The U.S. The Department of Justice has recently made internal changes and gutted the longstanding six-decade federal program, the Recognition and Accreditation Program (R&A), which was designed to expand access by providing services to low-income immigrants and ensuring that affordable representation is available.
Established more than 60 years ago, the Recognition and Accreditation Program, administered by the DOJ's Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), authorized non-attorneys working with various nonprofit and volunteer organizations to aid immigrants with assistance on processes with legal services, representation in immigration proceedings, and naturalization.
Unlike the U.S. criminal justice system, the immigration courts across the country do not thoroughly guarantee government-appointed counsel, including officials or attorneys, for those who cannot afford proper legal representation. Consequently, many immigrants are faced with a complex system without official formal help. In particular, low-income immigrants or those with very limited English proficiency are especially impacted.
The R&A was designed to aid in this gap by allowing for properly trained representatives affiliated with recognized organizations to assist in immigration matters with individuals in need of help. For example, these representatives assisted in applications for permanent residency in the United States, asylum, naturalization, and further humanitarian aid.
Based on data cited in reporting by CBS News, the program currently accredits over 2,600 non-attorney representatives across 900 organizations across the nation. Within these representatives, there are two programs present, consisting of those with partial accreditation and those with full accreditation. Representatives with partial accreditation may assist clients through agencies like the Department of Homeland Security, and the latter are authorized to present individuals before immigration courts supervised by the EOIR.
Various nonprofit organizations have relied on the R&A to expand their capacity, including the National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC), which reported that it had employed 10 accredited representatives.
According to CBS News reporting by journalist Sarah N. Lynch, the DOJ had recently reassigned multiple senior attorneys responsible for overseeing and administering the R&A. These attorneys had been assigned multiple duties, such as reviewing applications for accreditation and renewing already existing credentials. Direct sources reported to CBS News that the reassignments left a small number of supporting staff who did not have the legal authority to approve or renew applications.
Eventually, additional staff members were assigned for assistance, but despite this, the rapid shift raised alarming concerns about the program's operational capacity.
In addition, multiple legal service organizations and nonprofit groups have expressed concern over the removal and reassignment of experienced staff, which may disrupt the ability of the program to function properly.
Anna Gallagher, an executive director of Catholic Legal Immigration Network Inc. (CLINIC), reported to CBS News that the developments are extremely "alarming", further highlighting the program's role in mitigating constraints on the already strained system.
"Lawyers can't cover the need," Gallagher said. "Any attempt to slow down the program is just going to gum up a stressed and already broken system."
Furthermore, NIJC Executive Director Mary Meg McCarthy highlighted the role of accredited representatives in vulnerable populations.
"They represent children, domestic violence survivors, asylum seekers, people jailed and disappeared by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and many others."
Similarly, Shayna Kessler of the Vera Institute of Justice emphasized the importance and connection between legal representation and due process.
"We need investments in due process. The administration must reverse course and restore staff to this agency."
Nicole Melaku, an executive director of the National Partnership for New Americans, described the program as extremely impactful and "instrumental in filling the gap" of legal services. She emphasized that the changes could have "devastating consequences" for both the immigrant communities and the organizations assisting.
These developments come at a time when the U.S. immigration court system continues to face significant resource constraints.
The federal immigration policy has undergone a multitude of changes in recent years, which have made it even more difficult for immigrants to actively navigate the legal system.
In the fall of 2025, the Justice Department's Board of Immigration Appeals ordered that those who unlawfully crossed the border without proper inspection should be held without bond. This, in turn, has exhausted government resources, and immigrants seeking release from detention have flooded the courts with petitions.
In addition, in the prior year, the Justice Department had removed the head of the Office of Legal Access Programs in addition to constraining a large proportion of its legal services. This actively deprived many vulnerable immigrants of the proper guidance through the legal system.
While the DOJ has subtly indicated that the Recognition and Accreditation Program will continue, the active long-term effects of staffing changes remain uncertain. Concerns regarding how disruptions and delays in the availability of accredited representatives will affect various indigent immigrants in need nationwide remain evident. Furthermore, many nonprofit organizations will continue to work under their existing structures to continue helping those in need while monitoring the developments of the DOJ.
Works Cited
- "Advocates for Due Process Alarmed by Reported Gutting of Immigration...." Vera Institute of Justice, 2026, www.vera.org/newsroom/advocates-for-due-process-alarmed-by-reported-gutting-of-immigration-legal-assistance-program. Accessed 10 Apr. 2026.
- Justice, Immigrant. "NIJC Condemns Trump Administration's Gutting of the DOJ Accredited Representative Program for Immigrants - National Immigrant Justice Center." National Immigrant Justice Center, Apr. 2026, immigrantjustice.org/press-release/nijc-condemns-trump-administrations-gutting-of-the-doj-accredited-representative-program-for-immigrants/. Accessed 10 Apr. 2026.
- Lynch, Sarah N. "DOJ Guts Office That Helps Indigent Immigrants Obtain Affordable Legal Aid, Sources Say." Cbsnews.com, 23 Mar. 2026, www.cbsnews.com/news/justice-dept-guts-office-helping-indigent-immigrants-affordable-legal-aid/. Accessed 10 Apr. 2026.