Hawai‘i Coalition for Immigrant Rights

What Hawai‘i Coalition for Immigrant Rights does

Hawai'i Coalition for Immigrant Rights (HCIR) is a private nonprofit statewide coalition headquartered in Honolulu, Hawai'i, founded in 2010 by faith leaders, attorneys, and advocacy organizations. It was restructured in 2020 into a community-led coalition in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and today operates with a core staff of four individuals, led by Executive Director & Re-founder Liza Ryan Gill alongside Co-Director Constancio Carvajal Paranal III, Policy & Communications Specialist Andrew Rozhok, and a current Fellow. HCIR's mission is to advance policies, protections, and pathways so immigrant and migrant communities in Hawai'i can thrive, and the coalition is anchored by a network of 60+ partner organizations that includes the ACLU of Hawai'i, The Legal Clinic, Roots Reborn/EPA Maui, Pacific Gateway Center, and grassroots groups across every island.

The coalition's product surface is built around rights education, leadership development, and legislative advocacy. Free downloadable Know Your Rights cards are available in 22 languages (from ʻŌlelo Hawai'i to Ukrainian), and the website offers navigation in English, Spanish, and Ukrainian plus a 44-language welcome display. Programmatic offerings include Summer of Democracy (SODA), Fall of Action & Movement (FOAM), the Young Leaders Advocacy Program (YLAP), the HCIR Fellowship Program, and the Campaign for Immigrant Justice — a coordinated legislative effort that resulted in six bills being signed into law by Governor Josh Green on July 28, 2026. The technical stack is modest and operationally appropriate to a 4-person team: a Vercel-hosted website with Vercel Web Analytics for anonymous aggregate tracking, contact forms routed to private Google Sheets, donations processed through Hawaii Children's Action Network's platform, and a separate member portal at members.hicir.org; the site is designed to WCAG 2.1 Level AA accessibility standards.

HCIR is funded primarily through foundation grants — including a $1.5 million Stupski Foundation grant pool in November 2025 distributed across five Hawai'i immigrant-serving organizations — plus voluntary individual donations. All programs, resources, trainings, and coalition membership are provided free of charge. Customer segments are horizontally distributed: the primary persona is immigrant and migrant communities across Hawai'i (nearly 1 in 5 state residents), with secondary segments of immigrant-led and immigrant-serving organizations and a broader base of allies, volunteers, and donors; HCIR monetizes none of these segments directly through fees.

Name

Hawai‘i Coalition for Immigrant Rights

Legal name

Hawaiʻi Coalition for Immigrant Rights

Website

https://hicir.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Hawai'i Coalition for Immigrant Rights (HCIR) is a Honolulu-based statewide nonprofit coalition, founded in 2010, that advances immigrant rights through multilingual education, legislative advocacy, and a network of 60+ partner organizations serving immigrant and migrant communities across all Hawaiian islands.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Immigrant Rights Advocacy Services

NAICS

Human Rights Organizations (813311)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Immigrant & Refugee Rights Advocacy (BPAGAFAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Refugee & Immigrant Support Services (BPAGAEAI), Human Rights & Anti-Discrimination Organizations (BPAGAFAB)

Keywords

• Immigrant rights advocacy
• Community coalition organizing
• Legislative advocacy services
• Multilingual rights education
• Nonprofit policy advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Honolulu

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Foundation Grants: Receives grants from foundations to support immigrant community programs. Stupski Foundation committed $1.5 million in grants to HCIR and four other Hawai'i organizations supporting legal services, workforce integration, and disaster recovery for immigrant communities.
2. Individual Donations: Individual contributions through Hawaii Children's Action Network's donation platform to support Know Your Rights trainings, research, youth leadership, and rapid response across the islands

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Hawai'i Coalition for Immigrant Rights (HCIR) is a statewide coalition that advances policies, protections, and pathways so immigrant and migrant communities can thrive. It delivers community organizing, legislative advocacy, Know Your Rights education, leadership development programs (SODA, FOAM, Fellowship, YLAP), and a Campaign for Immigrant Justice that secured six landmark bills signed into law in 2026, all free of charge through a network of 60+ partner organizations across all Hawaiian islands.

