Case Study: Organizing Pro Bono Legal Support for Afghan Refugees

Afghan Refugees in the UAE's Emirates Humanitarian City in 2022. Photo by Sayed Najafizada/NurPhoto via the Associated Press.

Background and Context

In August 2021, the rapid collapse of the Afghan government and the Taliban’s return to power precipitated a profound humanitarian and legal crisis. Thousands of Afghans who had worked with international forces, civil society, and Afghan institutions were left vulnerable, facing threats from the Taliban and uncertainty about resettlement options abroad. Many ended up in third countries or temporary camps, such as humanitarian processing sites in Abu Dhabi, without immediate pathways to permanent relocation. In response, the American Bar Association (ABA) launched the Afghanistan Response Project (ARP), a coordinated effort to leverage the legal profession’s expertise in support of displaced Afghans, both overseas and within the United States, led by DGS principal David Dettman, the ABA's coordinator of ARP at that time.

Problem: Legal Barriers Facing Afghan Evacuees

Afghan evacuees encountered multiple legal hurdles:

• Stuck in Third Countries: Large groups were housed in processing camps such as the Emirati humanitarian city in Abu Dhabi, with limited options for relocation.

• Complex Immigration Pathways: Even evacuees eligible for humanitarian parole or special visas faced complicated documentation and application processes.

• Asylum System Overload: Once in the U.S., many Afghan parolees needed timely legal assistance to prepare asylum applications within strict deadlines, in a system already backlogged.

  
  

These challenges underscored the necessity of legal expertise—not just humanitarian aid—to navigate immigration law and resettlement pathways effectively.

Strategy: Mobilizing the Legal Community

Establishing the Afghanistan Response Project

Dettman helped organize and operationalize the Afghanistan Response Project as an ABA-wide initiative that would serve as a clearinghouse for legal expertise and pro bono engagement. This included:

• Partnering with Bar Sections and Committees: Working with the ABA Commission on Immigration and other internal bodies to harness institutional capacity.

• Building Volunteer Networks: Recruiting individual attorneys, law firms, and bar associations to commit to pro bono representation for Afghan nationals.

Linking Pro Bono Attorneys with Evacuees Abroad

One key operational pillar was direct legal support to Afghans in camps outside the United States:

• UAE Field Trips: Dettman and ABA colleagues (e.g., other ARP leaders) traveled to Abu Dhabi to establish intake, screening, and referral processes for evacuees. They assessed individuals’ legal circumstances and matched them with pro bono counsel who could assist in applying for humanitarian parole or other U.S. entry mechanisms.

• Intake and Matching System: The team set up structured evaluation systems on site to pair refugees with attorneys prepared to work remotely or in coordination with local partners.

Dettman emphasized that this model extended the reach of legal assistance globally and created scalable mechanisms to continue supporting evacuees wherever they were.

Domestic Pro Bono Legal Support

For evacuees who reached the United States or resettlement partners:

• Pro Se + Asylum Projects: Coordinated with the Commission on Immigration and partners like HIAS to provide remote volunteer legal services to prepare asylum applications. Attorneys would coach clients on document preparation, affidavits, and interview readiness, expanding capacity through virtual support.

• Toolkit and Training: The ARP supported resources such as toolkits, webinars, and ongoing “office hours” to equip pro bono lawyers with guidance, especially for those new to asylum and humanitarian relief work.

Execution: Law Firm and Volunteer Engagement

Dettman’s efforts catalyzed action from across the legal profession:

• Law Firm Participation: Major U.S. law firms — including those recognized by the ABA for their refugee-focused pro bono work — joined ARP’s efforts, contributing hundreds of attorney hours to immigration and asylum cases.

• Volunteer Lawyers: Individual bar members across practice areas committed to remote assistance, asylum preparation work, or full representation where needed.

This broad-based engagement allowed the ABA to scale legal support beyond what dedicated staff alone could provide.

Results

Dettman and the ARP team achieved measurable impact:

• Evacuee Assistance: Pro bono attorneys connected with Afghan evacuees both abroad and in the U.S., assisting thousands in navigating immigration pathways to safety.

• Permanent Relocation: Many evacuee clients moved from temporary camps to long-term resettlement in the U.S. or other countries, with legal representation facilitating status adjustments or asylum processes.

• Enhanced Legal Capacity: The ARP built infrastructure; such as intake procedures, training resources, and partnerships; that enabled sustained pro bono engagement over months and years of ongoing need.

Critically, ARP positioned the legal profession not only as an advocate but as an operational partner in humanitarian response, ensuring refugees had access to meaningful legal counsel in a challenging global context.

Lessons Learned

• Networks Amplify Impact: Mobilizing pro bono attorneys across jurisdictions multiplied the project’s reach beyond what a single organization could accomplish.

• Integration of Field and Remote Work: Combining in-person intake with remote legal support allowed for flexibility and responsiveness in a dynamic crisis environment.

• Training and Toolkits Increase Participation: Providing standardized resources and ongoing mentorship lowered the barrier to entry for attorneys unfamiliar with immigration and asylum work.

Conclusion

Organizing pro bono attorneys through the ABA’s Afghanistan Response Project exemplifies how legal institutions can respond effectively to global displacement crises. By aligning institutional capacity, volunteer resources, and strategic partnerships, ARP helped bridge critical legal gaps for Afghan refugees seeking safety and legal status—turning pro bono legal service into a scalable and impactful humanitarian intervention.