There are a variety of opportunities for attorneys to represent immigrants and refugees pro bono. Given the ever-changing immigration landscape and the complexity of the law, prospective volunteers should expect these matters to be challenging and, to varying degrees, resource-intensive. That is why it is best to provide these pro bono services through an existing legal aid or pro bono organization. Most organizations working with pro bono attorneys provide training and screen cases before referring a case to a pro bono attorney.  

There are also many low-income Chicagoans who need legal help and a broad range of pro bono opportunities available in other areas of law. For more information, please refer to The Chicago Bar Foundation Pro Bono Opportunities Guide or Illinois Legal Aid Online. If you are looking for assistance in finding a pro bono opportunity that is a good fit for your schedule, interest, and goals you can contact August Hieber, Manager of Programs and Advocacy at the Chicago Bar Foundation at (312) 554-4952.

Asylum

Represent non-citizens who are in the United States and fear returning to their home countries because they have suffered persecution or have a well-founded fear of future persecution on account of their race, religion, nationality, membership in a social group or political opinion. 

For affirmative cases (where the applicant is proceeding before the non-adversarial Asylum Office, not in immigration court proceedings), asylum applications require 40-70 hours of casework to produce a comprehensive application that includes a detailed client affidavit, supporting documentation, country condition research, and a legal memorandum. The work may occur over 2-3 years. An attorney who files an affirmative asylum application on behalf of a client will also represent the client in a non-adversarial interview before the Chicago Asylum Office. If the Asylum Office does not grant the client asylum, it will most likely refer the client to the Immigration Court for additional review of the case.

For defensive cases (where the applicant seeks asylum before the Immigration Court), asylum applications require 50-150 hours of casework to produce a comprehensive application that includes a detailed client affidavit, supporting documentation, country condition research, and a legal brief. These cases require significant preparation for trial and may benefit from the involvement of expert witnesses. Given the extensive resources needed to prepare asylum cases, the National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC) partners with law firms rather than individual attorneys to ensure adequate resources for case management. The cases may take several years to complete.

Skills Needed: An attorney is competent to provide these services after training; possibly second language proficiency or access to interpretation services. 

Time Commitment: Completion of required 3-hour training plus other requirements below.

For affirmative cases: At least 40–70 hours. Affirmative asylum applications may be time-sensitive and require the work to take place over 2–3 months, but could also require 2-3 years to complete.

For defensive cases: At least 50-150 hours. Given the extensive resources needed to prepare asylum cases, NIJC partners with law firms rather than individual attorneys to ensure adequate resources for case management. The cases may take several years to complete.

For more information about opportunities, contact NIJC through its website.

Bond Hearings

Through a partnership between the Chicago Chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, Chicago Volunteer Legal Services and the National Immigrant Justice Center, represent eligible noncitizens in bond hearings before the Immigration Court. Bond hearings are discrete opportunities for pro bono attorneys to present to the court evidence that an individual is neither a flight risk nor a danger to the community. Cases are screened to identify eligible individuals and training and support are provided to pro bono attorneys handling these matters.  

Skills Needed: An attorney is competent to provide these services after training. 

Time Commitment: Complete required 2-hour training. The matter will take about 10-20 hours of pro bono services, including representation in court. 

For more information about opportunities or upcoming training, contact Rebekah Rashidfarokhi at CVLS at (312) 332-7399 or Diana Rashid at NIJC.

Freedom of Information Act Requests and Litigation

Represent the National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC) in filing and litigating Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests and analyzing the data secured through the FOIA. NIJC often files FOIA requests to the Departments of Homeland Security and Justice to secure information regarding practices and policies. Given the extensive resources needed to prepare these cases, NIJC partners with law firms rather than individual attorneys to ensure adequate resources for case management. 

Skills Needed: An attorney is competent to provide these services after training. 

Time Commitment: Varies depending on whether or not the case is litigated; 20-100 hours.

For more information about opportunities or upcoming training, contact Mark Fleming.

Special Immigrant Juvenile Visas

Represent children in state court proceedings (typically guardianship or custody petitions) to obtain the state court order necessary for the child to become eligible for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS). SIJS is a form of immigration relief available to unmarried children who have suffered abuse, neglect, or abandonment by one or both parents. To apply for this relief, the child must first have a state court order establishing that they have suffered abuse, abandonment or neglect and that return to the home country is not in the best interests of the child. 

Skills Needed: Expertise in state court, with experience in family law preferred. 

Time Commitment: Complete required training. SIJS predicate orders may require between 20-40 hours of casework.  

For more information about opportunities, contact NIJC through its website.

Habeas Petition

Challenge the unlawful detention of immigrants by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), particularly indefinite detention. DHS detains more than 40,000 noncitizens in civil immigration detention daily. Immigrants who are detained include asylum seekers, victims of trafficking or crimes in the United States, longtime lawful permanent residents, and others with avenues to immigration relief. In the Midwest, individuals are detained in county jails. The Chicago Area of Responsibility (AOR) includes McHenry County Jail (IL), Kenosha County Jail (WI), Dodge County Jail (WI), Pulaski county Jail (IL), and Boone County Jail (KY). Given the extensive resources needed to prepare these cases, NIJC prefers to partner with law firms rather than individual attorneys to ensure adequate resources for case management. 

Skills Needed: Basic federal court litigation experience.

Time Commitment: Requires about 40-60 hours. 

For more information about opportunities, please contact Claudia Valenzuela.

The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA)    

Help an immigrant survivor of domestic abuse obtain immigration status in the United States independent of their abuser. To prepare a self-petition under VAWA, a pro bono attorney will meet with the client on several occasions. The attorney will produce a comprehensive application that includes a detailed affidavit, supporting documentation, and legal argument in support of the self-petition. VAWA cases do not require litigation.

Skills Needed: An attorney is competent to provide these services after training. 

Time Commitment: Complete required 90-minute training, then approximately 30-40 hours of casework over 3-4 months.   

For more information about opportunities, contact NIJC through its website.

U Visas

Help immigrant survivors of domestic abuse and other crimes obtain a U Visa. U.S. immigration law offers protection to non-citizen victims of serious crime who have gathered the courage to come forward, report the crime, and assist in its investigation or prosecution. To prepare a U Visa application, a pro bono attorney will meet with the client several times and produce a comprehensive application, including a detailed affidavit, supporting evidence and legal argument. Most cases may require advocacy with law enforcement agencies to obtain certification that the victim assisted in the investigation or prosecution of the crime. U Visa cases do not require litigation. 

Skills Needed: An attorney is competent to provide these services after training. 

Time Commitment: Complete required 90-minute training, then approximately 20-30 hours of casework.   

For more information about opportunities, contact NIJC through its website.

Training Resources

Upcoming and Archived Trainings

• National Immigrant Justice Center
• Practising Law Institute
• Catholic Legal Immigration Network
• Illinois Legal Aid Online
• Immigrant Advocates Network (must register to access; free registration)

Other Resources

• Immigration Justice
• American Immigration Lawyers Association

Other Immigration-Related Opportunities

Interpret or Translate

Provide written and oral interpretation and translation services to help attorneys prepare a detailed affidavit or translate foreign language documents. Even clients who speak English proficiently can benefit from the assistance of an interpreter because discussing the nuances of their immigration cases may be difficult and communicating in their native languages is preferred. (Languages in highest demand: Spanish, Arabic, Urdu, Mandarin, Russian, Burmese, Hmong and French).  

For more information, visit NIJC's website. 

Teach English as a Second Language

Help immigrants and refugees learn English to help them integrate into our community by teaching English as a Second Language (ESL). Certification is required. 

For more information, visit ESL Teacher EDU's website.

Support Immigrants in Detention

Help support detained immigrants and refugees by writing letters of encouragement and inviting your friends and family to join you. Become a volunteer with Interfaith Committee for Detained Immigrants (ICDI) and visit immigrants in local detention centers and assist with the transition of recently released immigrants.

For more information, visit ICDI Chicago's website.

Donate

Provide crucial financial support to any of the organizations you are working with or have a personal connection to their work. Financial support for these agencies increases their capacity to expand their work, provide additional pro bono opportunities, and provide services to more individuals.

Advocate

Talk to your elected officials at the federal, state and local levels about policies that impact immigrants and refugees. Find your official here.

Non-Immigration Pro Bono Opportunities

If you are interested in non-immigration pro bono opportunities, visit The Chicago Bar Foundation Pro Bono Opportunities Guide or Illinois Legal Aid Online. If you are looking for assistance in finding a pro bono opportunity that is a good fit for your schedule, interest, and goals you can contact August Hieber, Manager of Programs and Advocacy at the Chicago Bar Foundation (312) 554-4952.