Florence Immigrant and Refugee Rights Project
The Florence Immigrant and Refugee Rights Project is an immigration advocacy group and legal services provider operating along the United States-Mexico border in Arizona. The group was founded in 1989 to provide free legal services to adults and unaccompanied children who have crossed the border and/or are seeking asylum in the United States. The group also engages in advocacy regarding immigration policy, supporting far-left positions including abolishing the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE) and other law enforcement agencies. The group has been funded by a variety of left-of-center foundations and law firms including Equal Justice Works, the Morton K. and Jane Blaustein Foundation, and the FWD.us Education Fund. 1 2
Contents
Background and History
The Florence Immigrant and Refugee Rights Project was founded in 1989 when an immigration judge in Phoenix, Arizona called on “the Phoenix legal community to assist thousands of detained people seeking asylum from civil wars in Central America.” The Florence Project was founded as the Florence Asylum Project with two volunteers providing free legal services at the Florence, Arizona immigration detention centers, from which the group got its name. In 1991, the Florence Asylum Project changed its name to the Florence Immigrant and Refugee Rights Project to reflect a focus on immigration assistance issues outside of asylum. 3
In the late 1990s, the group formed a “Pro Se” model that provided detained immigrants with resources to help them represent themselves. In 2000, the group launched a children’s program to direct legal services to unaccompanied minors crossing the border. 3
From 2007 to 2012, the group ran the “Arizona Defending Immigrants” program which sought to educate public defenders in Arizona on the immigration consequences of criminal convictions. 3
Following the 2016 election of former President Donald Trump, the group strongly opposed the Trump administration’s immigration policy, stating that the “Administration attack(ed) immigrants’ rights with new policies restricting access to asylum.” In 2020, the group launched a “Border Action Team to serve more individuals on the border and respond to changing situations” in response to the Trump administration’s Remain in Mexico policy. 3
Stances
The Florence Immigrant and Refugee Rights Project has demanded that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (PBP) be abolished. The Florence Immigrant and Refugee Rights Project posted a poem on social media in 2023 saying, “Roses are red. Violets are blue. You and me could Defund DHS, ICE, and CBP too!” 1
Funding
The Florence Immigrant and Refugee Rights Project is funded by a variety of left-of-center donors, foundations, and organizations. The group also receives pro-bono services and financial support from large national law firms. 4
In 2022, the group announced a “transformative gift from billionaire donor MacKenzie Scott to launch a representation-for-all legal services model in Arizona.” The group also announced another large gift in 2022 from Our Lady of Victory Missionary Sisters, commonly known as the Victory Noll Sisters, to strengthen the Florence Project’s Integrated Social Services Program and Border Action Team. 5
Other funders of the group include Equal Justice Works, the Morton K. and Jane Blaustein Foundation, the AmazonSmile Foundation, the Howard G. Buffett Foundation, the Morningstar Foundation, and the FWD.us Education Fund. 2
Financial Statistics
Total Assets
Total Revenue
Total Expenses
| Year | Total Assets | Total Revenue | Total Expenses | Filing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $34,961,141 | $21,482,539 | $22,380,076 | View |
| 2023 | $36,255,645 | $17,797,207 | $19,762,553 | View |
| 2022 | $35,440,366 | $34,237,462 | $17,170,489 | View |
| 2021 | $19,480,878 | $17,243,235 | $14,921,827 | View |
| 2020 | $16,958,238 | $15,997,377 | $12,900,718 | View |
Prior year filings: 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011
Revenue Detail
Expenses Detail
Employee Compensation
- Number of Employees: 231
Highest Earning Employees
| Employee | Title | Total Compensation |
|---|---|---|
| Lillian Aponte | EXECUTIVE DI | $208,794 |
| Laura St John | LEGAL DIRECT | $181,990 |
| Gabriela Corrales | DIR. OF PHIL | $149,909 |
| Kaitlin Porter | SOCIAL SERV | $133,616 |
| Roxana Avila-Cimpeanu | DEPUTY DIREC | $129,095 |
Grant Activity
All-time grants received statistics from Candid dataset:
- Total Grant Value: $27,479,308
- Number of Grants: 510
- Number of Funders: 210
Selection of highest value grants received from the last seven years: