Community Immigration Law Center (CILC) is a left-of-center Wisconsin nonprofit law firm which seeks to prevent deportation of illegal immigrants. The center operates a range of programs designed to prevent deportations and help undocumented immigrants gain asylum status, refugee status, work visas, or permanent residency. These programs include free or reduced cost legal representation and consultation, application filing assistance, free consultation clinics, referrals, and outreach to aligned groups to promote their immigration policy positions and train activists. ¹

CILC is affiliated with Christ Presbyterian Church, using the church as its headquarters. The head pastor of Christ Presbyterian ls a left-of-center activist who has publicly endorsed child sex-transition treatments and participation by transgender natal males in women’s sports. ^{2 3} In addition, the center is a member organization of the Vera Institute of Justice’s national Safety and Fairness for Everyone (SAFE) network. ⁴

Founding and History

Community Immigration Law Center was founded in Madison, Wisconsin in 2016 to provide free or low-cost legal services to migrants facing deportation. The group is hosted by Christ Presbyterian Church in Madison, which is a liberal progressive church. ⁵  The church’s lead pastor, Jessica R. Patchett, is a left-leaning activist who signed the “Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice” statement, which endorsed child sex change treatments and participation by transgender natal males in women’s sports. ⁶

Activism

Community Immigration Law Center operates programs dedicated to preventing the deportation of illegal immigrants. As its main program, CILC provides pro bono legal services to local immigrants at risk of deportation, opening twenty-six new cases in 2022. In addition, that same year, CILC filed thirty-two asylum and work permit applications for immigrants living in America illegally to help them gain legal status. CILC ran a program to recruit and train volunteer attorneys to assist Afghan evacuees in gaining permanent resident status after the American withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. ⁷

Another CILC program runs free clinics allowing one-on-one consultation for members of the public with an immigration attorney on immigration-related legal issues. The center would then refer immigrants and others to a local immigration attorney for assistance. In 2022, the center’s clinics provided consultation to an estimated 305 people. CILC maintained a list of volunteer attorneys who rotated participation at the clinics and a separate list of attorneys willing to accept referrals. ⁸

In addition, CILC provides speakers to local groups, churches, schools, radio stations, and activist groups to promote their policy positions, organize with different groups, and train activists. Speakers included CILC-employed staff attorneys and non-employee volunteer attorneys from the Madison area, as well as board members. The center made an estimated eight presentations in 2022. ⁹

On top of their local activism, the center cooperates with the Vera Institute of Justice as a member of their national Safety and Fairness for Everyone (SAFE) network. ¹⁰ SAFE is funded by groups such as the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, Kresge Foundation, and Open Society Foundations. ¹¹

1.  “Community Immigration Law Center.” GuideStar. Accessed October 4, 2023. https://www.guidestar.org/profile/32-0375185
2. “About.” Community Immigration Law Center. Accessed October 4, 2023. https://www.cilcmadison.org/about
3. “Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice: Faith leaders support for transgender equality.” WisPolitics. October 4, 2023. Accessed October 4, 2023. https://www.wispolitics.com/2023/wisconsin-faith-voices-for-justice-faith-leaders-support-for-transgender-equality/
4. “About.” Community Immigration Law Center. Accessed October 4, 2023. https://www.cilcmadison.org/about
5. “About.” Community Immigration Law Center. Accessed October 4, 2023. https://www.cilcmadison.org/about
6. “Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice: Faith leaders support for transgender equality.” WisPolitics. October 4, 2023. Accessed October 4, 2023. https://www.wispolitics.com/2023/wisconsin-faith-voices-for-justice-faith-leaders-support-for-transgender-equality/
7. “Community Immigration Law Center.” GuideStar. Accessed October 4, 2023. https://www.guidestar.org/profile/32-0375185
8. “Community Immigration Law Center.” GuideStar. Accessed October 4, 2023. https://www.guidestar.org/profile/32-0375185
9. “Community Immigration Law Center.” GuideStar. Accessed October 4, 2023. https://www.guidestar.org/profile/32-0375185
10. “About.” Community Immigration Law Center. Accessed October 4, 2023. https://www.cilcmadison.org/about
11. “Vera Institute of Justice (VIJ).” InfluenceWatch. Accessed October 4, 2023. https://www.influencewatch.org/non-profit/vera-institute-of-justice/