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Original Date Announced
March 23, 2026CBS News reports that the Department of Justice (DOJ) "gutted" the 60-year-old Recognition and Accreditation program, a part of the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) that accredits non-attorneys who work for legal advocacy organizations to represent noncitizens petitioning for immigration benefits from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and in immigration court proceedings before EOIR. The program currently accredits more than 2,600 non-attorneys. CBS sources report that the attorneys who managed the program were abruptly reassigned to entry-level clerk positions in immigration courts, leaving only two support staff who are not authorized to approve or renew accreditation applications. EOIR later reassigned two employees to review pending applications.
A government official told CBS that the Recognition and Accreditation program "is a longstanding program established by regulation and will continue." The government has not publicly announced any changes to the program.
Trump 2.0 [ID #2235]
2026.03.23 Reported: DOJ guts office that helps indigent immigrants obtain affordable legal aid, sources say - CBSEffective Date
March 23, 2026Current Status
NoneOriginal Trump Policy Status
Status: ReportedTrump Administration Action: Change in PracticeSubject Matter: Hearings and Adjudications
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