- Opportunities to Support Our Community -
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Visit our new resources page for the latest updates and opportunities : Volunteer Now
Many of you have asked how you can help during this time. We've collaborated with our partners at civil legal aid organizations to gather a list of opportunities to support individuals with immigration-related claims.
We also encourage you to consider the many unmet needs in households affected by this surge. There is a big need for pro bono assistance in areas like family and housing law. Please consider contributing to those efforts as well. Your support makes a difference!
LAST UPDATED: February 5, 2026
Visit our new resources page for the latest updates and opportunities : Volunteer Now
Explore:
Pro Bono Opportunities
Educational Opportunities Related to Immigration
Legal Clinics Available to the Public
Tools and Public Resources
Organizations for Updates/Connections
Pro Bono Opportunities for Litigators Licensed in Federal Court:
The Minnesota Habeas Project is a collective of nonprofit legal service providers, law school clinics, and pro bono law firms that seeks to assist unlawfully detained immigrants by connecting them to pro bono lawyers who can file habeas petitions for them in federal court seeking their release from immigration detention.
Volunteer Request: Attorneys interested in being involved with the project should fill out this form to be added to:
- a list of volunteer attorneys who have either (a) federal court experience or (b) substantive immigration law experience and want to be take on individual immigration habeas cases with training/support; and/or
- a list of experienced immigration attorneys currently taking referrals for immigration habeas cases.
Email questions to the James H. Binger Center for New Americans at cnalaw@umn.edu.
Pro Bono Opportunities for Attorneys with Immigration Experience:
- LawHelpMN Immigration Factsheet Volunteer Opportunity Help ensure Minnesotans have clear, reliable immigration information by volunteering to review LawHelpMN plain language fact sheets. It’s a meaningful way to support your community when you have immigration practice experience, but don’t have capacity to take on full pro bono cases.
- Advocates for Human Rights: Volunteers who are interested in taking on a pro bono immigration case on behalf of refugees and asylees can get both the training and support they need from the Advocates for Human Rights. A list of cases that are available for placement are listed directly on their website along with the volunteer enrollment form.
- Volunteer Lawyers Network (VLN): VLN hosts a wide variety of opportunities to support the needs of our immigrant neighbors. Review their direct client and administrative support opportunities on their volunteer page which also contains a helpful Opportunities Chart that details the types of service available and approximate time commitment.
Pro Bono Opportunities for Attorneys with No Immigration Experience:
- Volunteer Lawyer Network (VLN): Join VLN’s Deportation Preparedness (DP) Volunteer Training Program to help individuals with civil legal issues surrounding their immigration status. Volunteers advise clients who may be at risk of deportation regarding what steps they may take to mitigate the collateral consequences to themselves and their families such as arranging for someone else to manage their financial affairs via a power-of-attorney or care for their children via a delegation of parental authority (DOPA). To sign up for DP work, volunteers should complete the volunteer registration and indicate interest in DP on that application. More information on DP Training:
- Time Commitment: 1-4 hours, depending on the case and whether an interpreter is needed
- Level of Service: advice and possibly brief services drafting power-of-attorney and delegation of parental authority (DOPA) forms.
- Experience required? None. Entry-level cases are also available.
- Mid Minnesota Legal Aid: Complete intake screenings and provide brief advice and services to individuals in ICE custody. Screenings can be provided both in-person and remotely for individuals at detention centers in Freeborn, Kandiyohi and Sherburne counties. Register here.
- LegalCORPS is receiving an influx of calls from minority owned businesses who are being subjected to audit and enforcement letters. They would appreciate support from attorneys willing to host webinars on preparing responses and drafting document retention policies.
- ProJusticeMN Create an account with ProJusticeMN to browse opportunities that are available through members of the Legal Services Immigration HUB and other civil legal aid partners.
Educational Opportunities Related to Immigration:
On Demand CLEs (These CLEs are now available on YouTube so they can be accessed without a fee):
Live CLEs:
Legal Clinics Available to the Public:
Helpful Tools and Public Resources:
Stay Connected: Sign up for email communications and follow on LinkedIn:
Volunteer Lawyers Network
Mid-Minneapolis Legal Aid
The Advocates for Human Rights
Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services
Immigrant Law Center Minnesota
International Institute of Minnesota
Thank you to the following members from our partner Civil Legal Aid organizations who helped put together this list of resources: Jenny Stohl Powell (Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota), Anna Beadle (Minnesota Justice Foundation), Muria Krueger (Volunteer Lawyer Network), Teresa Dykoschak (The Advocates for Human Rights), and J. Singleton (Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid.)
