What Northwest Immigrant Rights Project does

Northwest Immigrant Rights Project (NWIRP) is a Seattle-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit legal services organization founded in 1984 that provides direct legal representation, impact litigation, and community education to immigrant communities in the Pacific Northwest. Its direct legal services are organized into seven practice areas: asylum, family services, children and youth, citizenship/naturalization, DACA, survivors of domestic violence and other crimes, and detention/deportation defense. Services are delivered free or at low cost by staff attorneys and volunteers, with multilingual (English/Spanish) resources and outreach through community organizations, Know Your Rights workshops, and webinars.

NWIRP's second core function is impact litigation, which has produced three class-action matters of note: Wagafe (CARRP vetting delays, fairness hearing scheduled June 25, 2026 in W.D. Wash.), Maldonado Bautista v. Santacruz (nationwide class certification and partial summary judgment in November 2025 establishing INA 236 bond hearing rights), and Padilla v. ICE (court-approved settlement guaranteeing credible fear interviews within 60 days). The organization also publishes practice advisories and templates consumed by the broader immigration bar, and operates a community education program.

The organization has 101-250 employees, a single Seattle headquarters, and a hybrid segmentation approach to its client base (asylum seekers, survivors of violence, detained immigrants as primary segments; families, children/youth, citizenship seekers, and DACA recipients as secondary segments). Revenue is derived entirely from donations and grants under a voluntary contributions model; no proprietary technology platform, paid products, or commercial pricing exist. The website (nwirp.org) functions as the primary community-facing channel alongside newsletters, press releases, and community events.

Name

Northwest Immigrant Rights Project

Legal name

Northwest Immigrant Rights Project

Website

https://nwirp.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Northwest Immigrant Rights Project is a Seattle-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1984 that provides free and low-cost immigration legal services, impact litigation, and community education to immigrant individuals and families across the Pacific Northwest.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Immigration Legal Services

NAICS

Other Legal Services (54119), Individual and Family Services (6241), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111), Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Immigration Law (BPAHAAAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Immigrant & Refugee Rights Advocacy (BPAGAFAG), Refugee & Immigrant Support Services (BPAGAEAI), Immigration Law Literacy & Rights Education (EDAAADAB)

Keywords

• Immigration legal services
• Asylum representation
• Impact litigation
• Community legal education
• Nonprofit legal aid

Headquarters

HQ city

Seattle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: Primary revenue from charitable donations and foundation grants to support free and low-cost immigration legal services, community education programs, and impact litigation.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Northwest Immigrant Rights Project provides direct immigration legal services to immigrants across the Pacific Northwest through seven specialized practice areas: asylum, family services, citizenship, DACA, children and youth, survivors of domestic violence and other crimes, and detention/deportation defense. Services are provided free or at low cost, complemented by impact litigation (class actions), community education programs, and practice advisories for other legal practitioners.

Product overview

Northwest Immigrant Rights Project (NWIRP) is a nonprofit legal services organization offering a comprehensive portfolio of direct legal services for immigrants, structured as multiple practice areas under one unified organization. The core offerings include direct legal representation across seven specialized service areas: Survivors of Domestic Violence and Other Crimes, Asylum, Family Services, Children and Youth, Citizenship, DACA, and Detention and Deportation Defense. These direct services are complemented by Impact Litigation (systemic litigation), Community Education (outreach programs), and Practice Advisories (legal guidance for practitioners). The organization primarily serves the Pacific Northwest region and focuses on vulnerable immigrant populations including survivors of violence, children, asylum seekers, and detained individuals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Survivors of Domestic Violence and Other Crimes Legal Services Direct legal representation and assistance for survivors of domestic violence and other crimes, including VAWA protections, U-visas, T-visas, and related immigration relief.
• Asylum Legal Services Legal assistance for individuals seeking asylum protection in the United States, including credible fear interviews and asylum applications.
• Family Services Immigration legal services focused on family-based immigration including family petitions, adjustment of status, and related family reunification matters.
• Children and Youth Legal Services Specialized immigration legal services for children and youth, including special immigrant juvenile status and DACA representation.
• Citizenship Services Assistance with naturalization applications and citizenship preparation for lawful permanent residents.
• DACA Services Legal assistance for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, including initial applications and renewals.
• Detention and Deportation Defense Legal representation for individuals in immigration detention and deportation proceedings, including bond hearings and removal defense.
• Impact Litigation Strategic litigation to create systemic change in immigration law and policy, including class action lawsuits and court victories such as Wagafe, Maldonado Bautista v. Santacruz, and Padilla v. ICE.
• Community Education Educational programs and resources for immigrant communities about immigration law, rights, and available services, including Know Your Rights workshops.
• Practice Advisories Legal guidance documents and practice advisories for immigration practitioners on complex legal issues and case developments.

Named customers4 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC): National nonprofit that trains immigration legal practitioners, publishes practice advisories, and engages in impact litigation. Closely comparable to NWIRP's practice advisory function and training role for the immigration bar.
• Justice for Our Neighbors: Network of volunteer-led immigration legal clinics offering free and low-cost services across multiple states. Directly comparable to NWIRP's mission and service delivery model for low-income immigrant clients, with overlapping practice areas.
• Catholic Legal Immigration Network (CLINIC): National network of immigration legal services programs affiliated with Catholic Charities, providing direct representation and training. Direct peer to NWIRP as a multi-office immigration legal aid nonprofit with a similar service portfolio (asylum, family-based, naturalization).
• National Immigration Law Center (NILC): National advocacy and litigation organization focused on low-income immigrants' rights, with a strong impact litigation practice. Comparable to NWIRP's impact litigation work (e.g., Maldonado Bautista, Padilla) and broader immigrant rights advocacy mandate.
• Immigration Advocates Network: Nonprofit collaborative of immigration legal services providers that supports direct representation programs nationwide. Highly comparable to NWIRP as a peer in the immigration legal aid nonprofit space, with overlapping client populations and a similar mix of direct services and practitioner support resources.
• Kids in Need of Defense (KIND): National nonprofit providing pro bono legal representation to unaccompanied immigrant children. Directly comparable to NWIRP's Children and Youth practice area, serving overlapping client populations (e.g., SIJS, DACA) with a similar pro bono / staff attorney hybrid model.

Regional players

• Northwest Justice Project: Washington state's largest legal aid provider for low-income communities, with a small immigration practice. Regionally comparable to NWIRP within the same Pacific Northwest legal aid ecosystem, though immigration is a smaller part of its broader civil legal aid portfolio.
• Washington Defender Association Immigration Project: Washington-state-based immigration defender project providing legal representation to immigrants in removal proceedings. Closely comparable to NWIRP's Detention and Deportation Defense practice and overlapping Pacific Northwest client base, making it the most direct regional peer.

Broad incumbents

• HIAS (Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society): International Jewish nonprofit providing legal services, resettlement, and advocacy for refugees and asylum seekers. Comparable to NWIRP's asylum and refugee work, though operating at national/international scale and serving a broader refugee resettlement mission.
• American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU): National civil rights organization that litigates extensively on immigrant rights, including class actions parallel to NWIRP's docket. Comparable as a broader, well-resourced organization running impact litigation on overlapping immigration issues, though not a direct legal services provider.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/nwirp
• Facebookfacebook.com/NWIRP

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Northwest Immigrant Rights Project