Find Legal Assistance

Free and Low Cost Immigration Legal Service Providers

In need of immigration assistance? The organizations below can help, whether you are trying to get a visa, seeking asylum in this country, renewing DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals), applying for permanent residency under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) or applying to become a U.S. citizen, among other situations. Contact one of the organizations below to get the help you need for free, or at a low cost.

Organization	Address	Phone	Agency Information
San Mateo County Rapid Response Hotline		203-666-4472 203-NO-MIGRA	Call if immigration comes to your home, work, neighborhood or if there are ICE raids nearby, to receive immediate support.
Asian Pacific Islander Legal Outreach	1121 Mission St, San Francisco, CA 94103 310 8th St., Suite 305, Oakland, CA 94607	415-567-6255 510-251-2846	APILO assists immigrants in navigating the legal system by providing consultation, representation, and referrals for the following legal areas: Adjustment of Status, Asylum, DACA Renewal, Naturalization, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, T Visas and U Visas, VAWA Self Petitions, and Removal Defense.
Bay Area Legal Aid San Mateo County	1048 El Camino Real, Suite A, Redwood City, CA 94063	Telephone: 650-358-0745 Advice Line: 800-551-5554	Free legal assistance to low-income domestic violence survivors in San Mateo County in the areas of family law, immigration law, housing law, & economic justice law.
Catholic Charities Refugee & Immigrant Services	36 37th Avenue San Mateo, CA 94403	650-295-2160	Immigration attorneys & Board of Immigration Appeals Accredited Representatives help immigrants apply for citizenship, adjustment of status, Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) & U-visas, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, petitioning for family members, & DACA.
Coastside Hope	99 Avenue Alhambra, PO Box 1089 El Granada 90418	650-726-9071	The Board of Immigration Appeals Accredited Representative helps those seeking permanent residency & citizenship, including free citizenship prep classes.
Community Legal Services of East Palo Alto	1861 Bay Road East Palo Alto, CA 94303	650-326-6440	Immigration attorneys help residents with immigration processes including U-visa applications & Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) self-petitions, removal defense, community education, SIJS petitions, DACA applications, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, state or federal criminal background checks, & work permit renewals.
Immigration Institute of the Bay Area	600 Allerton Street, Suite 101, Redwood City, CA 94063	650-780-7530	Immigration attorneys & Board of Immigration Appeals Accredited Representatives assist with citizenship, DACA, family petitions, adjustment of status, removal of conditions, U-visas, VAWA, TPS, employment authorization, FOIA's, travel documents, replacement of permanent residence cards, & represent them throughout the application process.
La Raza Centro Legal	474 Valencia Street, Suite 295, San Francisco, CA 94103	415-575-3500	Legal consults, assistance with applying for immigration relief, residency, citizenship, DACA, asylum, deportation defense.
Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County	330 Twin Dolphin Drive, Suite 123, Redwood City, CA 94065	650-517-8936	Provides legal advice & counsel on civil matters to low income individuals, families & groups. Pro-bono immigration services & representation on immigration applications (VAWA, U-visa's, DACA, SIJS, etc).
Oasis Legal Services	1900 Addison St. Suite 100, Berkeley, CA 94704	510-666-6687	Legal assistance for LGBTQ+ immigrants, including assistance with asylum, residency, naturalization, VAWA, and family petitions.
Puente de la Costa Sur	620 North Street, Pescadero CA 94060 8865 La Honda Road, La Honda CA 94020	650-879-1691 650-747-0248	Support with immigration forms (some), housing applications forms, translations (some), navigation of services such as DMV, EDD, Court System, Notary Public, birth certificate corrections, etc.
Stanford Law School - Immigrants’ Rights Clinic	559 Nathan Abbott Way, Crown Quadrangle, Stanford, CA 94305	650-724-9068	Assist in adjustment of Status, Asylum applications, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), Deferred Action for Parents of Americans & Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA), Habeas Corpus, NACARA, Removal hearings, T visas, Temporary Protected Status (TPS), U visas, Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) petitions
Tahirih	881 Sneath Lane, Suite 115, San Bruno, CA 94066	650-270-2100	Services include screening, assessment, counsel & advice, &/or full- scale legal representation that includes gender-based asylum, violence Against Women’s Act Petitions, T Visas (for survivors of trafficking), U Visas, & Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (for abused, abandoned, or neglected children).

National Immigration Attorney Directories

In addition to the local, free and low cost immigration legal service providers listed above, there are national directories you can use to search for an attorney.

The Immigration Advocates Network National Immigration Legal Services Directory can help you find a nonprofit organizations that provide free or low-cost immigration legal services anywhere in the US.

The American Immigration Lawyers Association Immigration Lawyer Search can help you find a private immigration attorney anywhere in the US.

