We provide free legal services to Afghans who were granted humanitarian parole and resettled to Minnesota and North Dakota since October 2021.
Our goal is to provide all Afghans with accurate information about their legal pathways to permanent status in the United States and to connect individuals and families with legal services.
There is no simple path for everyone who was evacuated to stay in the United States. Most people will have some path to stay here permanently, but options are different depending on what you did or experienced in Afghanistan. It is important to talk with a lawyer about your legal options before filing any paperwork.
1. Legal consultations so individuals and families understand their legal pathways to permanent status in the United States.
2. Referrals to legal help with Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) cases, correction of work permits, and other cases.
3. Legal representation in asylum cases.
The Afghan Legal Clinic can help Afghans who were:
1. Granted humanitarian parole as part of the Operation Allies Welcome (OAW) or Operation Allies Rescue (OAR); and
2. Currently reside in either Minnesota or North Dakota.
If you are an Afghan who did not enter through OAW or OAR, click here for more information about legal help.
1. If you are an Afghan evacuee, please contact us directly on WhatsApp. Please include your full name and preferred language in your first message.
2. If you are a community sponsor, case manager, or are otherwise connected with an Afghan evacuee seeking more information, please send us an email at legalclinic@advrights.org.
Step 1: Intake
A staff member will respond to your WhatsApp message and schedule an intake appointment. We will ask questions to help us understand your current immigration status and legal options to stay in the United States.
Step 2: Consultation
After intake, we will schedule an appointment for you to speak with a lawyer. The lawyer will review your documents, answer your questions, and advise you about the legal options you have to stay in the United States.
Step 3: Referral and Placement
After your consultation, we will refer you to a lawyer who can help with your immigration case.
Organizations across the country provide legal help to Afghans. You can find help by entering your Zip Code at ImmigrationLawHelp.org
The Afghan Legal Clinic can only help people who entered on Humanitarian Parole through OAR or OAW.
If you entered on a student visa, tourist visa, without inspection, or if you were paroled into the United States at the U.S.-Mexico border, we may still be able to help.
We cannot help people who are outside the United States. We recommend contacting the local UNHCR office nearest you.
The International Refugee Assistance Project has additional resources about options.
