The National Immigrant Justice Cente

What The National Immigrant Justice Cente does

The National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC) is an operating Chicago-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides free or low-cost immigration legal consultations and representation to low-income immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers. Its service portfolio covers citizenship, permanent residence and visas; asylum; DACA; detention and removal defense; trafficking survivors; LGBTQ immigrants; unaccompanied children; and an Immigration Court Helpdesk. NIJC also conducts policy advocacy and litigation concerning immigrant rights, detention, deportation, and access to counsel.\n\nService delivery is organized around direct intake at the Chicago headquarters, digital appointment scheduling, community legal clinics, the Immigration Court Helpdesk, and a pro bono attorney network that supplements staff capacity. Its technology layer includes an online appointment-scheduling portal, an AI-powered NIJC Assistant chatbot for general information and preliminary assistance, and case-management systems. No standalone app, named AI model, proprietary training pipeline, or disclosed AI validation program is described.\n\nNIJC does not charge for legal representation; qualifying clients receive services free of charge. Funding comes from individual and organizational donations and from federal and state government grants. Client acquisition and awareness are mission-driven through direct intake, Know Your Rights presentations, clinics, the website, newsletters, research publications, earned media, webinars, and social media. The primary supporting source is.

Name

The National Immigrant Justice Cente

Legal name

National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC, NFP)

Website

https://immigrantjustice.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Short description

National Immigrant Justice Center is a Chicago-based nonprofit providing free or low-cost immigration legal services, representation, policy advocacy, and litigation to low-income immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers through direct intake, court helpdesk services, and community outreach.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Immigration Legal Services

NAICS

Legal Services (5411), Other Legal Services (54119), Individual and Family Services (6241)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Immigration Law (BPAHAAAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Migrant & Refugee Legal Aid and Documentation Services (BPADAHAE), Refugee Reception & Registration (BPADAHAA), Protection Services (GBV, Child Protection, Safeguarding) (BPADAHAF), Immigration Law Literacy & Rights Education (EDAAADAB), Immigration Legal Advisory & Representation (Student Visas) (EDAIADAB)

Keywords

• Immigration legal services
• Asylum representation
• DACA renewal assistance
• Immigration detention defense
• Immigration advocacy litigation

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: NIJC accepts donations from individuals and organizations to support their legal services and advocacy work. The organization is a 501c3 nonprofit (EIN: 93-3878636) and describes donation impact in concrete terms ($5,000 for a child's safety case, $1,000 for filing an appeal, $500 for community education, $100 for family representation, $50 for a legal consultation).
2. Federal and State Government Grants: NIJC receives federal funding for programs such as the Immigration Court Helpdesk. The organization has been affected by stop-work orders and funding freezes from federal agencies including DOJ and DHS.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

NIJC provides free and low-cost immigration legal services to low-income immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers, including direct representation for citizenship, permanent residence, visas, asylum, DACA, detention defense, trafficking survivors, LGBTQ immigrants, and unaccompanied children. The organization supplements direct services with an Immigration Court Helpdesk, systemic advocacy, and federal litigation challenging immigration policies.

Product overview

The National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC) is a nonprofit legal services organization providing comprehensive immigration legal services and advocacy. The organization operates as a service portfolio rather than a unified software product, offering eight distinct legal service lines covering asylum seekers, detained immigrants, DACA recipients, trafficking survivors, LGBTQ immigrants, unaccompanied children, citizenship applicants, and an immigration court helpdesk. NIJC also provides an AI-powered chatbot for general inquiries and an online appointment scheduling portal. The organization's advocacy and litigation work focuses on access to counsel, asylum rights, detention and enforcement issues, and transparency.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Legal Services for Applicants for Citizenship, Permanent Residence, and Visas Legal consultations and representation for low-income immigrants seeking U.S. citizenship, permanent residence (green cards), and various visa categories including family-based and employment-based visas.
• Legal Services for Asylum Seekers Legal representation and support for individuals seeking asylum protection based on persecution or fear of persecution in their home countries, including credible fear interview preparation and immigration court representation.
• Legal Services for DACA Recipients & Dreamers Legal assistance for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients and Dreamers seeking to renew or obtain DACA status and related immigration relief.
• Legal Services for Detained Immigrants Legal representation for immigrants held in immigration detention facilities, helping them navigate removal proceedings, seek bond, and pursue release.
• Legal Services for Victims of Human Trafficking Specialized legal services for survivors of human trafficking, including T visa applications, Continued Presence requests, and access to immigration relief under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act.
• Legal Services for LGBTQ Immigrants Immigration legal services specifically designed for LGBTQ immigrants, addressing unique persecution claims based on sexual orientation or gender identity, including asylum claims and protection from deportation.
• Legal Services for Unaccompanied Immigrant Children Legal representation and support for unaccompanied minors navigating immigration proceedings and seeking protection, including Special Immigrant Juvenile Status petitions.
• Immigration Court Helpdesk On-site helpdesk service at the Chicago Immigration Court providing information and assistance to immigrants appearing for hearings, helping them understand procedures and access legal resources.

