Trump Weakens Immigrant Legal Defense With Changes to Historic Program

• Trump weakens immigrant defense
• Changes in immigration policy
• Legal access at risk

The administration of President Donald Trump has dismantled a key program that for more than six decades helped provide legal assistance to low-income immigrants in the United States, marking a major shift in immigrant legal aid program changes.

The measure affects the Recognition and Accreditation Program (R&A), an initiative of the Department of Justice that allowed non-lawyer workers to represent individuals in immigration proceedings.

According to EFE, the decision was revealed by CBS News and comes amid a broader tightening of immigration policies under the current administration.

Although its total elimination has not been officially announced, operational changes have left the program practically inactive, according to sources familiar with the matter.

The Recognition and Accreditation Program has more than 60 years of history

Through this system, employees of community organizations could receive formal accreditation to assist immigrants in most of their interactions with authorities.

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The goal was clear: to ensure that low-income individuals—even those experiencing homelessness—had support within a complex and highly technical system.

For decades, the program became an essential pathway for those unable to afford private immigration attorneys.

Changes to the Recognition and Accreditation Program that paralyze its operation

According to reported information, attorneys assigned to the program were recently transferred to immigration courts.

With that reassignment, only two administrative support staff members remain, and they do not have the authority to grant new accreditations.

In practice, this prevents new organizations or representatives from formally joining the system.

The result is a de facto freeze of the mechanism that allowed expansion of community-based legal assistance, reinforcing concerns about the immigrant legal aid program changes.

Thousands of accredited advocates

The program is part of the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR).

Under this structure, around 2,600 representatives from organizations such as Catholic Charities and Jewish Family Services had received official accreditation.

These advocates provided guidance to foreigners with pending cases before immigration authorities, particularly in vulnerable communities.

For many immigrants, these representatives were the only realistic option to navigate deportation proceedings, relief applications, or status adjustments.

“Trump administration dismantles program that helps low-income immigrants, according to CBS.” https://t.co/9PBXBdTtb3

— El Comercio (@elcomercio_peru) March 24, 2026

Un contexto de mayores restricciones

A context of increasing restrictions
A government official denied that the program has been abolished, noting that it was established through regulatory measures.

However, its operational weakening comes alongside other decisions that have made it more difficult for immigrants to move forward within the legal system.

Recent measures adopted by the administration have tightened procedures and reduced flexibility for those seeking to regularize their status.

The future of the program now remains uncertain, while thousands of low-income immigrants face an increasingly limited legal landscape amid ongoing immigrant legal aid program changes, as reported by EFE and CBS News.