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Mabel Center for Immigrant Justice Corp

EIN 85-1703023 · Boston, MA

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood89 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

MABEL CENTER'S MISSION IS TO PROVIDE EXPERT PRO BONO LEGAL SERVICES TO ASYLUM-SEEKING FAMILIES THAT HAVE BEEN SEPERATED, DETAINED IN FAMILY DETENTION CENTERS, AND/OR SUBJECTED TO EXPEDITED REMOVAL THROUGH DEDICATED DOCKET.

Income
$1.5 million
Spending
$1.0 million
Spent on programs
73%
Reserves
6 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 87%
Employees
10
Volunteers
3
Highest pay
$148,664, former dir. of develop. & comm.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 89 out of 100. Higher than 74% of charities in its peer group (crime and legal services, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 6.0 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 23% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 31% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 54% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    73% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 9 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 57% of charities in its peer group (crime and legal services, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    6 of 6 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, 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 (1)
  1. $762,268 spent. MABEL CENTER FOR IMMIGRANT JUSTICE PROVIDES PRO BONO LEGAL SERVICES TO ASYLUM-SEEKING FAMILIES THAT HAVE BEEN SEPARATED, DETAINED IN FAMILY DETENTION CENTERS, AND/OR SUBJECTED TO EXPEDITED REMOVAL THROUGH THE DEDICATED DOCKET. WE TAKE ON TOUGH AND COMPLEX DEFENSIVE ASYLUM CASES, REPRESENTING PRIMARILY WOMEN, CHILDREN, AND LGBTQ+ PEOPLE WHOSE STRENGTH AND RESILIENCE HAVE ALLOWED THEM TO SURVIVE INCONCEIVABLE VIOLENCE IN PURSUIT OF SAFETY IN THE UNITED STATES. DURING FY 2025, MABEL CENTER SERVED 748 INDIVIDUALS. MABEL CENTER ATTORNEYS' LEGAL STRATEGY AND APPROACH HAS LED TO REMARKABLE SUCCESS IN WINNING ASYLUM FOR THEIR CLIENTS. OUR ATTORNEYS HAVE SECURED ASYLUM FOR 30 CLIENTS THEY HAVE REPRESENTED IN COURT IN THE LAST THREE YEARS.IN ADDITION TO PROVIDING FULL LEGAL REPRESENTATION TO CLIENTS SEEKING ASYLUM, MABEL CENTER HANDLES PRO SE ASYLUM APPLICATIONS, EMPLOYMENT AUTHORIZATION DOCUMENTS, SPECIAL IMMIGRANT JUVENILES, TEMPORARY PROTECTED STATUS APPLICATIONS, GREEN CARDS, AND VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN ACT CASES. MABEL CENTER ATTORNEYS AND STAFF HAVE VOLUNTEERED AT FAMILY DETENTION CENTERS, WORKED ALONGSIDE ORGANIZATIONS AT THE BORDER, AND ANNUALLY WORK AT THE BORDER. DUE TO THE RELATIONSHIPS BUILT AND THE CULTURAL COMPETENCY DEMONSTRATED, MABEL CENTER HAS BECOME THE REFERRAL ORGANIZATION IN THE GREATER BOSTON REGION FOR DEFENSIVE ASYLUM-RELATED LEGAL SERVICES. COLLABORATION WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS IS INTEGRAL TO OUR SUCCESS AS IT ALLOWS US TO IDENTIFY AND CONNECT WITH POTENTIAL CLIENTS AND STAY UP TO DATE ON CHANGES THAT CAN IMPACT IMMIGRATION. MABEL CENTER'S CLIENT REFERRALS COME FROM: PAST CLIENTS, LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS, AND EXISTING PARTNERSHIPS WE HAVE WITH CHARITIES OPERATING IN TEXAS FAMILY DETENTION CENTERS. MABEL CENTER CLIENTS PREDOMINANTLY RESIDE IN CHELSEA, EAST BOSTON, DORCHESTER, LYNN, AND WALTHAM AND HAVE RELOCATED TO THE REGION FROM CENTRAL AMERICA AND HAITI. WE FOCUS OUR WORK ON PROVIDING SERVICES TO WOMEN AND CHILDREN FROM CENTRAL AMERICA AS THEY HAVE BEEN DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED BY CONSTANT PROCEDURAL CHANGES TO RECENT ARRIVING MIGRANTS. IN RESPONSE TO NEEDS OF MIGRANTS IN MASSACHUSETTS, AN INCREASED EMPHASIS HAS BEEN PLACED ON HAITIAN MIGRANTS IN EMERGENCY SHELTERS. ALL CLIENTS MUST MEET INCOME ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS (125% OF HHS POVERTY GUIDELINES) AND MABEL CENTER PROVIDES ALL SERVICES FREE OF COST TO OUR CLIENTS. NEARLY ALL OUR CLIENTS ARE SEEKING ASYLUM DUE TO GENDER-BASED OR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE THAT THEY WERE SUBJECTED TO IN THEIR HOME COUNTRY.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since September 2020.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. 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.