Michigan Immigrant Rights Center

What Michigan Immigrant Rights Center does

Michigan Immigrant Rights Center (MIRC) is a statewide nonprofit legal resource center founded in 2009 and headquartered in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Operating as a program of the Michigan Advocacy Program (MAP), it provides free immigration legal services to low-income immigrants across designated Michigan counties (Kalamazoo, Washtenaw, Detroit Metro — Macomb, Oakland, Wayne — and Kent), prioritizing survivors of domestic violence, unaccompanied children, naturalization applicants, mentally ill individuals in deportation proceedings, and farmworkers. Service delivery runs through three phone intake lines (general, detained, farmworker), on-site programs at seven Michigan and Ohio detention centers, and a referral pipeline embedded in the Detroit Immigration Court via the 2018 Front Door project.

The organization's core product portfolio includes direct immigration representation, a VAWA/U Pro Bono Panel of over 100 volunteer attorneys anchored by Dykema Gossett PLLC, impact litigation (notably co-counsel in Ms. L v. ICE), farmworker and immigrant worker rights representation, and naturalization services delivered through the national New Americans Campaign. Supporting infrastructure includes multilingual Know Your Rights materials in eight languages and an active coalition footprint spanning MCIRR, Protecting Immigrant Families Michigan, Drive Michigan Forward, and the national PIF steering committee anchored by NILC and CLASP.

The business model is grant-funded nonprofit operations: revenue derives from foundation grants (notably a three-year Kresge Foundation award and Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan support for Front Door), national network funding, individual donations, and pro bono law firm contributions. All client services are free, with eligibility gated by household income at or below 200% of federal poverty guidelines and by case-type priority. Go-to-market is community-led, with no paid customer acquisition; awareness is built through multilingual content marketing, coalition partnerships, and direct outreach via detention facilities and community organizations.

Name

Michigan Immigrant Rights Center

Legal name

Michigan Immigrant Rights Center

Website

https://michiganimmigrant.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Michigan Immigrant Rights Center is a Ypsilanti-based nonprofit legal resource center providing free immigration legal services, pro bono attorney placement, and advocacy to low-income immigrants across Michigan, with specialized programs for unaccompanied children, domestic violence survivors, detained individuals, and farmworkers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Immigration Legal Aid

NAICS

Human Rights Organizations (813311), Individual and Family Services (6241)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Migrant & Refugee Legal Aid and Documentation Services (BPADAHAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

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

Keywords

• Immigration legal aid
• Nonprofit legal services
• Pro bono representation
• Naturalization assistance
• Immigrant advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Ypsilanti

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Foundation and Grant Funding: MIRC operates as a nonprofit legal organization funded through grants and donations from foundations and donors who support immigration law work in specific local areas in Michigan.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Michigan Immigrant Rights Center (MIRC) is a statewide legal resource center that delivers free immigration legal services to low-income immigrants in Michigan. Its offerings include direct representation in family-based and humanitarian immigration cases, naturalization assistance, VAWA/U/T visa representation through a statewide pro bono panel, farmworker and immigrant worker rights advocacy, unaccompanied children's legal services, and impact litigation, supported by community education, multilingual Know Your Rights materials, and coalition-based policy advocacy.

Product overview

Michigan Immigrant Rights Center (MIRC) is a statewide legal resource center for immigrant communities in Michigan, operating as a program of the Michigan Advocacy Program (MAP). Rather than a single software product, MIRC offers a coordinated portfolio of free legal services and advocacy programs. Core services include direct immigration legal representation (Immigration Legal Services, Citizenship/Naturalization assistance, VAWA/U Pro Bono Panel), specialized worker rights representation (Farmworker & Immigrant Worker Rights), impact litigation, and unaccompanied children services. These are supported by advocacy programs including Coalition Building, Protecting Immigrant Families Michigan Campaign, and the Detroit New Americans Campaign. MIRC also provides multilingual Know Your Rights educational materials and operates the MIRCh Shop merchandise program. All services are free to qualifying low-income clients, with case priorities based on funding, geography (Kalamazoo, Washtenaw, Detroit Metro areas), and case type (domestic violence survivors, children, mentally ill detainees, naturalization applicants).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MIRCh Shop: MIRC merchandise shop selling apparel and goods with proceeds supporting MIRC's programs.

Products and services

• Immigration Legal Services Free direct immigration legal representation for qualifying low-income immigrants in Michigan, with priority cases including domestic violence survivors, unaccompanied children, naturalization applicants, mentally ill detainees, and residents of Kalamazoo, Washtenaw, and Detroit Metro counties.
• Farmworker & Immigrant Worker Rights Legal advice and representation for low-wage migrant and seasonal farmworkers and immigrant workers on employment-related matters including unpaid wages, workplace harassment, labor trafficking, and workplace safety and health.
• Citizenship / Ciudadanía Naturalization Services
• MIRC VAWA/U Pro Bono Panel
• Immigrant Rights Impact Litigation

