BORDERLINES

Legal Aid & "Know Your Rights"

National Network for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (NNIRR)

Focus: Civil rights education and advocacy for refugee communities.

Website: www.nnirr.org 

Contact: (510) 465-1985

International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP)

Focus: Legal aid for displaced people and refugees navigating the U.S. system.

Website: www.refugeerights.org

Legal Help: iraplegalinfo.org

American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)

Focus: Multilingual "Know Your Rights" guides for encounters with law enforcement.

Website: www.aclu.org/know-your-rights/immigrants-rights

Contact: (212) 549-2500

Humanitarian Support & Crisis Aid

No More Deaths / No Más Muertes

Focus: Direct humanitarian aid (water, food, medical) in border wilderness areas.

Website: www.nomoredeaths.org

Report a Missing Migrant: (520) 512-5147

Kino Border Initiative

Focus: Binational support providing meals, shelter, and medical care in Nogales (AZ/Mexico).

Website: www.kinoborderinitiative.org

Contact: (520) 287-2730

South Texas Human Rights Center

Focus: Preventing migrant deaths through water stations and support for families of the missing.

Website: www.southtexashumanrights.org

Contact: (361) 325-2555

Emergency Hotlines

National Human Trafficking Hotline: Call 1-888-373-7888 or Text "HELP" to 233733.

National Domestic Violence Hotline (Multilingual): Call 1-800-799-7233.

Crisis Text Line: Text "HOME" to 741741.

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Policy, Research & Global Education

1. Top-Tier Research & Policy Hubs
National Immigration Law Center (NILC)

Focus: The primary U.S. organization dedicated to defending the rights of low-income immigrants. They specialize in healthcare access, workers' rights, and economic justice.

Website: www.nilc.org

Contact: (213) 639-3900

Urban Institute (Immigration Program)

Focus: Provides rigorous, non-partisan data on how federal and local policies affect the well-being of immigrant families.

Website: www.urban.org/expertise/immigration

Contact: (202) 833-7200

National Immigration Forum (NIF)

Focus: A leading advocacy group that tracks weekly legislative and judicial developments in Washington, D.C..

Website: www.immigrationforum.org

Contact: (202) 347-5223

Center for Migration Studies (CMS)

Focus: An educational institute that publishes high-level scholarship on forced displacement, refugee protection, and border enforcement policies.

Website: www.cmsny.org

Contact: (212) 337-3080

2. International & Global Resources
UNHCR (The UN Refugee Agency)

Focus: The global authority on protecting displaced and stateless people. They offer extensive educational resources on resettlement and international law.

Website: www.unhcr.org

Contact (U.S. Office): (202) 243-7600

International Organization for Migration (IOM) — E-Campus

Focus: Free online courses and training materials on migration law, gender and migration, and migrant protection.

Website: www.ecampus.iom.int

Flagship Research: World Migration Report.

3. Specialized Advocacy
Refugees International

Focus: An independent advocacy group that does not accept government funding, allowing them to provide unbiased reports on global displacement crises.

Website: www.refugeesinternational.org

Contact: (202) 828-0110

HIAS (Formerly Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society)

Focus: The oldest refugee agency in the world, providing high-level legal defense and federal resettlement partnership.

Website: www.hias.org

Contact: (301) 844-7300