On this page, you will find:
To find organisations working for LGBTQI+ rights, visit our United States LGBTQI+ Resources page.
For United States country of origin information (COI) experts, reports, commentaries, and relevant documents visit our United States COI page.
Refugee protection
Click here to see the numbers and origins of refugees hosted by the United States.
The following sections contain information on the most important international treaties and agreements of which the United States is signatory, as well as national legislation relevant to the protection of refugees.
The United States has not ratified the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees. Howveer, in 1968, the United States acceded to the 1967 Protocol. In 1991, the Department of Justice determined that Article 33 of the 1951 United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees does not impose any domestic legal obligations on the United States with respect to individuals interdicted outside its territory as part of an effort to control mass illegal migration to the United States.
The United States, however, has not accepted the UN Statelessness Conventions.
The U.S. Constitution vests all federal legislative power in the U.S. Congress. Congress exercises this power by enacting public and private laws. A U.S. public law is a federal law that has general applicability nationwide. When Congress enacts a public law, it generally does not rewrite the entire body of law, or even entire sections of a law, but instead adds to or changes specific words within a section. These changes are then reflected in the larger body of public laws. This larger body of law is codified (or, essentially, collected and organized) by subject matter in the U.S. Code.
In some cases, public laws provide authorities not captured in the U.S. Code. Therefore, you may still need to reference certain public laws directly, as opposed to the U.S. Code (abbreviated as U.S.C.).
For more information on public laws, see the Government Publishing Office’s webpage on Public and Private Laws.
A public law known as the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 (INA) collected many existing provisions and reorganized the structure of immigration law. Since then, Congress has amended the INA many times based on new public laws.
When Congress enacts public laws affecting immigration and nationality, a couple of things may happen with the INA. In some cases, Congress amends INA sections or adds new sections to the INA. In other cases, Congress passes immigration laws that do not change the INA.
You’ll find the INA and most other immigration laws in the part of the U.S. Code called Title 8. Immigration law provisions appear in Title 8 as either U.S. Code sections or notes to sections. The Office of the Law Revision Counsel of the U.S. House of Representatives is responsible for preparing the U.S. Code.
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, created this website for refugees and asylum seekers in the United States. On this website, you will find information about:
- Where you can ask for help in the United States
- How you can apply for asylum in the United States
- What rights and duties you have as a refugee or as an asylum seeker in the United States
- UNHCR’s role and activities in the United States
- Contact information for our office
For Afghan nationals seeking relocation to the US:
The Department of State has introduced a Priority 2 (P-2) designation granting U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) access for certain Afghan nationals and their eligible family members. The U.S. objective remains a peaceful, secure Afghanistan. However, in light of increased levels of Taliban violence, the U.S. government is working to provide certain Afghans, including those who worked with the United States, the opportunity for refugee resettlement to the United States. This designation expands the opportunity to permanently resettle in the United States to many thousands of Afghans and their immediate family members who may be at risk due to their U.S. affiliation but who are not eligible for a Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) because they did not have qualifying employment, or because they have not met the time-in-service requirement to become eligible. Access to the USRAP is a critical mechanism to provide protection for these individuals. The Afghan P-2 designation permits U.S. government agencies, U.S.-based NGOs, and U.S.-based media organizations to refer Afghans (and family members: spouse and children of any age, whether married or unmarried) who fall into the below three categories for P-2 USRAP access:
- Afghans who do not meet the minimum time-in-service for a Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) but who work or worked at any time as employees of contractors, Locally Employed (LE) Staff, interpreters/translators for the U.S. government, United States Forces Afghanistan (USFOR-A), International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), or Resolute Support;
- Afghans who work or worked at any time for a U.S. government-funded program or project in Afghanistan supported through a U.S. government grant or cooperative agreement;
- Afghans who are or were employed in Afghanistan by a U.S.-based non-governmental or media organization.
For additional information on, and those interested and/or fall into any of the above categories, here is the Information for Afghan Nationals Regarding Priority 2 (P-2) Designation.
The Immigration Advocates Network have launched a national directory of nonprofit immigration legal service providers in the USA available here.
The United States Department of Justice website also keeps an updated list of Pro Bono Legal Service Providers available here. The full List is divided into separate sections that correspond to the individual immigration courts around the country.
Finally, here is a guide by the American Immigration Center on how to be granted asylum in the United States through two different paths to claiming asylum.
The Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project (ASAP) has compiled resources to guide asylum seekers through the asylum process and in defending their rights. Resources include work permit and asylum guides, sample documents, connection to local services, and lawyer recommendations.
Legal aid organisations
Alabama
Website
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Address: 188 S. Florida St. Mobile, AL 36606
Tel: +1 251-434-1550
Email: mdking@mobarch.or
Contact person: Mrs. Marilyn D. King, M.A., LSBW (Executive Director)
Catholic Social Services of Mobile run a Refugee Resettlement Program where they provide legal and other support for migrants, asylum seekers and refugees. Their areas of legal assistance are: Adjustment of Status, Consular Processing, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), Family-based petitions, Naturalization/Citizenship, Temporary Protected Status (TPS). Their types of legal assistance include: Help completing forms, Filings with USCIS.
For additional information on legal support in Alabama, visit the National Immigration Legal Services Directory Alabama page. Please note, however, that this page shows both paid and free legal resources.
Alaska
Website
Facebook
Address: 4600 Debarr Road
Anchorage, Alaska 99508
Tel: +1 (907)-222-7300
Email: ispatrisano@cssalaksa.org (Services Director) | info@cssalaska.org (General Inquiries)
Catholic Social Services is a non-profit, non-governmental agency and the RAIS program is one program within the agency. RAIS offers the only refugee resettlement services in the state of Alaska. Services include reception and placement for newly arriving refugees, distribution of benefits for eligible refugees and asylees including limited financial support, case management and employment placement services. In addition, the program has BIA (Board of Immigration Appeals) accredited representatives who provide legal assistance for refugees applying for adjustment of status (to permanent residency) and citizenship applications.
Arizona
Website
Address: PO Box 826, Arivaca, AZ 85601
Tel: +1 520-398-3093
Email: phparivaca@gmail.com
People Helping People was formed in 2012 by a core group of Arivaca residents involved in providing humanitarian aid on the US/Mexico border. People Helping People is involved in several community projects. The organisation partner with No More Deaths/No Más Muertes to run a humanitarian aid office in Arivaca, AZ where they distribute information on humanitarian aid and legal rights and do offer contacts for the Florence Project and No More Deaths’ lawyers to legally protected persons. The office is staffed 5 days a week by trained local volunteers. All of our volunteers are very knowledgeable and friendly. The office is a safe place to ask questions or voice concerns about providing aid to travellers or dealing with border patrol. People can come into the office to report both border patrol abuse or harassment and abuse to themselves or to others. We are currently working with the American Civil Liberties Union and the NMD Abuse Doc. Team to document these cases. The organisation also hosts events and educational workshops such as Know Your Rights Training, Medical Training, Spanish Classes, and various presentations about the border/prison industrial complex and other border crises topics.
Arkansas
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Address: 1200 W Walnut St, Rogers, AR 72756, Suites: 3402 and 3409
Tel: +1 (479) 925-9095
Arkansas Immigrant Defense is a nonprofit law firm. AID serves immigrant and refugee survivors for free whenever funding allows it. Our services inlcude: N-400s, Consular Process, DACA, 601A Waivers of Unlawful Presence, Green Card Renewal, U-Visas, VAWA, T-Visas, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, Temporary Protected Status and much more!
To get in touch, visit their contact page.
California
Website
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Address: C/O Port Workspaces 344 Thomas L Berkley Way Oakland, CA 94612
Tel: +1 510-891-8700
Email: info@asylumaccess.org
Asylum Access is an innovative, US-based, international nonprofit dedicated to making refugee rights a reality in Africa, Asia and Latin America. We provide legal information, advice and representation directly to refugees in their first countries of refuge, and advocate for the rights of refugees worldwide.
Asylum Access also fosters the development of local refugee rights projects that give refugees on-the-ground access to legal advocates in their first countries of refuge. With the oversight of a local director, these organizations implement Asylum Access’s Legal Aid program, providing legal information, advice and representation to refugees seeking asylum or striving to assist other rights. Refugee rights projects also implement Asylum Access’s Policy, Advocacy and Community Education programs.
Please Note: The Asylum Access office in California is the headquarters of the Asylum Access network, not a direct service provider. Asylum Access does not serve refugees located in the United States. However, our network of organizations serves refugees located in Ecuador, Malaysia, Mexico, Panama, Tanzania, and Thailand. You can find contact information for these Asylum Access locations on the associated country pages of this website, or you can contact headquarters at the info@asylumaccess.or email account to be directed to the appropriate location.
