSE - involves representing and advocating for immigrants facing deportation from the United States.

• REFUGEE & ASYLEE ADJUSTMENT - U.S. immigration law allows refugees and asylees to apply for lawful permanent resident (LPR) status after they have been physically present in the U.S. for at least one year since being granted asylum.

• FAMILY REUNIFICATION - Just Neighbors helps our clients with consular processing to reunite them with their children and parents here in America.

• Crime Victims with applying for a green card

• Applying for asylum

Eligibility:

1) Must be a resident of the Commonwealth of Virginia, Washington, D.C. or Maryland.

2) Must earn 200% or less of the federal poverty guidelines.

How to Apply:

Fill out an intake form or call Just Neighbors at 703-979-1240 during their intake hours (Tuesday–Friday, 9am–5pm) for a short phone interview. After you have submitted the form or completed the phone interview, Just Neighbors will contact you with further information. Click HERE to access the form.

Visit their help page HERE for more information.

Luminus Network for New Americans offers immigration legal services for immigrants needing assistance in filing application with USCIS and for those in immigration court proceedings.

An individual interested in services would need to contact Luminus at 410.992.1923 or come to the office located at 5999 Harpers Farm Road, E-200, Columbia, MD 21044 to make an initial consultation appointment. The consultation should provide one with a better understanding of their legal rights and whether or not there is any immigration relief that they may pursue. Luminus would also be able to identify any other non-legal needs to either help in house or refer to their necessary community partners in the area.

Access their website by clicking HERE.

KIND provides attorneys to represent unaccompanied children through their legal proceedings. KIND staff also provide Know Your Rights presentations in the cities in which they work to share vital information with communities in need. KIND clients who are actively receiving KIND legal representation are also eligible to receive short or long-term case management from KIND's social services team. KIND’s Social Services team helps children and families globally, adjust to a new country, language, home, and community, and works to address the traumas during their journey to safety.

Eligibility:

KIND works exclusively with unaccompanied children. For additional information regarding eligibility, please consult the KIND website (linked below).

How to Apply:

In order to apply for services, interested individuals must call the KIND Baltimore intake hotline (410-646-8007) and leave a voicemail with a callback number in order to be placed on a waitlist. Disclaimer: KIND may or may not have limited capacity to accept new legal referrals!

To access their website, click HERE