Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights

Overview

Mission

See schedule o

What it reported doing in 2024

Legal Immigration Services: CHIRLA's Legal Service Department has been recognized by the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) since August 30, 2011, to provide immigration legal services at low-cost. CHIRLA's legal staff comprises licensed attorneys, Department of Justice (DOJ) accredited representatives, Juris Doctors (awaiting bar results), trained paralegals (all awaiting DOJ accreditation decisions), and legal assistants. Since 2012, CHIRLA's legal staff has submitted thousands of applications for U.S. Naturalization forms (N-400). Since August 15, 2012, CHIRLA has filed thousands of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) initial and renewal applications, and has helped thousands of immigrants receive immigration assistance including: family petitions, waivers, consular process, adjustment of status, U-Visa, deportation defense, renewals for Legal Permanent Residency, VAWA, Temporary Protected Status (TPS), Employment Authorization Document (EAD) renewal, pro se immigration filings, motions to reopen and Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. CHIRLA's legal clinic and triage provides general consultations to over 30 clients 3 times a week and carefully evaluates each case, analyzes any red flags, and determines whether clients are eligible for U.S. Naturalization, DACA, or any other immigration relief. Each month, CHIRLA's legal services team sees hundreds of clients.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 64% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Direct operator. The filing allocates 93% of reported program-service expenses outside its grant, affiliate-payment, and member-benefit lines. This expense classification does not rule out separately announced grant awards.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
954421521
IRS 990 coverage
2009–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Headquarters
Los Angeles, CA, USA
Phone
2133531333
Rating
80
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Public, Societal Benefit

Official website

The verdict

STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Expenses are high relative to revenue and liabilities are high compared with assets.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 79
  • Transparency & Controls: 76
  • Accountability: 95
  • Sustainability: 39
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 82.3%; rating input score 82
  • Program expense ratio: 78%; rating input score 78
  • Fundraising efficiency: $25.65 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 63; 63rd percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 94.4%; rating input score 94; 22nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 2 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 33
    • Compensation committee: Missing
    • Independent consultant: Missing
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Pass
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: 95%; rating input score 95; 24th percentile among comparable filings
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 66th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 8 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 89
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Missing
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -5.5%; rating input score 15; 15th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 2.59; rating input score 70; 70th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.44; rating input score 33; 33rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 3.2%; rating input score 66; 66th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 19% per year; rating input score 100; 89th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 18.7% per year; rating input score 100; 91st percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 27.1% per year; rating input score 100; 95th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 82.3% of revenue deployed · 78% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 8 of 8 board members independent · 8 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 44 filed program accomplishments · $20.2M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $215K · 13 people listed · 2 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Consistency: 38 of 39 current checks pass · 1 finding to review
  • Schedules: 10 filed schedules · includes major donors, grants, and executive pay
  • Filing history: 16 annual filings from 2009 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 11 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: 7 filed related-organization links
  • Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
  • People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.

Leadership & pay

13 people listed

Highest reported compensation

  • ANGELICA SALAS (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR): $215,400 total reported compensation
  • ZERIHOUN YILMA (MANAGING DIRECTOR): $184,360 total reported compensation
  • Karla Elizabeth Aguayo (Director of Legal Services): $152,016 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: FY2024.