Free Immigration Legal Help in Louisiana
6 nonprofits recognized by the U.S. Justice Department to give immigration legal help have 7 offices in Louisiana, with the most in New Orleans, Metairie and Baton Rouge. 5 organizations are on the Justice Department’s list of free help for the LaSalle Immigration Court, New Orleans Immigration Court and Oakdale Immigration Court.
From the Justice Department's recognized organizations roster (updated October 25, 2026) and its pro bono list (October 2026 edition). The sources are listed at the end of this page.
Nonprofits recognized by the Justice Department
Each can give immigration legal help through accredited representatives, and some also have staff attorneys. They help with applications to USCIS, and some also represent people in immigration court.
Baton Rouge
Louisiana Organization for Refugees and Immigrants (LORI)
Principal Office
1120 Government Street, Suite EBaton Rouge, LA 70802
Metairie
Catholic Charities Archdiocese of New Orleans
Principal Office
2505 Maine AveMetairie, LA 70003Catholic Charities Archdiocese of New Orleans
S. I-10 Service Road West Extension Office
4200 S. I-10 Service Road WestSuite 110Metairie, LA 70001
New Orleans
First Grace Community Alliance
Principal Office
3401 Canal StreetNew Orleans, LA 70119Home is Here NOLA
Principal Office
1610 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd, Suite ANew Orleans, LA 70113Immigration Services and Legal Advocacy (ISLA)
Principal Office
3801 Canal Street, Suite 210New Orleans, LA 70119
Slidell
Promises for a Future Tomorrow
Principal Office
2001 Heather LaneSlidell, LA 70461
Free help if you are in immigration court
These organizations are on the Justice Department's pro bono list for courts in Louisiana. They have committed to free legal help at the court they are listed for, and many focus on deportation defense and on people in detention. Their own notes are below each one.
ABA Commission on Immigration Detention Information Hotline
Referral service · Listed for LaSalle Immigration Court, Oakdale Immigration Court
1050 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Unit 400Washington, DC 20036immcenter@americanbar.orgwww.americanbar.org/groups/public_interest/immigration/
- Pro se case assistance for detained respondents only
- Respondents detained at Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or Bureau of Prisons (BOP) facilities should contact our speed dial at 2150#
- To contact on behalf of an individual detained by ICE or BOP, email immcenter@americanbar.org
- Respondents detained at Department of Defense (DOD) military facilities (including Guantanamo) should contact our toll-free hotline at 1 (855) 641-6081
Immigration Justice Campaign
Referral service · Listed for LaSalle Immigration Court
ISLA: Immigration Services and Legal Advocacy
Non-profit · Listed for LaSalle Immigration Court, Oakdale Immigration Court
3801 Canal Street, Suite 210New Orleans, LA 70119(504) 265-0416admin@islaimmigration.org
- No walk-ins
- Please call for an appointment
Advocates for Immigrant Rights
Non-profit · Listed for LaSalle Immigration Court, Oakdale Immigration Court
815 N. McLean Blvd., Third FloorMemphis, TN 38107(901) 729-9560advocates@airlegal.orgwww.airlegal.org
- For calls from detention, dial: (901) 206-4440
Loyola University New Orleans College of Law, Stuart H. Smith Law Clinic
Non-profit · Listed for New Orleans Immigration Court
7214 St. Charles Avenue, Box 902New Orleans, LA 70118(504) 861-5590hkusuda@loyno.eduwww.law.loyno.edu/centers/stuart-h-smith-law-clinic
- All matters including asylum, withholding of removal, and relief under UN Convention Against Torture
- Appearance/representation limited to academic semester
Before you call
- Say what you need help with: the form (for example I-485, I-130, N-400 or a DACA renewal) and any notice you got from USCIS or the court.
- Ask whether they take that kind of case, and whether there is a waiting list.
- Ask about fees. Ask whether they can waive or reduce them if you cannot pay.
- Ask who will work on your case: an attorney or an accredited representative.
- Ask whether someone speaks your language, or whether they use an interpreter.
- Have your receipt number, A-Number and notices nearby.
- Free help often has waiting lists, so contact more than one organization.
Only lawyers and accredited representatives can advise you
In the U.S., a notary public or "notario" is not a lawyer and cannot give immigration legal advice, even though a notario is a lawyer in some other countries. USCIS lists who can: attorneys in good standing with a U.S. state bar, and accredited representatives who work for an organization the Justice Department recognizes.
You can check an attorney on the state bar's website, and an accredited representative on the Justice Department's roster. EOIR also publishes a list of disciplined practitioners.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I get free immigration legal help in Louisiana?
6 nonprofits recognized by the U.S. Justice Department to give immigration legal help have 7 offices in Louisiana, with the most in New Orleans, Metairie and Baton Rouge. 5 organizations are on the Justice Department’s list of free help for the LaSalle Immigration Court, New Orleans Immigration Court and Oakdale Immigration Court. Recognized organizations serve mainly people with low incomes, and those that charge fees must have a policy for clients who cannot pay.
Are these Louisiana organizations free?
Not always. Some recognized organizations charge low fees, and each one that charges must have a written policy for people who cannot pay. Providers on the pro bono list give free help to people in immigration court. Ask about fees when you call.
Can they help with my green card or citizenship application?
Recognized organizations can help with applications to USCIS, such as family-based green cards, DACA renewals and naturalization. The roster does not say which cases each office takes, so ask. Representatives marked “DHS only” on the roster can help with USCIS but cannot represent you in immigration court.
Does MyCheck recommend any of them?
No. Every organization here comes from a public Justice Department list. MyCheck does not rank or vet them, and none pays to be listed.
Legal help in other states
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
- Puerto Rico
Sources
MyCheck is not a law firm and does not give legal advice. The organizations on this page come from public U.S. Justice Department lists. MyCheck does not endorse or recommend any of them, and no one pays to be listed. Hours, fees and services change, so call before you go. To report a mistake on this page, email info@sfdify.com.
