Immigration Law

Legal Aid DC serves the District’s immigrant communities by representing clients in immigration matters, providing legal advice, and advocating for our immigrant neighbors’ human rights, safety, and opportunities. We focus primarily on humanitarian-based immigration relief for survivors of violence, crime, and persecution.

We work on immigration matters including, but not limited to:  

• U and T visas
• Asylum
• Special Immigrant Juvenile Status  
• Humanitarian-Based Green Cards
• Violence Against Women Act Petitions
• Temporary Protected Status
• Naturalization

The Immigration Law team also coordinates with other Legal Aid units to assist clients without legal status who are navigating issues with their housing, public benefits, family law issues, domestic violence, and more.  

Legal Aid generally does not represent individuals who are being held in detention.

Legal Aid partners with Carlos Rosario International Public Charter School, which provides adult education, literacy, and other services to DC’s immigrant community, and provides legal clinics and individual advice to Carlos Rosario students. Legal Aid is also a founding member of the Immigrant Justice Platform, which advocates for policies that protect and benefit immigrant District residents.

The Immigration Law Unit at Legal Aid began in 2018 as the Immigrants’ Rights Legal Services Project thanks to a generous seed grant from the Venable Foundation.