Address: (Mexico) Blvd. Durango 300-A, Fracc. Lomas del Guadiana Durango. Dgo. 34110 / (USA) 750 Otay Lakes Road, Suite 2111 Chula Vista, CA. 91910
Tel: (USA) +1 (619) 888 8745 / (MEX) +52 (618) 364 4213 (only Whatsapp)
Email: aimberton@hotmail.com
Contact Person: Alberto Imberton
- Provide relevant and up-to-date information educational and informative;
- Actively participate in the discussion and drafting of laws and immigration policies;
- Legal advice and legal representation for immigrants in immigration processes.
Colorado
We have not yet identified any legal assistance resources for this state.
Connecticut
We have not yet identified any legal assistance resources for this state.
Delaware
We have not yet identified any legal assistance resources for this state.
Florida
We have not yet identified any legal assistance resources for this state.
Georgia
We have not yet identified any legal assistance resources for this state.
Hawaii
We have not yet identified any legal assistance resources for this state.
Idaho
We have not yet identified any legal assistance resources for this state.
Illinois
Website
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Address: 208 S. LaSalle Street, Suite 1300, Chicago, IL 60604
Tel: +1-312-660-1300
Contact link: https://www.heartlandalliance.org/about/contact/
Heartland Alliance provides legal protection both domestically and internationally to ensure human rights protections and access to justice for immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers. Heartland Alliance’s domestic legal protection programmes include:
- The Heartland Alliance National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC) provides direct legal services to and advocates for immigrants, refugees, and asylum-seekers
- Violence Recovery Services for children and adults each year who are victims of domestic and sexual violence in the City of Chicago.
- Heartland Alliance runs a nationally recognized centre for unaccompanied immigrant children who seek to be reunited with their families.
Website
Facebook
Address: 224 S Michigan Ave, Suite 600, Chicago, IL 60604
Tel: +1-312-660-1370
NIJC represents low-income immigrants in all non-employment based immigration matters, including asylum applications. NIJC staff and pro bono attorneys working with NIJC represent hundreds of asylum applicants each year in addition to providing legal counsel in thousands of non-asylum immigration matters. NIJC only represents asylum applicants (refugee claimants present in the U.S. or at its borders), and not refugees outside the U.S. They have produced a booklet on the asylum process in the USA, Know Your Rights: Information Packet About Detention, Deportation, and Defenses Under U.S. Immigration Law.
Iowa
We have not yet identified any legal assistance resources for this state.
Kansas
We have not yet identified any legal assistance resources for this state.
Kentucky
We have not yet identified any legal assistance resources for this state.
Louisiana
We have not yet identified any legal assistance resources for this state.
Maine
We have not yet identified any legal assistance resources for this state.
Maryland
We have not yet identified any legal assistance resources for this state.
Massachusetts
Website
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Address: 11 Shattuck Street, Worchester, MA 01605
Tel: +1-774-243-300
Email: info@ascentria.org
The Immigration Legal Assistance Project of Lutheran Social Services (LSS) provides free and low-cost legal services to immigrants state-wide. They also offer resettlement services, English classes, and more. LSS’s legal services include: Pro bono and low-cost legal representation for asylum seekers, unaccompanied minors, and/or victims of violent crime, domestic violence, or human trafficking; Legal consultations in complicated immigration cases; Assistance to complete immigration applications/petitions; Assistance to apply for citizenship, including continuing mentorship and interview preparation; Assistance with family reunification; Referrals to pro-bono and low-cost immigration attorneys; and Referrals to social services providers as appropriate.
Website
Facebook
Address: Harvard Law School, 1563 Massachusetts Ave., Pound Hall 408, Cambridge, MA 02138
Tel: +1-617-384-8165
Email: hirc@law.harvard.edu
The Harvard Immigration and Refugee Clinical Program (HIRC), in partnership with Greater Boston Legal Services (GBLS), has worked with hundreds of immigrants and refugees since its founding in 1984. HIRC combines the representation of individual applicants for asylum and related relief with the development of theories and policy relating to asylum law. HIRC students take the lead in representing clients from all over the world who are seeking protection from human rights abuses in their country of origin, protection from exile after years of living in the United States, or reunification with their families.
