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Non-profit

Centro Legal de la Raza (Centro Legal)

Website:

www.centrolegal.org/
Location:

Oakland, CA
Tax ID:

23-7181456
Tax-Exempt Status:

501(c)(3)

Budget (2020):

Revenue: $10,432,005
Expenses: $9,565,411
Assets: $7,665,210
Type:

Legal Services
Founded:

1969
Executive Director:

Monique Berlanga

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Centro Legal de la Raza (Centro Legal) is a nonprofit organization based in Oakland, California that provides legal services, primarily for immigrants. It has multiple immigration clinics in the Bay Area, assisting with immigration processes as well as individuals facing deportation. 1

Centro Legal has supported hunger strikes and litigation in response to the GEO Group, which owns some California prisons, paying inmates less than minimum wage for voluntary labor. It has also supported strikes in support of increasing wages for farmworkers and teachers. 2 3

Background

Founded in 1969, Centro Legal de la Raza is a nonprofit organization that provides legal services in California’s Bay Area, with a focus on immigration cases. 4 It offers legal representation to immigrants facing potential workplace and housing violations as well as representation for immigration processes. 5

Centro Legal is a vocal critic of for-profit prisons, including the GEO Group, for paying inmates below minimum wage for their labor. It advocates for left-of-center labor policies on behalf of immigrants, supporting the unionization of workers to represent the interests of immigrants. 6

In 2020, Centro Legal de la Raza reported spending $19.7 million on legal services to over 10,000 individuals including legal and illegal immigrants as well as individuals seeking asylum and facing deportation. Of the $19.7 million, it distributed over $12.4 million of which were spent in grants. It also reported receiving $321,189 for its legal services. 7

In addition to providing legal services for immigrants, Centro Legal takes cases of workplace discrimination, tenants’ rights disputes, represents victims of violent crimes, and files class-action lawsuits. 8

Advocacy

Centro Legal de la Raza has held forums and campaigned for local law enforcement to end cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other federal immigration authorities. It advocates against enforcement of federal immigration laws to prevent allegedly unjust deportations and immigrant detentions. 9

Centro Legal has filed lawsuits against ICE and the GEO Group, which owns prisons and detention centers, for paying inmates less than minimum wage for voluntary work programs. It argues that California’s minimum wage laws apply to incarcerated individuals. 10 11

People

Monique Berlanga serves as the executive director for Centro Legal de la Raza. She is an attorney that previously worked for Bay Area Legal Aid and Eviction Defense Center in Oakland, California, representing individuals facing eviction and housing violations. 12

Funding

In 2020, Centro Legal de la Raza reported receiving $21.5 million in total revenue, $15.8 million of which came from government grants, $5.2 million from “other contributions,” and $321,189 for legal services. 13 14 It also reported $21.7 million in total expenses, $12.4 million in grants, and $7.2 million in salaries and compensation for employees. 15

References

  1. “Litigation.” Centro Legal de la Raza. Accessed June 12, 2023. https://www.centrolegal.org/litigation/.
  2. “KNOW YOUR RIGHTS EMPOWERMENT INSIDE DETENTION.” Oakland: Centro Legal de la Raza, 2022. https://www.centrolegal.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/KYR-Empowerment-Inside-Detention-English.pdf
  3. “Detained Immigrant Workers Request Federal Judge to Affirm Findings against Ice, GEO Group.” Centro Legal de la Raza, May 19, 2023. https://www.centrolegal.org/detained-immigrant-workers-request-federal-judge-to-affirm-findings-against-ice-geo-group/
  4. “Legal Directory.” IAN Nonprofit Resource Center. Accessed June 12, 2023. https://www.immigrationadvocates.org/nonprofit/legaldirectory/organization.392676-Centro_Legal_de_La_Raza.
  5. “Home.” Centro Legal de la Raza. Accessed June 12, 2023. https://www.centrolegal.org/.
  6. “KNOW YOUR RIGHTS EMPOWERMENT INSIDE DETENTION.” Oakland: Centro Legal de la Raza, 2022. https://www.centrolegal.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/KYR-Empowerment-Inside-Detention-English.pdf
  7. Return of Organization of Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Centro Legal de la Raza. 2021. Part III, Line 4a.
  8. “Litigation.” Centro Legal de la Raza. Accessed June 12, 2023. https://www.centrolegal.org/litigation/.
  9. “Immigrants’ Rights.” Centro Legal de la Raza. Accessed June 12, 2023. https://www.centrolegal.org/immigrants-rights/.
  10. “Detained Immigrant Workers Request Federal Judge to Affirm Findings against Ice, GEO Group.” Centro Legal de la Raza, May 19, 2023. https://www.centrolegal.org/detained-immigrant-workers-request-federal-judge-to-affirm-findings-against-ice-geo-group/.
  11. “KNOW YOUR RIGHTS EMPOWERMENT INSIDE DETENTION.” Oakland: Centro Legal de la Raza, 2022. https://www.centrolegal.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/KYR-Empowerment-Inside-Detention-English.pdf
  12. “Monique Berlanga.” Centro Legal de la Raza. Accessed June 12, 2023. https://www.centrolegal.org/monique-berlanga/.
  13. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Centro Legal de la Raza. 2021. Part VIII, Lines 1e-2a.
  14. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Centro Legal de la Raza. 2021. Part I, Line 12.
  15. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Centro Legal de la Raza. 2021. Part I, Line 13-18.
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Nonprofit Information

  • Accounting Period: June - May
  • Tax Exemption Received: May 1, 1972

    • Available Filings

    Period Form Type Total revenue Total functional expenses Total assets (EOY) Total liabilities (EOY) Unrelated business income? Total contributions Program service revenue Investment income Comp. of current officers, directors, etc. Form 990
    2020 Jun Form 990 $10,432,005 $9,565,411 $7,665,210 $2,855,146 N $10,172,005 $434,683 $10,816 $222,511 PDF
    2019 Jun Form 990 $8,250,873 $9,261,847 $6,458,500 $2,515,030 N $7,788,846 $452,242 $230 $232,663 PDF
    2018 Jun Form 990 $7,763,751 $5,550,589 $6,089,944 $340,748 N $7,368,614 $390,451 $459 $171,502 PDF
    2017 Jun Form 990 $7,634,139 $5,659,231 $3,874,272 $338,238 N $7,496,900 $137,239 $0 $80,408 PDF
    2016 Jun Form 990 $2,817,518 $2,260,918 $1,720,902 $159,776 N $2,712,743 $146,976 $0 $85,000 PDF
    2015 Jun Form 990 $2,023,749 $1,655,556 $1,134,394 $129,868 N $1,916,681 $135,845 $0 $71,267 PDF
    2014 Jun Form 990 $1,777,848 $1,517,656 $697,612 $61,279 N $1,698,616 $88,489 $0 $68,611 PDF
    2013 Jun Form 990 $1,673,726 $1,487,671 $443,997 $67,856 N $1,617,047 $62,255 $0 $67,436 PDF
    2012 Jun Form 990 $1,576,449 $1,464,369 $289,316 $99,230 N $1,546,558 $29,646 $245 $59,176 PDF
    2011 Jun Form 990 $1,396,481 $1,444,694 $197,410 $119,404 N $1,336,291 $59,815 $375 $59,520 PDF

    Additional Filings (PDFs)

    Centro Legal de la Raza (Centro Legal)

    3400 E 12TH ST
    Oakland, CA 94601-3402