Ayuda

Ayuda offers domestic violence and family law legal services in a culturally sensitive environment to low-income immigrant victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and/or stalking. The vast majority of domestic violence survivors represent themselves when seeking protective orders and this is especially true for low-income Limited English Proficient individuals.

Ayuda’s attorneys provide direct representation, education about legal rights, and advocacy so immigrant survivors can navigate their options, obtain protective orders, seek divorce from abusive partners, and secure custody of their children. Through Ayuda’s family law services, survivors can rebuild their lives and raise their children in loving, safe homes.

Ayuda provides culturally-specific social services for immigrant victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and/or human trafficking, as well as neglected children and youth. Designed to holistically address short-term and long-term needs, Ayuda’s multidisciplinary social services team empowers survivors and their families to achieve their unique goals.

Ayuda provides safety planning, crisis intervention, case management, emotional support, trauma-informed individual therapy and mental health services, and support groups so survivors can achieve safety and self-sufficiency.

Ayuda advocates for and connect clients to vital services such as emergency and transitional shelter, food, clothing, or medical care. Clients can also receive emergency financial assistance, baby supplies through our partnership with the Greater DC Diaper Bank, and food for families who are facing food insecurity.

Ayuda ensures that all of our neighbors can get assistance when they need it, regardless of the languages they use to communicate. Immigrants and deaf individuals can experience confusion and profound isolation due to language barriers. Without adequate communication, basic services are beyond reach.

Ayuda provides free in-person interpretation, telephonic interpretation, and document translations for thousands of limited English proficient or deaf clients who need support to communicate with a public interest lawyer or a victim services provider.

Staff also train interpreters, lawyers, and advocates on effective interpretation and translation services.

Project END is a direct legal services project aimed at remedying the harm caused by immigration legal services fraud. Project END provides advice, counsel, and representation to victims of fraud in civil, criminal, and immigration proceedings.

A notario, notario público, “case-writer,” or immigration consultant in the U.S. is not an attorney nor an accredited representative of the Department of Justice in the U.S., and consequently, is not licensed to provide immigration legal advice or legal services.

Unscrupulous actors routinely prey on immigrants because of linguistic, cultural, and financial obstacles that can render many particularly vulnerable to such fraud. This fraud can have devastating consequences for its victims, including financial loss, damage to a legal case, deportation, and permanent family separation.

Ayuda’s pro bono program leverage the power and resources of volunteer attorneys, willing to give their time and counsel to immigrant neighbors in need of services now more than ever, along with the expertise and commitment of Ayuda’s expert immigration attorneys and staff who serve as mentors to the volunteers and manage the clinics.


Ayuda works with pro bono attorneys to provide consultations to clients through limited scope, brief advice clinics. In addition, Ayuda works with pro bono partners to provide long-term representation to clients in immigration matters through Ayuda’s pro bono pipeline.

Ayuda relies on pro bono support for our free immigration consultation clinics, which are currently being conducted remotely due to the public health crisis.

In 2021, Ayuda held 8 remote consultation clinics, which supported more than 433 individuals.