Community Immigration Law Center

What Community Immigration Law Center does

Community Immigration Law Center (CILC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit legal services organization headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin, that provides free and low-cost immigration legal services to low-income immigrants, with a primary focus on detained non-citizens facing deportation in Dane County. Founded in 2009 and operating from a headquarters hosted at Christ Presbyterian Church (944 East Gorham Street, Madison), CILC runs a bi-weekly walk-in legal clinic on the 2nd and 4th Friday of each month and provides direct legal representation for detained non-citizens in removal proceedings, including master calendar hearings, bond proceedings, competency hearings, merits hearings, USCIS applications, BIA appeals, and related state court matters. Adjacent services include a Detention Project (rapid response coordination), Pro Se Asylum Referrals, a Know Your Rights education program delivered in English and Spanish, recurring Charlas on current immigration topics, and an Attorney Referral List for matters outside CILC's scope.

CILC does not operate a proprietary technology platform; service delivery is in-person at its Madison office with limited virtual options, intake occurs via a third-party form, and outreach runs through a bilingual Squarespace website, Facebook, and an email newsletter. Governance is provided by a 13-member Board of Directors of attorneys and community stakeholders, with leadership from Board President Grant Sovern and Managing Attorney Aissa Olivarez. The organization maintains core referral partnerships with Voces de la Frontera, Dane County Human Services Immigration Affairs Office, Centro (community education venue), Christ Presbyterian Church (hosting), Community Shares of Wisconsin, and the Midwest Immigrant Defenders Alliance.

The business model is donation-based: CILC charges no fees or only nominal fees to eligible clients and is funded entirely by charitable contributions from individuals and partner organizations. As a regional single-county nonprofit with 14 staff, CILC's market is structurally constrained by fundraising capacity rather than demand, and the organization has been actively expanding staff and services through 2025-2026 to address increased need driven by heightened ICE enforcement and changes in federal immigration policy.

Name

Community Immigration Law Center

Legal name

Community Immigration Law Center, Inc.

Website

https://cilcmadison.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Community Immigration Law Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Madison, Wisconsin providing free walk-in legal clinics and free or low-cost legal representation to low-income immigrants, particularly detained non-citizens facing deportation in Dane County.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Immigration Legal Services

NAICS

Offices of Lawyers (54111), Legal Services (5411)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Immigration Law (BPAHAAAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Immigration Legal Services & Representation (Law Firms) (THACAKAF)

Keywords

• Immigration legal services
• Removal defense representation
• Free legal clinic
• Detention rapid response
• Know your rights education

Headquarters

HQ city

Madison

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 Contributions: CILC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN: 32-0375185) that relies on charitable contributions from individuals, organizations, and community members to operate its free legal clinic and provide free and low-cost legal representation to detained non-citizens in removal proceedings.
2. Legal Services (Free/Low-Cost): Provides free legal clinic consultations and free or low-cost legal representation to eligible detained non-citizens in immigration court proceedings.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

CILC provides free immigration legal services in Madison, Wisconsin, operating a bi-weekly walk-in Legal Clinic for consultations and referrals, and delivering free or low-cost Legal Representation for detained non-citizens in removal proceedings (including bond, merits, USCIS, and BIA matters). The organization is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit funded by charitable contributions and supported by volunteers and a Board of Directors.

Product overview

Community Immigration Law Center (CILC) is a non-profit legal services organization that provides free and low-cost immigration legal services to the Madison, Wisconsin area. The organization operates a bi-weekly Legal Clinic for consultations and provides full Legal Representation for detained non-citizens in removal proceedings. Additional services include the Detention Project (rapid response for detained individuals), Know Your Rights educational programs, Pro Se Asylum Referrals for qualifying individuals, and an Attorney Referral List. CILC operates as a 501(c)(3) organization relying on donations and volunteer support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Legal Representation Representation for detained non-citizens in removal proceedings, covering all aspects of immigration court including master calendar hearings, bond proceedings, competency hearings, merits hearings, USCIS applications, BIA appeals, and related state court proceedings. Offered free or at low cost to eligible clients.
• Legal Clinic Free walk-in immigration clinic that assists low-income immigrants with immigration-related issues by providing information, support, and referrals to immigration attorneys or accredited representatives. Held bi-weekly on the 2nd and 4th Friday of the month at 1:30 PM.
• Detention Project (Rapid Response Protocol) Rapid response service for families of detained individuals in Dane County, connecting loved ones with legal support and resources when a family member is detained by immigration authorities. Coordinated with the Office of Immigrant Affairs and Voces de la Frontera.
• Know Your Rights Program Educational materials and events teaching immigrants about their rights when interacting with immigration and law enforcement agencies, including guides available in English and Spanish. Events are held at venues such as Centro in Madison.
• Attorney Referral List Curated list of trusted immigration attorneys that CILC recommends to individuals seeking legal representation, particularly those who do not qualify for CILC's own services.
• Pro Se Asylum Referrals Referral form for social workers and case workers to help asylum seekers who arrived in the United States less than one year ago and are in removal proceedings.

