Attorney
Three paths, all legitimate. We show all of them — which one fits is decided by you and the people who know the case.
Updated July 28, 2026
There is no court-appointed attorney
In immigration proceedings the government does not provide an attorney. Free help exists, but with waiting lists, and not everyone is taken.
Release is now most often won through federal court — the habeas corpus petition. Only a lawyer can prepare and file it, which makes the attorney not one of the options but the central figure of the case.
Path 1 · Free
- The free-help list from EOIR — the service that runs the immigration courts
- The legal orientation program inside the facility itself
- Local nonprofit organizations — call several at once, there are queues everywhere
- Ask whether they take detained cases and whether they work with this facility
The consulate of one’s country must be notified of a citizen’s detention; the help can be substantial, but proof of kinship will be required. For Russian speakers this channel barely works in the US.
Path 2 · Accredited representative
Not an attorney, but represents legally
DOJ accredited representatives are authorized to handle cases in immigration court. Often free or low cost. The most underrated path.
They are checked against the official roster — the link is on the verification page.
Path 3 · Paid
- Before paying — the three-registry check, three minutes
- A written agreement is a must: what is included, what is not, how the price is calculated
- Ask about the retainer and the minimum billing unit — conversations with the family are billed too
If the detained person has children
An ICE directive (11064.4, July 2025) requires parental rights to be considered: participation in family court, contact with the children, arranging care before any transfer or removal.
It is weaker than the previous one but still in force — ask the attorney to invoke it if the person has minor children.
You can search by language
The practice is federal
An attorney licensed in any state can handle an immigration case in any state — entering the case is done with form EOIR-28.
So you can search by language rather than by office location. The AILA directory has a language filter.
Information updated July 28, 2026. Rules change — check the date.
We are not attorneys and we do not give legal advice. This page has facts and links to official sources only.