Free Immigration Legal Help in Ohio
17 nonprofits recognized by the U.S. Justice Department to give immigration legal help have 21 offices in Ohio, with the most in Columbus, Cleveland and Akron. 5 organizations are on the Justice Department’s list of free help for the Cleveland 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.
Akron
Catholic Charities Corp., Diocese of Cleveland
Akron Extension Office
Blessed Trinity Parish300 East Tallmadge AvenueAkron, OH 44310International Institute of Akron
Principal Office
530 S. Main Street, Suite 1762Akron, OH 44311
Archbold
Logistic Assistance for Migrant People
Principal Office
300 Short Buehrer RoadArchbold, OH 43502
Beavercreek
Immigrant Connection - Dayton
Principal Office
350 N Fairfield RdBeavercreek, OH 45430
Cincinnati
Catholic Charities of Southwestern Ohio
Principal Office
7162 Reading Road, Suite 600-700Cincinnati, OH 45237Immigrant and Refugee Law Center
Principal Office
3724 St. Lawrence AvenueCincinnati, OH 45205
Cleveland
Catholic Charities Corp., Diocese of Cleveland
Principal Office
7800 Detroit AvenueCleveland, OH 44102IMAGO Immigration Legal Services dba Building Hope in the City
Principal Office
15135 Triskett RoadCleveland, OH 44111U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants
USCRI Cleveland Extension Office
3167 Fulton Road, Suite 106Cleveland, OH 44109
Columbus
AO: Advocating Opportunity, Inc.
Principal Office
92 Jefferson Ave.Columbus, OH 43215Catholic Social Services
Principal Office
409 Industry DriveColumbus, OH 43204Immigrant Connection at La Gran Comision Wesleyan Church
Principal Office
536 Norton RoadColumbus, OH 43228US Together, Inc.
Principal Office
1415 E. Dublin-Granville Road, Suite 100Columbus, OH 43229
Dayton
Advocates for Basic Legal Equality, Inc.
Dayton Extension Office
130 West Second Street, Suite 700 EastDayton, OH 45402
Fostoria
Cristo Rey Center
Principal Office
339 Sandusky StreetFostoria, OH 44830
Freont
Cristo Rey Center
Fremont Extension Office
105 North Stone StreetFreont, OH 43420
New Franklin
International Welcome Center
Principal Office
5781 Manchester RoadNew Franklin, OH 44319
Painesville
Catholic Charities Corp., Diocese of Cleveland
Painesville Extension Office
8 North State, Suite 455Painesville, OH 44077
Toledo
Advocates for Basic Legal Equality, Inc.
Principal Office
525 Jefferson Avenue, Suite 300Toledo, OH 43604Social Services for the Arab Community (SSFAC)
Principal Office
2900 Carskaddon AvenueToledo, OH 43606
Westlake
Protecting Civil Rights, Inc.
Principal Office
29313 Clemens Rd, Suite 2KWestlake, OH 44145
Free help if you are in immigration court
These organizations are on the Justice Department's pro bono list for courts in Ohio. 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.
Cleveland Catholic Charities - Immigration Legal Services
Non-profit · Listed for Cleveland Immigration Court
7800 Detroit AvenueCleveland, OH 44102(330) 939-3769immigration@ccdocle.orgwww.ccdocle.org/programs/immigration-legal-services
- Must live in one of the following counties: Ashland, Ashtabula, Columbiana, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, Mahoning, Medina, Portage, Trumbull, Stark, Summit, or Wayne
- Debe vivir en uno de los siguientes condados: Ashland, Ashtabula, Columbiana, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, Mahoning, Medina, Portage, Trumbull, Stark, Summit, or Wayne
- No cases involving complex criminal histories
- No hay casos que involucren antecendentes penales complejos
The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland
Non-profit · Listed for Cleveland Immigration Court, Cleveland Immigration Court Juvenile Docket
1223 West Sixth StreetCleveland, OH 44113- We serve individuals with low income who reside in Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, or Lorain counties
- Languages: Any
International Institute of Akron
Non-profit · Listed for Cleveland Immigration Court, Cleveland Immigration Court Juvenile Docket
530 S. Main Street, Suite 1762Akron, OH 44311(330) 376-5106info@iiakron.orgwww.iiakron.org
- Family-based and humanitarian-based immigration legal services
- Representation limited to the Cleveland Immigration Court
- Our office handles Asylum, Adjustment of Status, Cancellation of Removal for LPR and non-LPR, waivers, motions, and other applications for relief
- Please call or email our office to schedule an appointment
- Languages: Any
Advocates for Basic Legal Equality (ABLE)
Non-profit · Listed for Cleveland Immigration Court, Cleveland Immigration Court Juvenile Docket
525 Jefferson AvenueToledo, OH 43604(419) 930-2555 / (937) 535-4489immigration@ablelaw.orgwww.immigration.ablelaw.org
- Contact via email or call listed numbers. If no answer, leave voicemail and callback number
- Intake hours by phone M-F, 9AM-5PM
- No walk-ins
- Staff speak Spanish and English, interpretation for other languages available
- Representation limited to people under 200% of federal poverty level
- Representation limited by geography, see website for details
- Accepting detained cases for people in Seneca County Jail, Butler County Jail, or the Corrections Center of Northwest Ohio
- Accepting custody and bond cases
ABA Commission on Immigration Detention Information Hotline
Referral service · Listed for Cleveland 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
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 Ohio?
17 nonprofits recognized by the U.S. Justice Department to give immigration legal help have 21 offices in Ohio, with the most in Columbus, Cleveland and Akron. 5 organizations are on the Justice Department’s list of free help for the Cleveland 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 Ohio 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
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- 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.
