A young man and woman sit and wait patiently to fill out a Work Authorization application. They are wearing darkly colored jackets, the young man is wearing a baseball cap, the young woman has her hair in a ponytail, and the young man has his arm cradled along the back of the young woman's chair.A young man and woman sit and wait patiently to fill out a Work Authorization application. They are wearing darkly colored jackets, the young man is wearing a baseball cap, the young woman has her hair in a ponytail, and the young man has his arm cradled along the back of the young woman's chair.

Every year, thousands of people face detention and the threat of deportation in the Rio Grande Valley. ProBAR is here to help.

Celebrating 35 years of empowering immigrants and asylum-seekers!

¡Vamos a Probarlo!

A ProBAR team member wearing a white sweater, long black hair, and glasses assists a young man with filling out a Work Authorization form.A ProBAR team member wearing a white sweater, long black hair, and glasses assists a young man with filling out a Work Authorization form.

ProBAR: Work that Matters,
a Team that Inspires.
See why we live and work in the Rio Grande Valley.

A group of law students listens intently to a presenter while on a tour of the border fence in Brownsville, Texas. The fence stands tall behind them.A group of law students listens intently to a presenter while on a tour of the border fence in Brownsville, Texas. The fence stands tall behind them.

Do you want to bring your passion, skills, and experiences to an organization dedicated to empowering immigrants? Join our team!

Seeking Protection

orange-ornament
Photo of migrants sitting on hillside
Image by Michelle Frankfurter, 2011
home-ornament-1

For many migrants seeking safety and opportunity, South Texas is the first stop in their immigration journey.

Whether children, adults, or families, they have traveled to the United States from countries around the world as changing circumstances at home affect their security and stability. Many arrive at our border seeking protection from violence and persecution. They face tremendous obstacles to winning immigration relief. Access to legal information and representation give them a chance to gain safety and stability in the United States and begin contributing to our society in myriad ways.

Photo of Rio Grande River. During FY 2022, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) encountered 468,124 migrants in the Rio Grande Valley.
Photo of man in court in front of judge. Texas is ranked 39th in the country for representation of asylum seekers, with just 30.7% of asylum seekers represented in their cases.
Photo of two hands shaking. People who seek asylum in court win their cases 49% of the time, a rate 2.5 times higher than asylum seekers who are not represented in court.
Sources:
[1] U.S. Customs and Border Protection. (2022). U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Encounters Nationwide, Southwest Land Border, and Northern Land Border Encounters by Fiscal Year (FY) [Table]. In Nationwide Encounters. https://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/stats/nationwide-encounters
[2] TRAC, Syracuse University. (2022). Individuals in Immigration Court by Their Address Pending Cases With and Without Attorneys [Table]. https://trac.syr.edu/phptools/immigration/addressrep/
[3] TRAC, Syracuse University. (2022). Speeding Up the Asylum Process Leads to Mixed Results. Retrieved January 6, 2023, from https://trac.syr.edu/reports/703/
Photo of Rio Grande River. During FY 2022, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) encountered 468,124 migrants in the Rio Grande Valley.
Photo of man in court in front of judge. Texas is ranked 39th in the country for representation of asylum seekers, with just 30.7% of asylum seekers represented in their cases.
Photo of two hands shaking. People who seek asylum in court win their cases 49% of the time, a rate 2.5 times higher than asylum seekers who are not represented in court.
Sources:
[1] U.S. Customs and Border Protection. (2022). U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Encounters Nationwide, Southwest Land Border, and Northern Land Border Encounters by Fiscal Year (FY) [Table]. In Nationwide Encounters. https://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/stats/nationwide-encounters

[2] TRAC, Syracuse University. (2022). Individuals in Immigration Court by Their Address Pending Cases With and Without Attorneys [Table]. https://trac.syr.edu/phptools/immigration/addressrep/

[3] TRAC, Syracuse University. (2022). Speeding Up the Asylum Process Leads to Mixed Results. Retrieved January 6, 2023, from https://trac.syr.edu/reports/703/

What We Do

ProBAR graphic

ProBAR empowers immigrants in the Rio Grande Valley through high-quality legal information, representation, and connections to services. ProBAR provided legal services to more than 31,000 people during 2022.

What We Do

ProBAR graphic

ProBAR empowers immigrants in the Rio Grande Valley through high-quality legal information, representation, and connections to services. ProBAR provided legal services to more than 31,000 people during 2022.

What We Do

ProBAR graphic

ProBAR empowers immigrants in the Rio Grande Valley through high-quality legal information, representation, and connections to services. ProBAR provided legal services to more than 26,000 people during 2021.

Icon of fax

Inform

We provide information that empowers people to navigate the immigration system and make informed decisions about their cases.

Icon of person speaking at podium

Represent

We represent and assist immigrants to pursue their cases and present their claims against deportation under U.S. law.

Cartoon of three adults

Connect

We connect people with the legal and social services resources they need to pursue their immigration cases successfully.

Testimonials

News & Updates

  1. Photo of celebrants at ProBAR's Year of Service celebration

    Winter 2024 Bulletin

    We are pleased to release our Winter Bulletin covering ProBAR’s final quarter of 2024. Learn more about how we are navigating our
    immigration space on the border.

  2. The Gift of Pro Bono

    With 35 years of dedication to pro bono service, ProBAR is a place where legal experts and advocates can share their knowledge, time, and resources to accompany and empower children, adults and families at a critical moment in their migration journey at the border.

Get Involved

Donate to ProBAR

ProBAR’s work changes lives. Your generous gift helps adults, families, and children access the critical legal services they need to navigate the immigration system. Thank you for your support!

Do you want to use your passion, skills, and experiences to empower immigrants?

Learn more about opportunities with ProBAR’s team of committed advocates.

icon of five figures

2 out of 5 migrants detained at the border begin their immigration process in the Rio Grande Valley

icon of five figures
Photo of Rio Grande River
man in court in front of judge
icon of 80%
icon of 80%

80% of detained
immigrants face court alone

home-ornament-2
five times graphic

Immigrants are 5 times more likely to be granted relief with an attorney’s help

five times graphic
Photo of hands shaking as in a greeting
Aba Return to Top