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Facebook
Address: Education St, Boston, MA, United States, Massachusetts
Tel: +1-617-864-7800
Email: info@refugepoint.org
RefugePoint’s urban refugee assistance program provides holistic case management services to Nairobi’s most vulnerable refugees. Services include emergency food assistance, safe shelter and rent support, and psychosocial counselling and therapy. Please note that at this time RefugePoint is not taking any walk-in clients.
Website
Facebook
Address: 98 North Washington Street, Suite 106, Boston Ma 02114
Tel: +1- 617-742-9296
Asylum Email: jreyes@pairproject.org
Detention Email: enoureddine@pairproject.org
The Political Asylum/ Immigration Representation (PAIR) Project provides free legal services to asylum seekers and promotes the rights of detained immigrants.
Michigan
Facebook
Address: 817 Livingston Ave NE, Grand Rapids, MI, United States, Michigan
Tel: +1-269 599-6951
Email: info@lemkinhouse.org
Contact person: Maia Storm – maia.storm@gmail.com
Lemkin House provides asylum-seekers in West Michigan a safe place to stay and prepare their cases while they undergo the difficult legal and mental transition from asylum-seeker to refugee. It also provides legal assistance to asylum seekers who do not need a place to stay, but who lack financial resources.
Minnesota
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Address: 330 Second Avenue South, Suite 800, Minneapolis, MN 55401
Tel: +1 (612)-341-3302
Email: hrights@advrights.org
The Advocates for Human Rights seeks to promote and protect the human rights of asylum seekers, refugees, and immigrants. They monitor immigration-related legislation in Minnesota and the U.S.and regularly reports on U.S. compliance with human rights obligations including due process, freedom from arbitrary detention, respect for the unity of the family, protection of refugees, and protection of workers.
Volunteers, supported by expert staff, work with victims of human rights abuses as attorneys, mentors, medical and psychological experts, and interpreters in asylum cases. The Advocates also serves clients for free through legal advice through walk-in legal clinics and through the Minnesota Detention Project for consultations for detained immigrants.
Website
Facebook
Instagram
Address: 1325 Quincy St NE Ste A1 , Minneapolis, MN, United States, Minnesota
Tel: +1 612-682-5044
Email: info@oraminternational.org
Founded in 2008, ORAM – the Organization for Refuge, Asylum and Migration is a pioneer in advocating for the protection and well-being of extremely vulnerable LGBTIQ refugees and asylum seekers globally. With the help of supporters and partners, ORAM provides legal assistance, advances economic inclusion through livelihood programs, build coalitions, champions the rights of LGBTIQ asylum seekers and refugees on the global stage, provide critical emergency response to the communities they serve and promotes sustainable solutions. Visit their online resource pages here.
Website
Facebook
Address: St. Paul Healing Centre — 649 Dayton Avenue
St. Paul, MN 55104
Tel: +1 612-436-4800
Email: cvt@cvt.org
The Center for Victims of Torture (CVT) is a private, non-profit, non-partisan, humanitarian organisation that helps to rebuild the lives of refugees and communities affected by war. It provides mental health services to refugees and survivors in post-conflict situations who suffer from the effects of torture and trauma; trains local staff to be paraprofessional Psychosocial Counsellors (PSCs) to act as peer counsellors and builds the capacity of community leaders, teachers, health care workers to recognize the effects of trauma. They also have offices abroad in Ethiopia, Jordan, and Kenya.
Mississippi
We have not yet identified any legal assistance resources for this state.
Missouri
We have not yet identified any legal assistance resources for this state.
Montana
We have not yet identified any legal assistance resources for this state.
Nebraska
Website
Facebook
Address: 7930 Blondo Street, suite 100, Omaha, NE, United States, Nebraska
Tel: +1 402-858-2020
Email: info@402legal.com
Sokpoh Law Group provides immigration assistance including legal representation in asylum and refugee cases. The firm provides pro bono consultations to individuals that contact us through the Rights in Exile Programme. Sokpoh Law Group will also evaluate cases and provide representation on a pro-bono or reduced costs basis, on a case by case basis, based on income.
Nevada
We have not yet identified any legal assistance resources for this state.
New Hampshire
We have not yet identified any legal assistance resources for this state.
New Jersey
Website
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Address: 53 So. Hackensack Ave, Kearny, NJ 07032
Tel: +1-908-965-0455
Email: info@firstfriendsnjny.org
The focus of First Friends is to Visit non-criminal detainees at the Elizabeth Detention Center (EDC), in the Hudson County Corrections Center (HCCC), the Bergen County jail, and Essex County Correctional Center. They provide training for those willing to visit detainees; speak to groups on detention or immigration reform; collaborate with partner organisations seeking humane treatment of all detainees, and the end of detainment for asylum seekers; work nationally on behalf of comprehensive immigration reform; organise demonstrations to keep the plight of detainees in the news, Invite you to join our efforts.
