NIJC NFP

NIJC is a national organization headquartered in Chicago, IL, with a Washington, DC team and offices in Goshen and Indianapolis, IN, and San Diego, CA. NIJC provides legal services to low-income noncitizens who are generally at or below 200 percent of the poverty line, including unaccompanied immigrant children, refugees, asylum seekers, immigrant families at risk of separation, survivors of torture and human trafficking, LGBTQ individuals, detained immigrants, and individuals with mental and physical health conditions. NIJC's legal services include providing legal information, conducting comprehensive legal screenings, representing noncitizens in their legal cases, seeking legal status and employment authorization. NIJC operates an immigration court help desk, which provides a critical resource to unrepresented immigrants in removal proceedings. Building on its direct service work, NIJC pursues legal reform to protect access to justice and the due process rights of immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers. NIJC strategically litigates in the courts laws and practices that violate the human rights of noncitizens. NIJC also educates key stakeholders and the public on immigration policies and practices through policy analysis, report writing, and educating policymakers and the public. NIJC's goal is to promote access to justice, advance human rights, and preserve family and community integrity. Accomplishments: NIJC staff have extensive legal expertise and achieve high rates of success. NIJC collaborates with a wide group of partners, including universities, community organizations, social service providers, schools, and grassroots organizations, and leverages a network of approximately 2,400 pro bono partners to provide legal services to more than 11,000 immigrants annually. Given NIJC's legal expertise, NIJC trains legal aid organizations and pro bono attorneys. Through the immigration court helpdesk, NIJC identifies and responds to emergencies, explains legal options that help immigrants make informed decisions. Last year, nearly 1,400 individuals were granted relief, and more than 1,000 individuals were granted employment authorization. NIJC maintained a success rate of approximately 98% in cases adjudicated. With legal status and/or work authorizations, these individuals can provide for their families and are on the path towards stability and safety. NIJC regularly presents to the community, schools, social service organizations, and domestic violence groups. NIJC has developed Know Your Rights materials and other FAQs and factsheets. These are particularly important as immigration law frequently changes. NIJC, along with its partners, challenges court decisions, policies and practices that violate the due process and human rights of immigrants. NIJC's litigation team often wins relief for its clients and secures changes in the law and/or secures settlements for the plaintiffs. NIJC educates the public and policymakers through research, reports, presentations, and the media.