29 organizations
How immigrant and refugee services work in Atlanta
First, the warning that saves people: "notarios" are not lawyers. In the U.S., only attorneys and DOJ-accredited representatives can give immigration legal advice — bad advice can cost you your case. Atlanta's trustworthy free and low-cost doors include the Latin American Association, Catholic Charities Atlanta, and New American Pathways; for refugees, resettlement agencies handle the first months and remain a resource after.
Beyond legal status, these same organizations run the practical everyday help — English classes, job placement, school enrollment for kids, family services — and you don't need papers to walk in. Public schools must enroll children regardless of status, and clinics in this directory see patients without asking.
What to expect when you call: an intake in your language (ask — interpreters are normal, not a favor), questions about your situation and deadlines, and often a consultation appointment. Bring every document you have, even the confusing ones — especially the confusing ones.
Refugee Family Assistance Program (RFAP) is a Stone Mountain nonprofit, started by refugee women, that helps refugee and immigrant families settle and thrive in metro Atlanta. They focus on supporting families who have a child or relative with a disability, and they also run programs for refugee women, elders, and people who want to learn how to buy a home. Help includes case management, school and disability advocacy, interpretation, and free housing counseling.
8 services
Friends of Refugees is a Clarkston nonprofit (founded 1995) that helps refugees and immigrants build new lives after government resettlement help ends. They offer English and literacy classes, job and small-business training, healthy-food and gardening programs, and maternal health support. Their Embrace Refugee Birth program gives pregnant women free childbirth classes, doula support during labor and after birth, breastfeeding help, and help navigating doctors and hospitals.
4 services
U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI) has an Atlanta office that helps refugees and immigrants with their legal paperwork. Their lawyers handle things like asylum, green cards, work permits, family petitions, and becoming a U.S. citizen, often at low cost. They also help refugees who have recently arrived get settled and get the documents they need.
4 services