New Mexico
Website
Facebook
Address: 625 Silver Ave. SW, Suite 410 Albuquerque, NM 87102
Tel: +1-505-247-1023
Email: info@nmilc.org
Founded in 2010, the New Mexico Immigrant Law Center is dedicated to preventing the separation of families due to deportation. In addition to ensuring family unity, we seek to strengthen immigrant families by advancing the rights and opportunities of low-income immigrants and their families. NMILC envisions a New Mexico in which all people – regardless of their race, immigration, or economic status – have equal access to justice, as well as access to education, government resources, and economic opportunities, and are able to engage fully in the civic and economic life of our neighbourhoods and community. Access to high-quality immigration services provided by NMILC enables immigrants to obtain legal status that can lead to better jobs, access to credit and bank accounts, reunification with family members, access to healthcare, increased educational opportunities for children and adults, and full participation in the civic life of our neighbourhoods and communities. While gaining immigration status brings a certain level of economic and family stability, naturalization creates opportunities for newcomers to fully participate in the civic life of their communities.
Website
Facebook
Address: PO Box 8009 Santa Fe, NM 87504
Tel: +1 505-490-2789
Email: info@santafedreamersprojects.org
Santa Fe Dreamers Project is a non-profit legal services organization serving New Mexico’s immigrant community. Since 2014, the Dreamers Project has served primarily immigrant youth and families, focusing on economic and community development. They offer domestic, immigration, and asylum legal services. Santa Fe Dreamers Project is committed to representing every qualified immigrant who walks through our doors. They make every effort to understand the barriers that normally prevent immigrant families in our community from accessing legal representation and design our services with those barriers in mind.
New York
Website
Email: SWY1@cornell.edu
Contact person: Steve Yale-Loehr
In the Cornell Law School immigration clinic, law students under the supervision of the clinic directors represent immigrants fleeing persecution in their appeals before the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA). The immigration clinic seeks two types of asylum or CAT cases. First, they seek to represent respondents who have lost their asylum or CAT claim at the BIA and would like to appeal to the applicable Federal Court of Appeals. Second, they seek interesting asylum or CAT cases on appeal to the BIA. They are particularly interested in cases that have the potential to create a good precedent or provide a strong basis for challenging existing negative precedent. The clinic starts at the end of January and ends May 1, so they can only accept cases where briefs are due between mid-March and the end of April.
Website
Facebook
Instagram
Address: 75 Broad St, 31st Floor, New York, NY 10004
Tel: +1 212-845 5200
Human Rights First is a non-profit, nonpartisan international human rights organization with offices in New York and Washington D.C. Volunteer lawyers at the Refugee Representation Program at Human Rights First help asylum seekers in the U.S. with asylum cases. Human Rights First collaborates with pro-bono lawyers who provide legal support for asylum seekers in the United States of America. To learn more about their services see: http://www.humanrightsfirst.org/our-work/refugee-protection/probono-program/.
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Address: Immigration Equality, Inc., 40 Exchange Place, Suite 1300, New York, NY 10005
Tel: +1-212-714-2904
Email: legal@immigrationequality.org
Immigration Equality is a national organisation that advocates for full equality for LGBT and HIV-positive individuals under U.S. immigration law. They do both policy work on the Uniting American Families Act, the HIV ban, and other issues, and in the area of asylum they do direct legal representation, run a pro bono project, and provide mentoring for other attorneys. LGBT foreign nationals are provided with up-to-date information about immigration law via training, informational materials, and by answering email and telephone inquiries. Immigration Equality run a pro bono asylum project to assist LGBT and HIV-positive asylum seekers to find free or low-cost legal representation. They provide technical assistance to lawyers working on sexual orientation, transgender identity, or HIV status-based asylum applications, or other immigration applications where the client’s LGBT or HIV-positive identity is at issue in the case. They also maintain a list of LGBT/HIV-friendly private immigration attorneys to provide legal representation for those who contact them. Please contact them at the details above.
Website
Facebook
Instagram
Legal Information Website – Legal information available in English, Spanish, Creole, Arabic, Pashto, Farsi (Dari).
