ABA South Texas Pro Bono Asylum Representation Project (ProBAR)

The South Texas Pro Bono Asylum Representation Project (ProBAR) is a project of the American Bar Association that empowers immigrants through high-quality legal education, representation, and connections to services. Founded in 1989, ProBAR serves immigrants in the Rio Grande Valley, with a particular focus on the legal needs of adults and unaccompanied children in federal immigration custody. We also provide services to individuals subject to the Migrant Protection Protocols program in our region.

ProBAR seeks pro bono attorneys interested in providing representation to a client in removal proceedings, or who wish to represent a detained migrant in their request for release or appeal, should fill out the form below to express your interest.

All representation is currently remote, so no travel to the Rio Grande Valley is necessary at this time.

Questions about ProBAR's volunteer programs and opportunities may be directed to volunteer@abaprobar.org.

More Information

  • Area of law: Immigration & Naturalization
  • Populations Served: Asylum Seekers, Children, Communities of Color, Detained individuals, Immigrant youth and unaccompanied minors, Immigrants, Low Income
  • Opportunities For: Interpreters, Law Students, Lawyers, Mentors, Paralegals, Senior Lawyers
  • Need for non-English services: Spanish
  • Hours for Pro Bono Opportunities: Monday-Friday 9am-5pm
  • Malpractice insurance is provided for volunteers: Yes
  • Training Provided: Yes
  • Training Required: No
  • CLE credit for trainings: No
  • Training / Supervision Comments: ProBAR’s Pro Bono Program is designed to utilize the services of volunteers who are not experienced in immigration law, as well as those who are. Attorneys need not be licensed in the state of Texas to participate. Training and/or mentoring are available for many volunteer placements, whether provided by ProBAR staff or through a partnership with the Immigration Justice Campaign. When volunteers travel to the Rio Grande Valley, ProBAR's offices are designed to provide a volunteer attorney with a place to work, office equipment, and legal research materials.
  • CLE credit for pro bono: No
  • Mentoring or supervision offered: Yes
  • Volunteer lawyers need to meet a caseload or hours requirement: No
  • Types of projects in need of Pro Bono help: Client counseling (e.g., brief advice), Draft legal documents (e.g., briefs), Litigation: Trial/Direct Representation, Mentor volunteer lawyers or law students
  • Other Project Types: Training
  • Other Long Distance Opportunities: Volunteer attorneys outside of South Texas represent on appeal applicants denied asylum in the immigration courts, or assist persons applying for asylum in their own communities.
  • Volunteers may participate long-distance: Yes
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