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• Heartland AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHeartland Alliance is the parent organization of the National Immigrant Justice Center. NIJC is described as 'Heartland Alliance's National Immigrant Justice Center' indicating a formal organizational relationship. Heartland Alliance is a human rights organization providing comprehensive services to marginalized communities.
• American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNIJC partnered with ACLU and ACLU of Northern California on litigation challenging asylum restrictions in East Bay Sanctuary Covenant v. Biden. They have collaborated on multiple federal lawsuits challenging government immigration policies including the Las Americas v. DHS case.
• Center for Gender & Refugee Studies (CGRS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCGRS has partnered with NIJC on multiple litigation efforts challenging asylum bans and immigration restrictions. CGRS provides specialized expertise in gender-based asylum claims and refugee protections.
• Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNIJC and ICIRR have jointly responded to federal immigration policy changes affecting Illinois communities. The organizations work together on advocacy, policy responses, and defending sanctuary laws in Illinois.
• Jenner & Block LLPsecondaryImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerJenner & Block served as pro bono counsel alongside NIJC in litigation challenging Biden-era asylum restrictions. The firm provided legal representation and support in federal court proceedings.
• Over 100 National, State, and Local Advocacy GroupscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNIJC joined a coalition of over 100 organizations including ACLU, HIAS, Human Rights First, National Immigration Law Center, and many others to call on Congress to reject H.R. 9773, a proposed anti-immigrant legislation. This broad coalition coordinates on policy advocacy and legislative opposition.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Catholic Legal Immigration Network (CLINIC): National nonprofit network of immigration legal services programs affiliated with Catholic Charities. CLINIC is a direct peer — it provides immigration legal representation, training, and advocacy to low-income immigrants nationwide, mirroring NIJC's mission and service mix.
• Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services (RAICES): Texas-based nonprofit providing free and low-cost immigration legal services, including representation for detained immigrants and unaccompanied children. Directly comparable to NIJC in service portfolio and pro bono mobilization model.
• Kids in Need of Defense (KIND): National nonprofit focused on legal representation for unaccompanied immigrant children — one of NIJC's eight service lines. Closely comparable in mission, pro bono model, and federal advocacy posture.
• Florence Immigrant & Refugee Rights Project: Arizona-based nonprofit providing free legal services to immigrants in detention and at the immigration court. Comparable to NIJC's Detained Immigrants service line and Immigration Court Helpdesk model.
• National Immigration Law Center (NILC): National advocacy organization focused on immigration law and policy. NILC and NIJC frequently co-litigate and co-advocate; NILC skews toward impact litigation and policy while NIJC pairs that with direct representation.
• Human Rights First: National human rights organization with significant refugee and asylum representation programs. Comparable in advocacy coalition work, asylum litigation, and federal court posture.
• HIAS: Global Jewish nonprofit providing refugee resettlement, legal services, and advocacy. Co-member of the 100+ organization coalition NIJC leads; comparable in asylum/refugee legal services delivery.
• Center for Gender & Refugee Studies (CGRS): National legal organization defending the rights of refugees, particularly gender-based asylum claims. Litigation co-counsel with NIJC on multiple asylum-ban challenges; highly comparable in expertise and case profile.

Broad incumbents

• American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU): Direct litigation partner of NIJC on multiple federal cases. While much larger and broader in mandate, ACLU's immigrants' rights practice overlaps substantially with NIJC's litigation and advocacy work.

Emerging players

• Casa Cornelia Law Center: San Diego-based nonprofit providing pro bono immigration legal services to victims of human trafficking and other vulnerable immigrants — overlapping directly with NIJC's trafficking survivors service line.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/NIJC
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/national-immigrant-justice-center

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The National Immigrant Justice Cente