HOUSTON – As the immigration debate continues to rage, many organizations are stepping in to help the children who have already been separated from their families.
Using the nonprofit charity rating organization Charity Navigator, KPRC 2 has compiled a list of organizations that offer a variety of services to immigrant children, as well as their families.
Charity Navigator rates nonprofits based on their financial health, accountability, and transparency. You can view each organization’s Employer Identification Number or EIN number, affiliation, income amounts, IRS forms, and history on the site.
Some of the charities below are mid-sized and are not yet rated by Charity Navigator. If you prefer to stick with organizations that have been rated, you can find a list of charities doing national and international work with immigration here.
Texas Civil Rights Project
The Texas Civil Rights Project is accepting volunteers to help translate for families and the children who have been separated from them at the border. The organization is also requesting Spanish-speaking volunteers to help with the legal intake process. This organization has one of the highest ratings on Charity Navigator.
Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services
The Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services (RAICES) is a Texas-based organization that is providing free and low-cost legal services to immigrant children, families, and refugees in Texas. The group is currently accepting donations and has a variety of volunteer opportunities.
American Civil Liberties Union Foundation
American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) works to influence public policy and is currently advocating for the release of immigrant children held in detention facilities. The ACLU is not a charity, so donations are not tax-deductible. However, the organization does have a foundation called the ACLU Foundation which receives high ratings on Charity Navigator.
The Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights
The Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights provides independent “child advocates” to meet with immigrant children inside detention centers and go with them to immigrant proceedings. The Young Center trains adults who will work with refugee children one-on-one. This organization has not been rated by Charity Navigator, but some information is available about this organization on the rating website.
Comfort Cases is a nonprofit organization is working to raise at least $150,000 to provide backpacks to separated immigrant children at the border. The packs contain items like blankets, toiletries, a stuffed animal, coloring books, art supplies, and books. This organization has not been rated by Charity Navigator.
Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project
Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project (ASAP) is an organization with an online community center that uses technology to connect previously detained refugees throughout the country. They also work to prevent deportation of refugee families and their children who come to the U.S. seeking asylum after they’ve fled violence. This organization has not been rated by Charity Navigator, but some information is available about this organization on the rating website.