Help Desks

Written by ASAP’s expert immigration lawyers · Updated September 2, 2026

The following non-profit organizations run help desks where they provide free limited legal assistance to asylum seekers who do not have lawyers. Help desks generally offer short, one-time support such as answering general questions or helping you fill out a form (for example, asylum and work permit applications). 

Find a help desk:

Before you contact an organization, it can help to have this information ready:

  • Your full name, as it appears on your immigration documents,

  • Your A-number, if you have one,

  • Any upcoming court or USCIS appointment dates,

  • Copies of any letters or notices you have received from immigration agencies, and 

  • A short description of what you need help with.

Arizona

Phoenix Legal Action Network (PLAN)

California

California Collaborative for Immigrant Justice

Colorado

Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network (RMIAN)

Florida

Americans for Immigrant Justice (AIJ)

  • Free legal clinics and consultations

  • Phone: (305) 573-1106, ext. 8008 — Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. ET

  • Hotline if someone is detained by ICE: (786) 454-8554 — Monday through Thursday, 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. ET and 1:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET

  • Email: [email protected] 

  • Web form (non-detained): Contact form

  • Web form (detained): Contact form 

  • Website: https://aijustice.org/programs/

Family & Immigration Rights Center (Tallahassee)

  • For help completing certain USCIS forms, such as applications for asylum or work permits, and representation in immigration court

  • Phone: (850) 739-0017

  • Web form: Interest form

  • Website: https://www.firclaw.org/

Georgia

Emory Immigrant Legal Assistance (EILA) 

Illinois

Beyond Legal Aid

National Immigrant Justice Center

  • For people with cases at the Chicago Immigration Court

  • Phone or text: (312) 660-1328

  • In person at Chicago Immigration Court: Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. CT at 55 E. Monroe St, Suite 1500

  • Hotline if someone is detained by ICE: (855) 435-7693

  • Website: https://immigrantjustice.org/for-immigrants/

Indiana

National Immigrant Justice Center

  • For people with cases at the Indianapolis Immigration Court

  • Phone or text: (312) 660-1328

  • In person at Indianapolis Immigration Court: Thursdays from 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. ET at 575 N. Pennsylvania St, Sixth Floor

  • Hotline if someone is detained by ICE: (773) 672-6599 — every other Tuesday between 12:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. ET. See hotline dates here.  

  • Website: https://immigrantjustice.org/for-immigrants/

Maryland 

Maryland Pro Bono Resource Center

Ayuda

Massachusetts

Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA)

  • Phone hotline: (508) 293-1871. Leave a voicemail and your call should be returned within 3 business days. You can also schedule a 30-minute consultation by using this link.

  • To request possible representation by a lawyer if you have a case in immigration court in Massachusetts, call (508) 505-4588. More information here.

Minnesota

Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota (ILCM)

  • For people in Minnesota and North Dakota who meet specific income requirements. If eligible, can receive free legal help.

  • Phone: (800) 223-1368 — Monday: 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m., Tuesday: 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m., Wednesday: 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m., and Thursday: 3:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.

  • Hotline if someone is detained by ICE: (651) 641-1011 — Monday through Thursday 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

  • Website: https://www.ilcm.org/intake-process 

Minnesota Immigration Legal Collaborative (The Hub)

New York

Asylum Support Clinic

New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG)

Catholic Migration Services (CMS)

Central American Legal Assistance (CALA)

Masa

  • For help filing applications for asylum, work permits, and limited legal consultations

  • Phone: (718) 360-6655

  • Email: [email protected]

  • Web form: Interest form 

South Brooklyn Sanctuary (SBS)

African Communities Together (ACT)

  • Free legal consultations, limited help with immigration court cases, and help with certain applications such as work permits, family-based petitions, and applications for travel documents

  • Phone: (347) 767-4425 — Monday through Friday, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. ET

  • Email: [email protected] 

  • Website: https://africans.us/about

North Dakota

Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota (ILCM)

  • For people in Minnesota and North Dakota who meet specific income requirements. If eligible, can receive free legal help. 

  • Phone: (800) 223-1368 — Monday: 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m., Tuesday: 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m., Wednesday: 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m., and Thursday: 3:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.

  • Hotline if someone is detained by ICE: (651) 641-1011 — Monday through Thursday 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

  • Website: https://www.ilcm.org/intake-process 

Ohio

Community Refugee & Immigration Services (CRIS)

Tennessee

Advocates for Immigrant Rights (AIR)

Texas

American Gateways 

  • For people with cases at the San Antonio Immigration Court

  • Phone: (210) 864-2917

  • In-person at the immigration court: Monday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. CT at 800 Dolorosa St #300, San Antonio, TX 78207

  • Website: https://www.americangateways.org/papa-project

Virginia

Virginia Hispanic Foundation Legal Aid Clinic

Washington State

Northwest Immigrant Rights Project (NWIRP)

  • For people in Washington who meet specific income requirements. If eligible, can receive help with applications for asylum, representation in immigration court, and other legal services. 

  • Phone: (206) 587-4009 — Monday through Friday, 9:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. PT

  • Email: [email protected]

  • Website: nwirp.org/get-help/ 

Wisconsin

National Immigrant Justice Center

Nationwide

ASAP

  • ASAP welcomes new members who are immigrants in the United States age 14 or over. Members learn how to apply for asylum and work permits, receive news updates, and ask questions to expert immigration lawyers.

  • Email: If you are a member of ASAP and you have a question about your asylum case, you can email your question to [email protected]. Please include your ASAP member ID in the email if you can. Learn more.

  • Website: https://asaptogether.org/en/

Beyond Legal Aid

Looking for a lawyer or other help? 

Would you like to add a help desk to this list?

If you would like to add a help desk or if you find an error on this page, please email us at [email protected].

The Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project (ASAP) aims to provide factual information about current immigration laws. This information is not legal advice.

All legal content is written and legally reviewed by ASAP’s team of expert immigration lawyers. ASAP’s expert lawyers have decades of experience in immigration law and litigation. Collectively, they have won hundreds of cases. Our lawyers are admitted to the Bar in several U.S. states, hold law degrees from universities including Harvard, Yale, and UCLA, and have won multiple awards for their legal work.

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