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Michigan Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (MCIRR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMIRC staff take active leadership roles in MCIRR, a statewide coalition focused on immigrant and refugee rights advocacy and policy change in Michigan.
• Protecting Immigrant Families Michigan (PIF MI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMIRC is part of the PIF Michigan Campaign, a statewide network that supports immigrant families in securing full access to public benefits and fights against harmful public charge policies.
• Drive Michigan ForwardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition focused on restoring driver's licenses for all Michigan residents regardless of immigration status. MIRC supports related Drive SAFE legislative bills.
• Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation Kalamazoo (TRHT Kzoo)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMIRC participates in TRHT Kzoo, a racial healing and transformation initiative focused on equity and inclusion.
• American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) - Michigan ChaptercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional association of immigration attorneys. MIRC staff take leadership roles and collaborate on advocacy and training.
• Michigan Coalition for Undocumented Student Success (MiCuss)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition focused on supporting undocumented students in Michigan through advocacy and resource sharing.
• Detroit Immigration Task ForceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCity-level task force focused on immigration issues affecting Detroit residents.
• Welcoming Oakland CountyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCounty-level initiative promoting immigrant inclusion and welcoming practices.
• Southeast Michigan Regional Refugee Resettlement CollaborativeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional collaborative focused on refugee resettlement coordination and support services.
• Immigrant Justice Lab at University of MichiganminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner at University of Michigan conducting immigration justice research and advocacy.
• Michigan Supreme Court Foreign Language Board of ReviewminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMIRC serves as Limited English Proficiency Population Advocate, supporting language access in Michigan courts.
• Michigan Migrant Labor Housing Advisory BoardminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMIRC participates in advisory board addressing migrant farmworker housing conditions and regulations.
• Global DetroitcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWelcoming Michigan program moved to Global Detroit in August 2020 after 10 years at MIRC. Global Detroit leads efforts to make Southeast Michigan more equitable through immigrant inclusion and economic development.
• New Americans CampaigncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational collaborative effort to encourage and assist eligible permanent residents to apply for naturalization. MIRC is a proud partner providing free naturalization legal services.
• National Immigration Law Center (NILC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational immigration rights organization anchoring the Protecting Immigrant Families national network. MIRC is part of this steering committee of 15+ member organizations.
• Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational organization co-anchoring the PIF national network alongside NILC, focused on economic and social policy affecting low-income communities including immigrants.
• ACLU of MichigancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Habeas Hope Operation to strengthen statewide capacity for habeas representation of immigrant detainees through coordinated training and collaboration. MIRC is co-counseling cases with ACLU on constitutional rights violations.
• Dykema Gossett PLLCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMost active law firm on MIRC's VAWA/U Pro Bono Panel since the panel's founding. Provides generous pro bono legal support and sponsorship for panel activities.
• American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) - NationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMIRC collaborates with ACLU class counsel in Ms. L v. ICE, the national class action lawsuit challenging family separation practices at the border.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project (ASAP): Nonprofit providing legal aid, advocacy, and community support to asylum seekers. Comparable to MIRC's humanitarian immigration work and detained immigrant representation, with overlapping interest in pro se court support and community education.
• Innovation Law Lab: Nonprofit providing immigration legal services, impact litigation, and advocacy focused on immigrant rights. Comparable to MIRC's combined direct-service and impact-litigation approach and its focus on community-based legal support.
• Kids in Need of Defense (KIND): National nonprofit that provides direct legal representation to unaccompanied children in immigration proceedings. Directly comparable to MIRC's Unaccompanied Children's Program, which has served 790+ children at intake sites and ~280 children in formal representation.
• Northwest Immigrant Rights Project (NWIRP): Washington-state-based nonprofit providing free immigration legal services to low-income immigrants. The closest direct peer to MIRC in scope, mission, and operating model — both are statewide legal resource centers combining direct representation, impact litigation, and policy advocacy within a single state.
• RAICES (Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services): Texas-based nonprofit providing free and low-cost immigration legal services, education, and advocacy. Directly comparable to MIRC's model of free immigration legal aid combined with advocacy and community education, though at substantially larger scale.
• Justice For Our Neighbors (JFON): National network of volunteer-driven immigration legal aid clinics serving low-income immigrants. Comparable to MIRC's VAWA/U Pro Bono Panel model and free direct-representation service, though structured as a federated clinic network rather than a centralized state center.

Broad incumbents

• National Immigration Law Center (NILC): National advocacy organization advancing low-income immigrants' rights through policy, litigation, and communications. Comparable to MIRC's policy advocacy and impact litigation work and a direct coalition partner via the PIF Michigan steering committee.
• Catholic Legal Immigration Network (CLINIC): National network of affiliated immigration legal services programs providing direct representation, training, and capacity-building. Comparable to MIRC in legal aid delivery and pro bono model, but operates as a multi-affiliate network rather than a single-state center.
• American Immigration Council: National nonprofit promoting immigration through research, policy analysis, and legal advocacy. Comparable to MIRC's federal policy and litigation work but operating at a national scale with a research-and-policy orientation rather than direct client representation.
• Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC): A national immigrant legal resource center providing training, technical assistance, and policy advocacy. Comparable to MIRC because both build capacity among immigration legal aid providers and engage in policy advocacy, though ILRC operates nationally rather than in a single state.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Michimmigrant
• Facebookfacebook.com/MichiganImmigrant
• Instagraminstagram.com/michiganimmigrant
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/michigan-immigrant-rights-center

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Michigan Immigrant Rights Center