National Immigration Law Center

What it reported doing in 2024

Law and policy: during this period, the national immigration law center's (nilc) law and policy team challenged unjust laws jeopardizing the rights of immigrants and refugees and advocated for policy solutions. After immigration-related executive orders issued in january 2025, nilc staff produced and disseminated explainers and know-your-rights (kyr) materials to inform advocates and community members of policy changes and ways to respond. In partnership with key allies, nilc highlighted the harms of a federal spending proposal designed to provide additional funding for mass deportation efforts while slashing critical safety net programs. Nilc's litigation team filed several lawsuits, including one to challenge a new registration rule requiring undocumented community members who did not enter the country with a visa to register with the government or face criminal prosecution. The team helped advocates prepare for the 5th circuit court of appeals hearing in the Texas case challenging the legality of the deferred action for childhood arrival program. Staff continued promoting the importance of a permanent policy solution for young immigrants who are american in every way but on paper. Nilc was at the forefront of responding to the rescission of a long-standing policy preventing immigration enforcement in "protected areas like hospitals, schools, and churches. And after migrants were removed from the u.s. And sent to el salvador's notorious cecot prison, the team created a legal explainer for families, produced a multi-lingual community resource on locating a loved one, and provided technical information to policymakers seeking to address deteriorating conditions in immigration detention facilities.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 64.1%; rating input score 64
• Program expense ratio: 84.1%; rating input score 84
• Fundraising efficiency: $13.11 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 46; 46th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 94.1%; rating input score 94; 20th percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 2 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 33
  • Compensation committee: Pass
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
  • Written employment contract: Missing
  • Compensation survey or study: Missing
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: 98.4%; rating input score 98; 30th percentile among comparable filings
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Yes; rating input score 100

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: Fail
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 26.2%; rating input score 86; 86th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 2.3; rating input score 66; 66th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.1; rating input score 74; 74th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 10.8%; rating input score 18; 18th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 10.4% per year; rating input score 100; 72nd percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 9.4% per year; rating input score 100; 71st percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 14.2% per year; rating input score 100; 79th percentile among comparable filings