Immigrant and Refugee Law Center
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
The Immigrant and Refugee Law Center provides accessible legal services to immigrant and refugee families in the Greater Cincinnati community.
- Income
- $907,237
- Spending
- $631,415
- Spent on programs
- 74%
- Reserves
- 9.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 63%
- Employees
- 9
- Volunteers
- 7
- Highest pay
- $67,287, executive dir.
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: 93 out of 100. Higher than 78% of charities in its peer group (crime and legal services, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 9.6 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 2% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 30% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 57% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1574% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 7 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: 91 out of 100. Higher than 69% of charities in its peer group (crime and legal services, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 2511 of 13 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
10 of 10Gave 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
6 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 (2)
- $237,856 spent. Pro Bono Legal Services: In response to the urgent and growing need for free, high-quality legal services for immigrant and refugee families in Greater Cincinnati, the Immigrant and Refugee Law Center (IRLC) began operations in February 2018. IRLC is a unique, community-based nonprofit organization providing critical pro bono legal representation across a broad spectrum of humanitarian immigration matters for low-income individuals and families. Our clients include asylum seekers, unaccompanied children, trafficking survivors, and victims of violence many of whom are navigating life in the U.S. after enduring trauma and hardship. see schedule O for additional information With immigration cases growing more complex and the stakes higher than ever, IRLC remains the only organization in the region dedicated exclusively to providing no-cost immigration legal services for economically disadvantaged immigrant families. Representation dramatically increases a client's likelihood of success in immigration court, and IRLC ensures that even those with the fewest resources have a fighting chance. As of the close of 2024, IRLC has processed over 1,700 immigration cases, impacting the lives of families from more than 89 countries and children enrolled in over 73 different schools across the region. In the last year alone, IRLC served hundreds of clients, helping them apply for asylum, secure work authorization, obtain green cards, and gain U.S. citizenship. We've helped children move out of legal limbo and into new lives with safety, stability, and hope. One such story is that of a refugee from Congo, who was resettled in Cincinnati, represented by IRLC, and is now working full-time, supporting his family, and pursuing higher education the very embodiment of the American Dream. His journey represents the heart of IRLC's mission: helping individuals move from survival to opportunity. Following the 2024 presidential election, and in response to increasing threats of mass deportations and family separation, IRLC partnered with Legal Aid Society of Southwest Ohio and Catholic Charities Southwestern Ohio to provide a unified legal response to changing immigration policies. Together, we launched a Know Your Rights and Family Preparedness initiative, empowering families to take proactive steps to safeguard their children and assets. These efforts have strengthened our ability to educate, equip, and support our communities as they face hostile immigration enforcement and unjust rhetoric. IRLC continues to build capacity and deepen impact. We've now trained over 323 law students, interns, and pro bono attorneys, shaping the next generation of immigration advocates and expanding our reach. Our clients are 100% low-income, with more than 96% identifying as Black, Hispanic, Asian, or other people of color. From our school-based model to our holistic Team SIJS (Special Immigrant Juvenile Status) program, medico-legal partnerships, and trauma-informed approach, IRLC is doing what no other organization in our region does. We are a small but mighty team committed to standing with immigrants, defending due process, and fighting for justice in every corner of our community. IRLC is proud to be a safe, trusted, and powerful ally for the immigrant and refugee families who make Greater Cincinnati stronger, more diverse, and more compassionate.
- $229,563 spent. Unaccompanied Children's Program: In 2024, IRLC significantly expanded its Unaccompanied Children's Program to address the growing need for legal representation among immigrant minors arriving in Greater Cincinnati without parents or guardians. Through our partnership with the Acacia Center for Justice, a national leader in immigrant child advocacy, we ensure these vulnerable youth many fleeing violence, trafficking, or extreme poverty receive culturally sensitive, trauma-informed legal support to seek protections such as Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS), asylum, or U visas.- see schedule O for additional information A key milestone was the October 2024 opening of Cincinnati's first dedicated shelter for unaccompanied minors, operated under the Acacia program. IRLC provides full-scope legal and social services to every child at this shelter. Our collaboration with Hamilton County Children's Services deepened in 2024, with IRLC training all caseworkers to identify immigrant youth eligible for legal protections and streamline referrals. This initiative has been critical for children in foster care who may qualify for SIJS due to abuse, neglect, or abandonment. In 2024, IRLC provided direct legal services to 116 unaccompanied minors.
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 October 13, 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 2025.
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 2018.
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 October 21, 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.