Quantifiable outcome

• Free walk-in legal clinic operating bi-weekly
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Community Shares of WisconsinminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 9 March 2026Collaboration between CILC and Community Shares of Wisconsin announced via Capital City Hues, featuring updates on CILC and joint initiatives.
• Voces de la FronteracoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional immigrant rights organization serving as a rapid response partner for detention situations. Individuals outside Dane County are directed to call Voces de la Frontera at 800-427-0213 for immediate assistance. Voces also operates the rapid response hotline for reporting raids.
• Dane County Human Services - Immigration Affairs OfficecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Immigration Affairs Office attends CILC's legal clinic sessions to provide information and referrals on housing, medical, domestic abuse, veteran benefits, and victim services. Located at Dane County Human Services.
• Christ Presbyterian ChurchminorOthersCILC headquarters is hosted at Christ Presbyterian Church, 944 East Gorham Street, Madison, WI 53703.
• Centro (Community Center)minorOthersKnow Your Rights events are held at Centro, 2403 Cypress Way, Madison, WI 53713, providing accessible venue for community education events.
• Midwest Immigrant Defenders Alliance (MIDA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferral partner offering free legal services to eligible detained immigrants through NIJC, The Resurrection Project, The Immigration Project, and Cook County Public Defender's Office.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• CLINIC (Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc.): CLINIC is a national network providing immigration legal services, training, and capacity building for nonprofit immigration programs. Comparable to CILC as a provider of immigration legal services and as a nonprofit, with a broader network and training focus.
• The Resurrection Project: The Resurrection Project provides immigration legal services, advocacy, and community organizing in the Midwest. Directly comparable to CILC as a Midwest-based nonprofit immigration legal services provider and explicitly cited as a MIDA referral partner.
• Florence Immigrant & Refugee Rights Project: Florence Project provides free legal services to immigrants detained in Arizona. Closely comparable to CILC's specialized focus on detained non-citizens in removal proceedings, serving a similar low-income detained immigrant population through a nonprofit model.
• Kids in Need of Defense (KIND): KIND provides legal representation to unaccompanied immigrant children in the U.S. Comparable to CILC as a nonprofit immigration legal services organization, though focused on a distinct subpopulation (unaccompanied minors).
• RAICES (Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services): RAICES is one of the largest immigration legal services nonprofits in the U.S., providing free and low-cost legal representation to immigrants and refugees. Highly comparable to CILC in mission, services (detention defense, legal clinics), and donation-funded nonprofit model, though at much larger scale.
• National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC): NIJC is a leading immigration legal services organization providing direct representation, advocacy, and education for immigrants. Directly comparable to CILC as a nonprofit legal aid provider focused on immigration court representation, and explicitly cited as a referral partner through MIDA.

Broad incumbents

• ACLU Immigrants' Rights Project: The ACLU Immigrants' Rights Project conducts impact litigation and advocacy on immigration issues. Comparable to CILC in immigration mission and nonprofit structure, but operates at a national scale with a litigation-focused rather than direct-services model.
• Catholic Charities Immigration Legal Services: Catholic Charities operates immigration legal services programs nationwide including BIA-accredited representation. Comparable to CILC as a nonprofit immigration legal services provider, though as part of a much larger religious-affiliated organization with national footprint.

Regional players

• Voces de la Frontera: Voces de la Frontera is a Wisconsin-based immigrant rights organization and a core CILC partner. Comparable as a regional advocacy and rapid response organization serving the same immigrant community, though focused more on advocacy and organizing than direct legal representation.
• The Immigration Project (Illinois): The Immigration Project provides immigration legal services across Illinois. Comparable to CILC as a regional nonprofit immigration legal services organization offering direct representation, and explicitly cited as a MIDA referral partner.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/cilcmadison
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/community-immigration-law-center

Compliance1 record

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 Community Immigration Law Center