Refugee & Immigrant Center for Education & Legal Services
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO DELIVER LEGAL AND SOCIAL SERVICES TO PEOPLE AND FAMILIES WHO WANT TO PUT DOWN ROOTS IN THE U.S. AND CULTIVATE WELCOMING COMMUNITIES THAT UPHOLD OUR COLLECTIVE FREEDOMS.
- Income
- $39.2 million
- Spending
- $37.5 million
- Spent on programs
- 80%
- Reserves
- 13.5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 47%
- Employees
- 411
- Volunteers
- 64
- Highest pay
- $451,384, ceo/president
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 88% of charities in its peer group (civil rights, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 13.5 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 14% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 4% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 20% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1580% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 13 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 90 out of 100. Higher than 21% of charities in its peer group (civil rights, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 256 of 6 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
0 of 10Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (3)
- $26.1 million spent. LEGAL AND SOCIAL SERVICES: RAICES PROVIDES TRAUMA-INFORMED, CULTURALLY-COMPETENT LEGAL SUPPORT TO IMMIGRANT, REFUGEE, AND ASYLUM-SEEKING PEOPLE AND FAMILIES, WITH A FOCUS ON REMOVAL DEFENSE FOR THOSE WHO HAVE A PATHWAY TO LAWFUL RELIEF IN THE U.S. IN 2024, RAICES SERVED NEARLY 5,000 RELEASED AND DETAINED CLIENTS FROM OVER 65 COUNTRIES OF BIRTH, AVERAGING MORE THAN TWO CASE PROCESSES PER CLIENT, AND SPECIALIZED IN EXPEDITED REMOVAL LEGAL SERVICES IN RESPONSE TO RAPIDLY CHANGING BORDER POLICIES AND INTERNAL ENFORCEMENT MEASURES.
- $2.1 million spent. REFUGEE CLIENT SERVICES: AS PART OF A NATIONAL REFUGEE AID NETWORK, RAICES FACILITATES PATHWAYS FOR INDIVIDUAL AND FAMILY SELF-SUFFICIENCY IN TEXAS THROUGH RECEPTION AND PLACEMENT, MATCHING GRANT, CASH AND MEDICAL ASSISTANCE, PREFERRED COMMUNITIES, EMPLOYMENT SERVICES, SOCIAL ADJUSTMENT SERVICES, REFUGEE HEALTH PROMOTION, AND PC GAPS PROGRAMMING INITIATIVES. THROUGHOUT THE 2024 CALENDAR YEAR, RAICES ACCELERATED SUPPORT OF ELIGIBLE CLIENTS IN ACCORDANCE WITH FEDERAL MANDATES, SERVING NEARLY 3,300 COMMUNITY MEMBERS AS THEY PUT DOWN ROOTS IN THE U.S.
- $1.8 million spent. RIGHTS ADVOCACY: RAICES LEGAL ADVOCACY AND STRATEGIC LITIGATION INITIATIVES DEFEND ACCESS TO ASYLUM NATIONALLY AND MITIGATE THE HARMS OF DETENTION CONDITIONS ON IMMIGRANT, REFUGEE, AND ASYLUM-SEEKING PEOPLE AND FAMILIES IN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CUSTODY. PROGRAMMING LEVERAGES CLIENT EDUCATION, THE COURTS, AND THE POWER OF PUBLIC ACTION TO PRESERVE THE HUMAN AND LEGAL RIGHTS ENSHRINED IN THE U.S. CONSTITUTION, AS WELL AS INTERNATIONAL AND FEDERAL LAW. IN 2024, RAICES ADDRESSED HARMS INCURRED BY CLIENTS THROUGH WRONGFUL IMPRISONMENT, FAMILY SEPARATION, AND ASYLUM BANS, AND PREPARED FOR ANTICIPATED CHALLENGES TO EXISTING IMMIGRATION STATUTES UNDER A NEW ADMINISTRATION.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated November 6, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since April 1987.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated November 4, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.