Dear John, I am reaching out to you today to share some exciting news: The National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC, NFP) is now an independent 501(c)(3) organization! As an independent nonprofit, NIJC will continue our mission of defending human rights protections and access to justice for all immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers. NIJC was founded in 1984 by a group of Chicagoans who recognized the need for immigration legal services for migrants arriving to the city from Central America and Haiti. Originally known as the Midwest Immigrant Rights Center, the organization served about 82 people in its first year through a mostly volunteer network of 60 attorneys. Over the past 40 years, as a program of social services nonprofit Heartland Alliance, NIJC expanded into a nationally recognized organization with offices in Chicago; Goshen and Indianapolis, Indiana; San Diego; and Washington, D.C. NIJC now has a staff of more than 160 professionals and a network of more than 2,000 pro bono attorneys and volunteers. In 2023, NIJC provided legal services and advocacy for more than 12,000 immigrants, including people seeking asylum, people in immigration detention, unaccompanied children, survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking, LGBTQ immigrants, and people who have lived in the United States for decades and are pursuing legal status to remain with their families and communities. NIJC and our pro bono attorneys also have been on the vanguard of federal impact litigation and policy advocacy, setting positive precedents for people seeking protection within our borders and holding the U.S. government accountable for upholding human rights and due process for all immigrants. Defending access to justice is of critical importance at this moment in U.S. history, including the urgent need to defend due process for immigrants seeking to rebuild their lives in our country and be part of our communities. As an independent organization with a new board of directors, NIJC will continue to focus on the organization’s decades-long mission, our committed and talented staff, and the diverse communities we serve. Chad Doobay, a partner at Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP and the chair of NIJC’s first board of directors, asked me to share this message: “Over the past 40 years, NIJC has built a robust infrastructure that will allow us to carry on the critical mission of defending access to justice for immigrant communities. Our founding board members have all had a deep and long-term commitment to NIJC and its mission, and we are excited for this opportunity for the organization to have direct responsibility for its own operations, governance, and fiscal management.” Additional members of NIJC’s first board of directors are: Sherene Awad Jodrey, Joan Coogan, Susan Fortino-Brown, Richard F. Klawiter, James A. Morsch, Abiman Rajadurai, Lee Ann Russo, John M. Skakun III, and Gretchen Wolf. NIJC also will continue to rely on the creativity and insight of our advisory Leadership Council and Associate Leadership Council members. I would like to express deep gratitude to you and to all of NIJC’s staff members, pro bono attorneys, donors, volunteers, and other friends and supporters who have allowed our organization to arrive at this moment with strength and renewed commitment. For more updates on NIJC’s ongoing work, to get involved, and to donate to support our new organization, please visit immigrantjustice.org. We look forward to celebrating with many of you on June 4 at our 25th Annual NIJC Human Rights Awards! Sincerely, Mary Meg McCarthy
Executive Director
National Immigrant Justice Center P.S. Starting April 8, 2024, all donations to NIJC have been directed to the newly independent NIJC, NFP, requiring no action from you unless your donation is through a donor advised fund (DAF) or Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) platform. If your donation falls under DAF or CSR and you have not received redirection instructions, please contact Carrie Schwarz, NIJC’s associate director of major & individual giving, at (312) 235-4617 or [email protected]. NIJC is recognized as a tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and operates under the legal name NIJC, NFP with federal tax ID 93-3878636. |