The International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP) provides free legal help to some refugees and displaced people. IRAP cannot grant refugee status or visas or speed up cases. IRAP cannot provide financial help, find or pay for housing, or find jobs. They do not make any decisions concerning resettlement and they are completely independent of UNHCR and national governments. Any information sent to IRAP is highly confidential, and all services are free of charge. IRAP provides free legal services to refugees seeking refugee protection and resettlement.
IRAP can help some people in processes like:
- Afghan and Iraqi Special Immigrant Visa applications. IRAP helps with some kinds of Chief of Mission appeals.
- Family reunification for refugees with relatives in the United States and in some European countries. IRAP helps with some stages and some kinds of family reunification processes.
- UNHCR processes. IRAP represents some refugees in certain UNHCR processes in certain countries.
- U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) applications. IRAP helps with some kinds of Requests for Review (RFRs) of USRAP denials.
- Some other processes, like refugees in the U.S. applying for a refugee travel document.
Anyone can request legal help through their chatbot on Facebook by clicking here or on Telegram by clicking here.
This webform is for Afghan SIV applicants who want to file or have received denials from the Chief of Mission (COM) and who do not currently have an application or appeal pending review at COM to request legal help.
IRAP Jordan accepts requests for assistance through this form. The form is only available when IRAP Jordan is accepting new requests for assistance. If the form is not available, please check back to that link regularly.
IRAP is not able to assist everyone who contacts them, and emailing them or getting in touch does not create an attorney-client relationship.
Website
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Address: 151 West 30th Street, 10th Floor, New York, NY 10001
Tel: +1-212-760-2554 (ext.) 481
The Immigration Advocates Network (IAN) is a collaborative effort of leading immigrants’ rights organisations (*) designed to increase access to justice for low-income immigrants and strengthen the capacity of organisations serving them. IAN promotes more effective and efficient communication, collaboration, and services among immigration advocates and organisations by providing free, easily accessible and comprehensive online resources and tools. The Network does not provide legal referrals or direct legal services.
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Facebook
Address: 256 W 38th Street, 9th Floor, New York, NY 10018
Tel: +1 646-564-3720
Contact form can be found here.
Physicians for Human rights is a non-profit, non-sectarian organisation that mobilises health professionals in order to investigate the health consequences of human rights violations and work to stop them. Their ‘ Asylum Program ’ aims to assist torture survivors and other noncitizens seeking safe haven in the United States. Physicians for Human rights specialise in conducting forensic psychological and physical evaluations to document evidence of torture and abuse. The medical-legal affidavits that they submit to courts on behalf of survivors are frequently the determining factor when judges grant asylum or other relief from deportation.
Website
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Address: 151 West 30th Street, 6th Floor, New York, NY 10001
Tel: +1 212-760-2554
Email: info@probono.net
Pro Bono Net is a national nonprofit organisation based in New York City and San Francisco. We work in close partnership with nonprofit legal organisations across the United States and Canada, to increase access to justice for the millions of poor people who face legal problems every year without help from a lawyer. Pro Bono Net also has a section entitled ‘asylum’ for lawyers who are providing pro bono assistance to people seeking asylum in the U.S. Pro Bono Net does not provide legal referrals or direct legal services.
North Carolina
We have not yet identified any legal assistance resources for this state.
North Dakota
We have not yet identified any legal assistance resources for this state.
Ohio
We have not yet identified any legal assistance resources for this state.
Oregon
Website
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Address: 4040 S. 188th St. Suite 300, SeaTac, WA, United States, Washington
Tel: +1 206-901-1685
Contact person: Salah Ansary, Regional Director (sansary@lcsnw.org)
Lutheran Community Services Northwest (LCSNW) provides services for refugees and immigrants. Since 1975, LCSNW has resettled more than 35,000 refugees in the northwest US. We provide case management, employment, citizenship, immigration legal counselling, elders services, and refugee unaccompanied minor program. Our refugee resettlement program has offices in Portland, Vancouver and Seattle.
Pennsylvania
We have not yet identified any legal assistance resources for this state.
Rhode Island
We have not yet identified any legal assistance resources for this state.
South Carolina
We have not yet identified any legal assistance resources for this state.
South Dakota
We have not yet identified any legal assistance resources for this state.
Tennessee
We have not yet identified any legal assistance resources for this state.