Know Your Rights Resources

These resources have been created by legal service organizations to provide helpful general information to immigrant communities.

Red Cards from the Immigrant Legal Resource Center - All people in the United States, regardless of immigration status, have certain rights and protections under the U.S. Constitution. The ILRC’s Red Cards help people assert their rights and defend themselves in many situations, such as when ICE agents go to a home. These are available in multiple languages.
ILRC Know Your Rights Toolkit - this includes red cards, multilingual Know Your Rights handouts, and more.
ILRC Immigration Preparedness Toolkit - The ILRC’s Immigration Preparedness Toolkit is a resource-packed informational document designed to help immigrants with no legal status or in mixed status families begin to understand the immigration legal landscape and plan for their own journey through an ever-changing, complex system in the United States. This is available in English and Spanish.
Keep Your Benefits California - this website offers guidance for immigrants about public benefits and public charge.
LIBRE - Linking Immigrants to Benefits, Resources, and Education - LIBRE has information and resources about immigrants' access to a range of benefits and resources.

USCIS Links

US Customs and Immigration Services (USCIS) is the main government agency that processes immigration applications in the United States. See below for links to USCIS resources:

Check Your Case Status - use this tool to track the status of an immigration application, petition, or request that you have already submitted.
Citizenship and Naturalization Information - this is a general overview of what citizenship and naturalization are.
Explore My Options - this tool shows immigration options that you might be eligible for. This does not guarantee you will be approved.
Multilingual Resource Center - search for USCIS resources by language, topic, and content.
Study for the Citizenship Test - this page provides information about the English test and Civics test that are part of the naturalization process.
Find a Civil Surgeon - USCIS designates certain doctors as civil surgeons. That means they are authorized to perform immigration medical examinations. Find a civil surgeon using this link.

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Detainee Locator

Use this page to locate a detainee who is currently in ICE custody or who has been in U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s custody for more than 48 hours.

Online Detainee Locator System cannot search for records of persons under the age of 18.

Access the ICE Detainee Locator

Noncitizen Registration Resources

On February 25th, 2025, the White House announced it would require some undocumented immigrants to register with the Department of Homeland Security.

The National Immigration Law Center has developed a Know Your Rights resource related to registration, available at this link.
Community members are encouraged to consult with a trusted legal services provider, who can advise them on their specific situation.

Expedited Removal Resources

Expedited removal is a process in which federal authorities quickly deport someone without seeing a judge. Previously, this process was used within 100 miles of the border. Now, this process is being used throughout the US, for undocumented individuals who cannot prove two years of presence.

Community members can gather and carry evidence of being in the U.S. for longer than two years, such as postmarked mail, signed leases, or school records.
You can learn more about expedited removal and how to prepare for possible encounters with immigration authorities from the National Immigration Law Center's Expedited Removal Expansion explainer.
The Immigrant Legal Resource Center has developed a Toolkit to Assist People Facing Expanded Expedited Removal.

Everyone in this country, regardless of immigration status, has the right to remain silent and not answer questions.

DACA Resources

On January 17, 2025, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals issued its latest decision in the ongoing DACA litigation. At this time, DACA recipients can continue renewing like they have in the past.

Current grants of DACA and related Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) remain valid until they expire.
USCIS will continue to accept and process DACA renewal requests and accompanying applications for employment authorization.
It is not yet clear if and when new initial DACA applications will be processed. Potential first-time applicants are encouraged to consult with a trusted legal services provider.
The Immigrant Legal Resource Center has created a DACA toolbox with more information here.
Immigrants Rising has developed a DACA resource sheet available here.
Find Your Ally offers free immigration legal services for community college students, staff, and faculty. Learn more here.
Path2Papers is a is a project that helps DACA recipients in the Bay Area to pursue work visas and other pathways to legal permanent residency. Consultations are free to DACA recipients and their employers.

Request a Consultation from Path2Papers.

Housing Legal Services

Immigrants have rights under the Fair Housing Act, regardless of their immigration status. A number of San Mateo County organizations can help if you are facing eviction or a rent increase, harassment or discrimination by a landlord or are living in an unhealthy or unsafe home. Find out what you can do to remain in your home - contact one of the organizations below to get the information and help you need for free, or at a low cost.

Employment Legal Services

If you were denied wages or work benefits you earned, sustained a workplace injury, need more information about family leave laws or are experiencing sex/gender discrimination or harassment at work, get guidance or counseling to help resolve your problem. Contact one of the organizations below to get the help you need for free, or at a low cost.

Other Legal Services

Depending on your legal need, one of these organization may be able to help you. If you are unsure where to begin, you can call the Office of Community Affairs for assistance.