Families United DC Metro

This website has DC-specific information about what to do if you encounter ICE, information about the immigration court system, and what to do if someone you know is detained. 

Website: https://familiesuniteddcmetro.org/immigration-guide/know-your-immigration-rights/ 

Consider carrying a Red Card

You may want to carry a Red Card with you. This explains your rights and says you do not want to speak and want to have a lawyer. You can hand this to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent if one tries to interview or arrest you.  

Download one here: https://www.ilrc.org/red-cards-tarjetas-rojas 

Volunteer Legal Advocates

This organization offers free walk-in community legal clinics in DC & Montgomery County, MD. They can offer free legal help for survivors of domestic violence, immigration cases, and children in unsafe situations, including protection orders, custody, child support, and divorce. They also provide safety planning assistance. 

Information on this FLYER or on their website: https://volunteerlegaladvocates.org/what-we-do/free-legal-clinics/ 

Phone number: 202-425-7573 (DC), 202-646-1700 (MD)

Ayuda 

Ayuda offers low-cost legal, social, and language services in DC, MD, and VA. They can help with immigration cases, asylum, naturalization, domestic violence protection orders, custody and divorce. They can also connect you with safety planning, emotional support and therapy, and local resource referral. 

Website: https://ayuda.com/legal-services-4/immigration-law/ 

Phone numbers: 

DC: 202-387-4848

MD: 240-594-0600

VA: 703-444-7009

Central American Resource Center (CARECEN)

CARECEN supports Latinos and immigrant families across the DC–Maryland–Virginia area. Core services include immigration legal assistance, housing counseling/tenant support, citizenship/civics education and naturalization preparation. 

Website: https://carecendc.org/immigration/ 

Phone number: 202-328-9799

Catholic Charities 

Offers legal consultation and services in DC and MD that can help with asylum, family-based applications, naturalization, special visas, and cases for unaccompanied children. They can also assist with landlord/tenant issues, family law, employment issues, public benefits, and guardianship. They can also help with housing, food, child care, job/employment resources, and healthcare. 

Website: here

Phone number: 240-858-0958 (Mondays 1-5p, Tuesdays/Thursdays 9a-1p, & Wednesdays 3-7p)

Just Neighbors

Offers legal consultation and services in DC, MD and VA. They can help with asylees and refugees, family reunification, special visas. 

Website: https://www.justneighbors.org/gethelp/ 

Phone number: 703-979-1240 (Tuesday-Friday, 9a-5p)

CASA

Legal consultation available in MD and VA to help with immigration issues, housing issues, employment problems. The also have various programs to help with finances and tax preparation, vocational training, citizenship programs, language programs, and youth programs. 

Website: https://wearecasa.org/legal-services/ 

DC Affordable Law Firm (DCALF)

This organization can help with asylum cases, applications for residency/citizenship, work authorization, and special immigrant juvenile status. Visit their website: https://a2jtechstore.gavel.io/run/playground110/DCALF-Intake/#/1 

Phone number: 202-844-5430

Health Insurance Options 

Apply for Medicaid (government-funded health insurance)

DC Medicaid provides health care coverage to adults, children and families who have a low income or a disability. To be eligible, you must be a resident of D.C. and meet certain eligibility requirements. 

Apply online at DCHealthLink.com or call 1-855-532-5465. 

If you live in Washington DC, children and some adults can qualify for health insurance (called DC Health Alliance) regardless of immigration status. 

See eligibility requirements here: https://dhcf.dc.gov/service/health-care-alliance 

Apply here: https://districtdirect.dc.gov/ua/ 

Medical Care without Health Insurance

You can be seen in the Emergency Department of any hospital without health insurance for urgent needs. 

For less urgent needs, you can find health care without health insurance in the following places: 

Unity Health Care Centers: multiple locations in DC

For children and adults. Services include medical care, dental, behavioral health, and pharmacy. 

https://www.unityhealthcare.org/locations

Mary's Centers: multiple locations in DC & MD

For children and adults. Services include medical care, dental, behavioral health, and specialists (Ob-Gyn). 

https://www.maryscenter.org/contact-and-locations/contact/ 

Bread for the City: 2 locations in Northwest and Southeast DC 

For children and adults. Services include medical care, dental, vision. 

https://breadforthecity.org/health-care/

Family and Medical Counseling Services: 2 locations in Southeast DC and Prince George's County, MD 

For children and adults. Services include medical care and behavioral health services. 

https://www.fmcsinc.org/primary-medical-care-services/ 

Community Clinic Inc (CCI): multiple locations in Montgomery and Prince George's County MD

For children and adults. Services include medical care, women's health, behavioral health, dental, labs and pharmacy. 

https://cciweb.org/contact-us/ 

So Others May Eat (SOME):  located in Northwest Washington, DC

Adults only. Services include medical care, behavioral health, substance abuse recovery, dental services, eye clinic, foot clinic. 

https://some.org/services/healthcare/medical-services/ 

Catholic Charities: in DC

Adults only. Services include dental care, medical specialists (Neurology, Ophthalmology, Orthopedics), and behavioral health. 

https://www.catholiccharitiesdc.org/get-help/health-care-mental-health-services/ 

Arlington Free Clinic: in Arlington, VA 

For adults only. Offers medical care, dental services, pharmacy, women's health, behavioral health, and subspecialist medical care 

https://arlingtonfreeclinic.org/for-patients/