Immigration Equality is an LGBT-focused immigration advocacy group that provides legal assistance for LGBT asylum seekers. ¹ The group also challenges federal immigration regulations and lobbies for liberal expansionist immigration policy. ^{2 3}

Immigration Equality has received support from left-of-center grantmaking foundations, including the Open Society Institute, Ford Foundation, Arcus Foundation, Paul Rapoport Foundation, and Evelyn and Walter Haas Jr. Fund.^{4 5}

Activity

Immigration Equality provides legal services for LGBT immigrants, as well as policy-focused litigation, activism, and advocacy. ¹ Direct legal services include pro bono representation for asylum seekers and a detention hotline that provides detainees with legal advice, counsel, and educational resources. ⁶ Immigration Equality also engages in policy litigation, challenging federal asylum and immigrations regulations. ² The group’s activism methods include calling and petitioning government officials, pledges, and get out the vote efforts. ⁷ The group’s advocacy is conducted by lobbyists with ties to Democratic congressional offices. ⁸

Immigration Equality has been described as “the principal advocate” for the Uniting American Families Act, a bill concerning the ability of permanent partners of United States citizens and lawful permanent residents to establish citizenship. ⁹ It partnered in that effort with Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, the Human Rights Campaign, the American Immigration Lawyers Association, the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, National Immigration Forum, Legal Momentum, and People for the American Way. ¹⁰

The group has also supported efforts to repeal the filing deadline for asylum, eliminate fees for asylum applications, establish parole during application processing, recognize permanent partners’ ability to seek citizenship, eliminate caps on green cards, repeal expedited removals, and eliminate mandatory detention. ¹¹

Funding

In 2020, Immigration Equality reported a total revenue of $1,484,369, with expenses totaling $1,820,000, leaving a net income of -$335,631. ¹² Immigration Equality has received support from the Open Society Foundations, Ford Foundation, Arcus Foundation, Paul Rapoport Foundation, and Evelyn and Walter Haas Jr. Fund. ^{4 5}

In 2019, Immigration Equality received a $100,000 donation from Marriott International. ¹³ Brian King, a senior regional executive for Marriott International, serves as a member on the board of directors for Immigration Equality. ¹⁴

Immigration Equality received a $10,000 grant from the Brooklyn Community Foundation, a local left-of-center grantmaking group, in 2020. ¹⁵

Partner Organizations

Immigration Equality is affiliated with the Immigration Equality Action Fund, an immigration activism and advocacy partner organization. ¹⁶

Immigrant Equality is the host organization for fellows studying immigration advocacy and law for the Immigrant Justice Corps. ¹⁷

People

Aaron C. Morris is the executive director for Immigration Equality. ¹⁸ He is also a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association and the LGBT Bar Association. ¹⁸

Amitesh Parikh is a senior staff attorney for the group’s pro bono program. ¹⁹ He was also a policy fellow with the National Center for Lesbian Rights. ¹⁹

Stéfanie Lacroix is a staff attorney. ²⁰ She developed programming for the Center for Reproductive Rights. ²⁰

Jaime Bayo is a development director for the group. ²¹ He worked as the head of philanthropy for the left-leaning Action for the Climate Emergency and as development director for Save Dade, an LGBT advocacy group. ^{21 22}

Alan Flippen is treasurer of Immigration Equality’s board of directors. ²³ He was an associate managing editor for the New York Times. ²⁴

Brian King is a board director. ¹⁴ He has contributed to the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Time, and USA Today. ¹⁴ He also serves as a senior executive for Marriott International, a major donor to Immigration Equality. ^{14 13}

Leone Kraus is a board director. ²⁵  She has worked with Freedom to Marry and Empire State Pride Agenda, a New York-focused LGBT advocacy group. ²⁵

