ABA Serves Detained Migrant Children and Adults
Discover how the ABA empowers migrants with the legal knowledge needed to make informed decisions throughout the immigration process. Take a stand with the ABA for migrant children and families.
South Texas Pro Bono Asylum Representation Project (ProBAR)
The South Texas Pro Bono Asylum Representation Project (ProBAR) empowers immigrants through high-quality legal education, representation, and connections to services. ProBAR serves immigrants in the Rio Grande Valley border region with a particular focus on the legal needs of adults and unaccompanied children in federal custody.
About ProBAR
30 Years of Pursuing Justice, Changing Lives
The South Texas Pro Bono Asylum Representation Project (ProBAR) is a project of the American Bar Association that provides legal information, pro se assistance and pro bono representation to thousands of immigrants and asylum-seekers in remote South Texas each year. Founded in 1989 in response to the overwhelming need for pro bono legal representation of Central American asylum-seekers detained in South Texas, ProBAR has a long history of providing critical legal services to people at risk of deportation.
Learn - MoreDonate to ProBAR
Your donations to ProBAR provide invaluable support to our services for immigrants and asylum-seekers, helping them to access the information and legal assistance they need to navigate the immigration system. Thank you in advance for your generosity!
ProBAR is hiring!
Do you want to use your law degree to make a difference? Do you want to bring your passion, skills, and experiences to an organization dedicated to empowering immigrants? ProBAR is accepting applications for entry-level and supervising attorneys, as well as paralegals, legal assistants, and unaccompanied children legal services specialists, among other roles. Meet our team and learn what ProBAR offers!
Apply - TodayWho We Serve
Every year, thousands of people are detained by the Department of Homeland Security in South Texas. The children primarily come from Central America, while the adults come from many different countries around the world. Many of them travel to the United States seeking protection from violence and persecution in their home countries. Having language barriers, little understanding of U.S. law and court procedures, and limited financial resources, they face tremendous obstacles to winning immigration relief.
What We Do
Inform
We provide information that empowers people to navigate the immigration system and make informed decisions about their cases.
Represent
We represent and assist immigrants to pursue their cases and present their strongest claims against deportation under U.S. law.
Connect
We connect families with the legal and social services resources they need to pursue their immigration cases successfully.
ProBAR Releases Blueprint for the Integration of Social Work within Immigration Legal Services
In 2018, recognizing the need for holistic immigration advocacy, ProBAR integrated social workers into its trauma-informed approach to client services. Today, ProBAR seeks to offer guidance for immigration legal advocacy organizations considering integration of social workers to their practice through its Blueprint for the Integration of Social Work within Immigration Legal Services. This Blueprint is a practical tool for assessing organizational needs, examining practice structure, and planning for the successful integration of social work into legal practice.
Read - HereInternship Opportunities
Thank you for your interest! Interviews for ProBAR's Summer 2023 Internships are underway. More information about the opportunities and application instructions can be found on our Internships page.
Volunteer opportunities
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 [email protected].
Attorney - InterestVolunteer Translators
Volunteer translators and interpreters are also needed! If you have interest in participating in our Remote Translation Project, reach out via this form.
ProBAR Updates
News articles that mention the work of ProBAR.
Contact Us
Contact the ABA South Texas Pro Bono Asylum Representation Project in Harlingen, Texas.