Product overview

Hawaiʻi Coalition for Immigrant Rights (HCIR) operates as a statewide coalition advancing policies, protections, and pathways for immigrant communities. The organization offers a portfolio of programs including Summer of Democracy (SODA) for community education and empowerment through Know Your Rights trainings, Fall of Action & Movement (FOAM) for legislative preparation, the Campaign for Immigrant Justice 2026 (which achieved six landmark bills signed into law), a Fellowship Program for emerging changemakers, and free Know Your Rights resource cards available in 22 languages. Additional offerings include the Young Leaders Advocacy Program (YLAP) and a planned Member Platform. The coalition provides these programs alongside advocacy, organizing, and research services to advance immigrant justice across Hawaiʻi.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SODA (Summer of Democracy): Five virtual sessions on rights, power, and collective action.
• FOAM (Fall of Action & Movement)
• Campaign for Immigrant Justice 2026
• Fellowship Program

Products and services

• Summer of Democracy (SODA) A virtual series of five training sessions empowering immigrant communities through Know Your Rights trainings, community workshops, and coalition-building conversations grounded in advocacy, safety, and collective action. Targeted at immigrant community members across Hawai'i.
• Fall of Action & Movement (FOAM) A statewide legislative preparation series of five fall webinars engaging communities around Campaign for Immigrant Justice priorities and building the foundation for legislative action in the 2027 Hawai'i legislative session. Topics include Language Access, Immigrant Health, Disaster Resilience, Workers' Rights, and Faith & Belonging.
• HCIR Fellowship Program A flexible, project-based fellowship for emerging and established changemakers committed to immigrant justice, offering mentorship, leadership development, and real-world impact through personalized projects in areas such as immigration policy, community organizing, strategic communications, and public health equity.
• Know Your Rights Cards Bilingual pocket cards with constitutional rights available in 22 languages from ʻŌlelo Hawai'i to Ukrainian, free to download, print, and share across communities at trainings, resource fairs, and community gatherings.
• Young Leaders Advocacy Program (YLAP) Hands-on training program in advocacy, storytelling, public speaking, and legislative engagement for youth leaders in immigrant communities.
• Campaign for Immigrant Justice 2026 A coordinated statewide legislative campaign defending constitutional rights, due process, and human dignity through six landmark bills signed into law on July 28, 2026, including protections for sensitive locations, limits on local-federal cooperation, rights in custody, fair sentencing, U & T visa certification, and language access.

