The Black Alliance for Just Immigration (BAJI) is a left-of-center advocacy organization that promotes left-of-center criminal justice and immigration policies. The organization was founded in 2006 and provides both training and grassroots assistance for link-minded organizations. The main program of the BAJI is the Black Immigration Network (BIN). The organization operates state chapters in California, Arizona, New York, and Georgia. ¹

Background

The Black Alliance for Just Immigration (BAJI) was founded in 2006 and initially consisted of activists in the Oakland and San Francisco Bay area including Kevin Sauls and Philip Lawson, a founder of the California Interfaith Coalition for Immigrant Rights. The organization also claims it grew from a previous community activist group Priority Africa Network. The network claimed to bring together immigrants to discuss political and cultural issues. ¹

The executive director of the Black Alliance for Just Immigration is Nana Gyamfi. Gyamfi is an attorney and was previously the executive director of Black Women’s Forum as well as a co-founder of the groups Justice Warriors 4 Black Lives and Human Rights Advocacy. ²

Political Activity

In April 2019, Nana Gyamfi, executive director of Black Alliance for Just Immigration (BAJI), participated in a discussion on immigration policy during the annual House Democrats Issues Conference. Gyamfi was joined by John Yang, then-president of Asian Americans Advancing Justice; Mary Small, then-policy director of Detention Watch Network (DWN); and Fernando Garcia, then-executive director of Border Network for Human Rights (BNHR). ³

By 2020, BAJI oversaw state committees meant to train and educate activists in New York, Georgia, California, and Arizona. BAJI also operated the Black Immigration Network, a national campaign advocating left-of-center immigration policies. ⁴

Other projects include the Communications and Media Education on Race in America (CAMERA) program, which oversees media and other online contacts to increase support for BAJI’s policy messaging; the Faith Advocacy for Immigrants and Refugees (FAIR) project, which provides activism training to churches and mosques in African-American and immigrant communities; and the State of Black Immigrants Research Institute, which publishes research and fact sheets that promote BAJI’s policy advocacy. ⁴

In 2025, in response to the Second Trump Administration‘s new immigration policies, BAJI’s website began sharing documents and sources allegedly explaining and criticizing said policies, while providing educational and legal sources to assist immigrant communities. ⁵

Funding

The Black Alliance for Just Immigration (BAJI) receives funding from several grantmaking foundations including the Borealis Philanthropy, ⁶ the California Endowment, ⁷ the Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund, ⁸ the NoVo Foundation, ⁹ and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. ¹⁰ BAJI has also received funding from several labor unions including the AFL-CIO, the SEIU, and the SEIU United Healthcare Workers West. ¹¹

Financials

The Black Alliance for Just Immigration (BAJI) has been tax-exempt since April 2010. According to its 2023 990 forms, BAJI reported a revenue of $2,467,887, expenses at $3,180,415, and total assets of $9,935,950. ¹²

According to its 2022 990 forms, BAJI reported a revenue of $5,100,532, expenses at $2,349,864, and total assets of $10,683,270. ¹³

1. “Who We Are.” Black Alliance for Just Immigration. Accessed July 29, 2020. http://baji.org/who-we-are/
2. “Legislative Policy Conference Speakers: Nana Gyamfi.” National Urban League. Accessed July 29, 2020. https://nul.org/basic-page/nana-gyamfi
3. ”2019 Issues Conference (Brochure).” House Democrats. Accessed July 29, 2020. Available: https://www.influencewatch.org/app/uploads/2019/04/2019-Issues-Conference-Agenda-House-Democrats.pdf
4. “Black Alliance for Just Immigration.” Philanthropy News Digest. February 6, 2018. Accessed July 29, 2020. https://philanthropynewsdigest.org/npo-spotlight/black-alliance-for-just-immigration
5. BAJI, “Trump Admin Executive Orders Explainers,” Google Docs, accessed February 17, 2025, https://docs.google.com/document/d/1QBkQvPmh-JHaZ2-ne0PSTgD1HctX-GDQUqCwvfUB7gY/edit?pli=1&tab=t.0. 
6. Borealis Philanthropy, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2018, Schedule I
7. California Endowment, Return of a Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2016, Part XV Line 3
8. Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund, Return of a Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2018, Part XV Line 3
9. NoVo Foundation, Return of a Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2018, Part XV Line 3
10. W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Return of a Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2017, Part XV Line 3
11. Data compiled from Labor Organization Annual Reports filed with the Department of Labor Office of Labor Management Standards. Queries conducted August 11, 2020.
12. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Black Alliance for Just Immigration. 2023. Part I. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/271911378/202433209349320803/full
13. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Black Alliance for Just Immigration. 2022. Part I. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/271911378/202343199349321159/full