Texas
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Address: 314 E Highland Mall Blvd, #501, Austin, TX, United States, Texas
Tel: +1 (512) 478-0546
Email: info@americangateways.org
Contact person: claudiag@americangateways.org
American Gateways has served the Central Texas immigrant community since 1987. Founded as the Political Asylum Project of Austin (PAPA), they began as a dedicated group of volunteers working to serve the increasing number of refugees fleeing war in Central America. Since then they have grown to provide a broad range of immigration legal services to low-income individuals and families throughout the region. American Gateways is also the only nonprofit in the state to provide legal orientation, immigration workshops, and pro bono legal representation at four immigrant detention facilities.
Website
Facebook
Address: P.O. Box 786100, San Antonio, TX, United States, Texas
Contact form
The Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services (RAICES) is a nonprofit agency that promotes justice by providing free and low-cost legal services to underserved immigrant children, families, and refugees. With legal services, social programs, bond assistance, and an advocacy team focused on changing the narrative around immigration in this country, RAICES is operating on the national frontlines of the fight for immigration rights.
Utah
We have not yet identified any legal assistance resources for this state.
Vermont
We have not yet identified any legal assistance resources for this state.
Virginia
Website
Facebook
Address: 6400 Arlington Blvd, Ste. 400, Falls Church, VA 22042
Tel: +1 571-282-6161
Email: justice@tahirih.org
Tahirih Justice Center was founded after Layli Miller-Muro, Executive Director helped win asylum for Fauziya Kassindja in the first-ever victory in a gender-based asylum case. With this rich legacy, Tahirih remains committed to ensuring consistency and fairness in the adjudication of asylum claims for women and girls seeking protection from gender-based persecution. Thanks to their award-winning pro bono program, Tahirih represents hundreds of asylum seekers each year, seeking to push the envelope through, especially challenging cases. Tahirih partners with major law firms and other advocates to file amicus briefs in asylum cases from around the country and engage in both federal administrative and legislative advocacy to seek improvements in the asylum system to better protect women and girls fleeing violence. They also have offices in Houston, Texas, Maryland and Baltimore.
Washington
Website
Facebook
Address: 1215 Fourth Avenue. Suite 1925. Seattle, WA 98161
Tel: +1 (206) 359-3266
Email: infoseattle@supportkind.org
Contact people: Melissa Galarraga
Email: mgalarraga@supportkind.org;
Rebekah Fletcher
Email: rfletcher@supportkind.org;
Jami Colina
Email: jcolina@supportkind.org
Kids in Need of Defense (KIND) is a nonprofit organization that helps provide pro bono quality legal representation to unaccompanied refugees in the United States. KIND was founded by the UNHCR Special Envoy Angelina Jolie and the Microsoft Corporation and serves as the leading organization for the protection of unaccompanied children who enter the US immigration system alone. KIND’s aim is to ensure legal representation for all unaccompanied children who appear in immigration court. The organization has offices in Baltimore, Boston, Houston, Newark, New York City, Los Angeles, Seattle, and Washington DC.
Washington D.C.
Website
Address: 1915 St. NW, 8th Floor, Washington DC, 20006
Email: program@detentionwatchnetwork.org
Detention Watch Network (DWN) works through the collective strength and diversity of its members to expose and challenge the injustices of the U.S. immigration detention and deportation system and advocate for profound change that promotes the rights and dignity of all persons.
Website
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Address: 1628 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
Tel: +1 202-319-2102
Email: info@rcusa.org
RCUSA provides information on refugee rights and the resettlement process. They also engage in advocacy on issues affecting the rights of refugees, asylum seekers, displaced persons, victims of trafficking, and victims of torture in the United States and across the world.
In light of the recent events in Afghanistan, RCUSA has launched the Afghan Response web hub. This web hub is a collection of resources for Afghans seeking assistance, and actions individuals, organizations, and elected officials can take to support vulnerable Afghans. The Afghan Response page is accessible here.
West Virginia
We have not yet identified any legal assistance resources for this state.
Wisconsin
We have not yet identified any legal assistance resources for this state.
Wyoming
We have not yet identified any legal assistance resources for this state.
United States LGBTQI+ Resources
Find organisations working for refugee LGBTQI+ rights in the United States.
United States COI
Find United States Country of Origin information (COI) experts, reports, commentaries, and relevant documents.
We are always looking to expand the resources on our platform. If you know about relevant resources, or you are aware of organisations and/or individuals to include in our directories, please get in touch.
Last updated March 2024