Quantifiable outcome

• 305 unique community members testified; 768 testimonies supporting 6 bills that became law
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Fair Immigration Reform MovementminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 August 2026Partner organization leading the SODA Session 5 on Narrative, Strategy & Building Power, providing expertise on messaging that resonates, using data and storytelling effectively, and coalition strategy alignment.
• National Partnership for New AmericansminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 August 2026Co-lead of SODA Session 5 on Narrative, Strategy & Building Power, contributing coalition strategy and alignment expertise alongside Fair Immigration Reform Movement and Vera Institute of Justice.
• Vera Institute of JusticeminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 August 2026Co-lead of SODA Session 5 on Narrative, Strategy & Building Power, providing expertise on messaging and coalition strategy for influencing public opinion and policy.
• Child & Family ServiceminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 June 2026Provided speakers for SODA Know Your Rights - Safety, Schools & Families session, covering domestic violence protections for immigrant survivors, student rights, and safe spaces (schools, shelters, community organizations).
• ACLU of Hawai'icoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 March 2026Co-led the Campaign for Immigrant Justice 2026, working alongside HCIR to pass landmark immigrant justice legislation. ACLU of Hawai'i was one of three lead organizations (with HCIR and The Legal Clinic) that carried the legislative package through the 2026 session, resulting in six bills signed into law on July 28, 2026.
• The Legal Clinic Hawai'icoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 March 2026Co-led the Campaign for Immigrant Justice 2026 as one of three lead organizations (with HCIR and ACLU of Hawai'i). Provided 120 testimonies across the six CIJ bills - the highest of any organization. Contributed to passing legislation protecting due process, sensitive locations, U/T visa certification, fair sentencing, and language access.
• Roots Reborn / EPA MauicoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 March 2026Coalition partner that showed up on every bill in the CIJ 2026 campaign with 110 testimonies. Serves immigrant and migrant communities, particularly those affected by the Lahaina wildfires. Part of the 60+ organizations that powered the campaign's success.
• Hawai'i Workers CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 March 2026Lead partner for SODA Summer of Democracy Know Your Rights - Labor & Economic Justice session. Provided expertise on wage theft, workplace exploitation, and worker rights regardless of immigration status for the community training series.
• O'ahu Rapid Response Coalition (ORRC)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 March 2026Lead partner for SODA Summer of Democracy Know Your Rights - Healthcare & Public Services session, covering language access rights, privacy protections, and access to care regardless of immigration status.
• Pacific Islander communities and organizationscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 March 2026HCIR surveys confirm that every member organization serves Pacific Islander immigrants. The coalition's multilingual resources include Pacific Islander languages (Chuukese, Marshallese, Samoan, Tongan, Ilocano, Cebuano, Pohnpeian, Kosraean, Palauan, Yapese). Language Access Summit and FOAM series address Pacific Islander community needs.
• League of Women Voters of Hawai'iminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 March 2026Partner organization providing 70 testimonies across CIJ 2026 bills. One of the top 10 organizations by testimony count, supporting the campaign for immigrant justice legislation.
• Mercado de La RazaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 March 2026Partner organization providing testimonies on CIJ 2026 bills. Serves Latino/a and immigrant communities across Hawai'i.
• NPNA (National Partnership for New Americans)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 March 2026Partner in Climate Displaced Leaders program for leadership development of climate-displaced communities, working with HCIR and the Office of Climate Change, Sustainability & Resiliency.
• University of Hawai'icoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 March 2026HB 3238 establishes a Language Access Education and Workforce Development Program at the University of Hawai'i, creating a pipeline of certified interpreters for state services in Hawai'i's most-spoken languages - a major policy win for the coalition.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Fair Immigration Reform Movement (FIRM): National coalition of immigrant rights organizations; FIRM has partnered with HCIR on narrative and strategy work. Operates a directly analogous coalition-of-coalitions advocacy model at the federal level.
• Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR): Statewide coalition in Illinois that combines policy advocacy, community organizing, civic participation, and rapid response for immigrant communities. Operates a nearly identical playbook to HCIR including legislative campaigns, member organizations, and Know Your Rights education.
• Florida Immigrant Coalition (FLIC): Statewide coalition of 60+ member organizations in Florida uniting immigrant-led and immigrant-serving groups for policy advocacy, civic engagement, and rapid response. Closely analogous mission, scale, and operating model to HCIR.
• National Partnership for New Americans (NPNA): National coalition of 37+ state and local immigrant rights organizations; HCIR is one of NPNA's affiliated partners and has co-led programming (SODA Session 5, Climate Displaced Leaders). Directly comparable coalition-building and capacity-building mission.
• California Immigrant Policy Center (CIPC): State-level immigrant policy and advocacy organization in California that advances immigrant-centered legislation, builds coalition power, and produces research to inform policy. Highly comparable to HCIR's policy-shaping function at the state level.
• Asian Americans Advancing Justice: Affiliated network serving Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities with a strong immigrant rights and language access portfolio. Directly relevant given HCIR's significant Pacific Islander community focus.
• New York Immigration Coalition: A statewide immigrant rights coalition in New York with a comparable model: 200+ member organizations, policy advocacy, Know Your Rights work, language access, and legislative campaigns. Most directly analogous peer organization to HCIR in terms of coalition structure and statewide advocacy scope.
• Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA): Coalition of 130+ member organizations in Massachusetts advocating for immigrant rights through policy advocacy, organizing, and integration services. Directly comparable statewide coalition model serving a diverse immigrant population through legislative engagement.

Others

• Vera Institute of Justice: National research and advocacy organization that partners with HCIR (co-led SODA Session 5). Adjacent justice-system expertise that complements rather than competes with HCIR's coalition-organizing mission.

Broad incumbents

• National Immigration Law Center (NILC): Established national advocacy organization focused on immigration law and policy; broader geographic scope and longer institutional history than HCIR but operates in adjacent advocacy space with overlapping policy priorities like language access and due process.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/hi_cir

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Hawai‘i Coalition for Immigrant Rights