1. “Immigration Equality.” Comptroller.nyc.gov. Accessed January 14, 2023. https://comptroller.nyc.gov/lgbtq/immigration-equality/.
2. “Impact Litigation.” Immigration Equality, December 24, 2021. https://immigrationequality.org/about-us/what-we-do/impact-litigation/.
3. “Immigration Equality – Summary from Legistorm.” LegiStorm. Accessed January 14, 2023. https://www.legistorm.com/organization/summary/47472/Immigration_Equality.html.
4. “Acknowledgements.” Family, Unvalued: Discrimination, Denial, and the Fate of Binational Same-Sex Couples under U.S. Law: Acknowledgements. Accessed January 14, 2023. https://www.hrw.org/reports/2006/us0506/1.htm#_Toc132691952
5. “Forty Years of LGBTQ Philanthropy 1970–2010 – Lgbtfunders.org.” LGBT Funders. Accessed January 14, 2023. https://lgbtfunders.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/40years_lgbtqphilanthrophy.pdf.
6. “Direct Legal Services.” Immigration Equality. June 22, 2022. https://immigrationequality.org/about-us/what-we-do/direct-legal-services/.
7. “Take Action.” Immigration Equality. November 16, 2022. https://immigrationequality.org/get-involved/take-action/.
8. “Immigration Equality – Summary from Legistorm.” LegiStorm. Accessed January 31, 2023, https://www.legistorm.com/organization/summary/47472/Immigration_Equality.html.
9. Carreras, Jessica. “Immigration Equality Picks Up More Congressional Support.” Pride Source. October 2, 2008. https://pridesource.com/article/32315/.
10. “Appendix A: The Uniting American Families Act.” Family, Unvalued: Discrimination, Denial, and the Fate of Binational Same-Sex Couples under U.S. Law: II. Sex and Security: A Short History of Exclusions. Accessed January 14, 2023. https://www.hrw.org/reports/2006/us0506/9.htm#_Toc132691985.
11. “Legislative Priorities.” Immigration Equality. October 11, 2022. https://immigrationequality.org/about-us/what-we-do/policy-advocacy/bills-immigration-equality-action-fund-endorses-116th-congress/.
12. Immigration Equality. Return of an Organization Exempt From Income Tax (Form 990). 2020. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/133802711
13. Frank Kineavy, Danielle Hess, Molly McKee, and Linda Bell. “Marriott International Donates $100,000 to Advance the Mission of Immigration Equality.” DiversityInc. June 29, 2019. https://www.diversityinc.com/marriott-international-donates-100000-to-advance-the-mission-of-immigration-equality-2/
14. “Brian King.” Immigration Equality. March 4, 2021. https://immigrationequality.org/board/board/brian-king/.
15. “Immigration Equality.” Brooklyn Community Foundation. June 29, 2020. https://www.brooklyncommunityfoundation.org/grant-recipients/immigration-equality.
16. Combined Financial Statements Immigration Equality Immigration Equality Action Fund. Accessed January 14, 2023. https://immigrationequality.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/2015-IE-and-IEAF-Combined-FS.pdf
17. “Host Organizations.” Immigrant Justice Corps. Accessed January 14, 2023. https://justicecorps.org/host-organizations/.
18. “Aaron C. Morris.” Immigration Equality. January 31, 2022. https://immigrationequality.org/staff/executive-director/aaron-c-morris/.
19. “Amitesh Parikh.” Immigration Equality. August 11, 2020. https://immigrationequality.org/staff/legal/amitesh-parikh/.
20. “Stéfanie Lacroix.” Immigration Equality. April 22, 2020. https://immigrationequality.org/staff/legal/stefanie-lacroix/.
21. “Jaime Bayo.” Immigration Equality. July 13, 2022. https://immigrationequality.org/staff/development/jaime-bayo/.
22. “Jaime Bayo.” Linkedin.com. Accessed January 14, 2023. https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaimebayo.
23. “Alan Flippen.” Immigration Equality. March 4, 2021. https://immigrationequality.org/board/board/alan-flippen/.
24. “Alan Flippen.” LinkedIn. Accessed January 14, 2023. https://www.linkedin.com/in/alan-flippen-a64394.
25. “Leone Kraus.” Immigration Equality. March 8, 2021. https://immigrationequality.org/board/board/leone-kraus/.