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Non-profit

Immigrant Defenders Law Center

Website:

www.immdef.org
Location:

LOS ANGELES, CA
Tax ID:

47-4473312
Tax-Exempt Status:

501(c)(3)

Budget (2022):

Revenue: $12,126,839
Expenses: $11,631,634
Assets: $7,306,510
Type:

Immigration and Refugee Activist Organization
Formation:

2015
Executive Director:

Lindsay Toczylowski
Budget (2023):

Revenue: $18,416,347

Expenses: $15,566,250

Total Assets: $10,483,129 in total assets. 40

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Immigrant Defenders Law Center (ImmDef) is a left-of-center immigrant legal activist group that provides deportation defense1 and other legal services to illegal immigrants and asylum seekers in Southern California. 2

ImmDef supports abolishing the immigration detention system, abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE),3 and dismantling and defunding police in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement. 4 ImmDef also provides “post-conviction relief” for illegal immigrants facing deportation due to criminal convictions for certain crimes5 and has received funding and government contacts from several municipalities in Southern California to provide legal services to illegal immigrants facing deportation. 1

ImmDef has received grants from several left-of-center foundations including GRoW support, a project of the Annenberg Foundation;6 the Weingart Foundation;78 David and Lucile Packard Foundation;9 Georgetown University;10 the Liberty Hill Foundation;11 the James Irvine Foundation;12 and the Vera Institute of Justice. 13

In 2020, ImmDef sued the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in Immigrant Defenders Law Center v. Wolf to end the Trump administration’s “Remain in Mexico” policy, which required individuals seeking asylum to remain in Mexico while their cases were being adjudicated. 14

History and Leadership

Immigrant Defenders Law Center (ImmDef) was founded in 2015 15 and is one of the largest legal service providers in Southern California with offices in Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego, and Riverside. 16

Lindsay Toczylowski is the executive director and co-founder of ImmDef. Previously she was overseas operations director at Asylum Access. 17

Susan Alva is the chief of staff and co-founder of Immdef. Prior to this, she worked for immigration advocacy group L.A. Center for Law and Justice while also foundingt the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (CHIRLA). 18

ImmDef associate director Susan Alva is on the board of directors of the far-left National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild and the National Network for Immigrant and Refugee Rights. 17

As of March 2025, Marrisa Arona serves as the president of the board at ImmDef. Arona also works as a conciltation specialist at the U.S. Department of Justice, and has previously worked for Californians for Safety and Justice and the Public Policy Institute of California. 19 20

Activities

Immigrant Defenders Law Center works directly with local governments in Southern California. In 2021, ImmDef signed an agreement with the City of Santa Ana to render $400,000 worth of deportation defense services for illegal immigrants between March 2021 and January 2023. 1 Terms of this agreement stipulate ImmDef shall share case-level data with the left-of-center Vera Institute of Justice (VIJ) as a part of its Safe and Fairness for Everyone (SAFE) Network campaign,1 which provides legal representation for illegal immigrants seeking permanent residence in the U.S. 21 In June 2021, Santa Ana officials made the deportation defense fund permanent and increased fiscal year 2021-2022 funding for the program to $300,000. 22

In 2019, the City of Long Beach selected ImmDef to evaluate and oversee a two-year legal contract to represent illegal immigrants facing deportation. This contract was funded by a $100,000 SAFE Cities grant from VIJ and a $250,000 grant from the City of Long Beach. 23

ImmDef also participates in “justice funds” in Los Angeles, where attorneys have helped to release 49% of originally detained illegal immigrants;24 in Orange County, where the group has provided cash assistance to illegal immigrants;25 and in the Inland Region. 26

ImmDef’s other activities include supporting the abolishment of the immigration prison system and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE);3 dismantling and defunding police in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement;4 providing legal representation for illegal immigrant children;27 challenging deportation orders issued to illegal immigrants convicted of certain crimes;5 attempting to reunite families separated due to detention or deportation; providing legal support to deported veterans;27 and supporting the removal of Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva (D) as a part of the left-of-center Check the Sheriff Coalition. 28

In March 2025, the Washington Free Beacon released an article alleging that between 2024 and 2025, ImmDef had received $17 million in federal funding intended to provide “legal services for illegal immigrants facing deportation.” 29 The article continues that ImmDef received the $17 million grant through the Acacia Center for Justice, which also oversees a $796 million federal contract intended “…to house and counsel unaccompanied children.” 29 The article also explains that the $17 million through Acacia was  “…approved by the Department of Interior and Department of Justice.” 30 31 32 33

Legal Activism

In 2020, ImmDef sued the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in Immigrant Defenders Law Center v. Wolf to end the Trump Administration’s “Remain in Mexico” policy, which required individuals seeking asylum to remain in Mexico while their cases were being adjudicated. 14 ImmDef was represented in this case by the controversial Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), the National Immigration Project of the left-wing National Lawyers Guild, and Arnold & Porter LLP. 34

Funding and Financials

Immigrant Defenders Law Center has received an undisclosed amount of money in grants from GRoW support, a project of the Annenberg Foundation, in 2021, 2020, and 2019. 6

In 2019, ImmDef received $200,000 from the left-of-center Weingart Foundation;7 8 $150,000 from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation;9 $20,000 from Georgetown University;10 $10,600 from the Liberty Hill Foundation;11 and one of ride-sharing service Lyft’s community grants. 35

In 2018, ImmDef reported $6,627,268 of total revenue,36 an increase from $5,073,351 in 2017; $3,272,695 in 2016; and $1,021,654 in 2015. 36

In 2018, ImmDef received a two-year grant of $350,000 from the left-of-center James Irvine Foundation. 12 In 2017, ImmDef received $100,000 from the Vera Institute of Justice13 and $53,064 from the left-of-center California Community Foundation37 as a part of the $7.4 million L.A. Justice Fund. 38

ImmDef also has received legal aid grants from The San Diego County Bar Foundation. 39

According to their 2023 990 form, ImmDef reported a revenue of $18,416,347, $15,566,250 in expenses, and $10,483,129 in total assets. 40

In 2023, California Governor Gavin Newsom personally solicited a $500,000 grant from the James Irvine Foundation to ImmDef. The donation was classified as a “behested payment”, meaning it was a donation requested by an elected official to benefit a third-party organization. 41

References

  1. “Agreement Between City of Santa Ana and Immigrant Defense Law Center for Funding.” No. A-2021-037. March 26, 2021. https://publicdocs.santa-ana.org/Weblink/DocView.aspx?dbid=1&id=126618&page=1&cr=1.
  2. “Inland Region Initiative.” Immigrant Defenders Law Center. Accessed July 27, 2021. https://www.immdef.org/ie.
  3. “Shop.” Immigrant Defenders Law Center.” Accessed July 27, 2021. https://www.immdef.org/shop.
  4. “ImmDef Signs On: Solidarity Letter from the Immigrant Justice Movement.” Press Release. June 5, 2020. Updated June 8, 2020. Accessed July 28, 2021. https://www.immdef.org/post/solidarity-letter-from-the-immigrant-justice-movement.
  5. “Post-Conviction Relief Program.” Immigrant Defenders Law Center. Accessed July 28, 2021. https://www.immdef.org/pcr.
  6. “Immigrant Defenders Law Center.” GRoW Annenberg. Accessed July 27, 2021. https://growannenberg.org/grants/8212/immigrant-defenders-law-center.
  7. “Recent Grants & P.R.I.s.” Weingart Foundation. Accessed July 27, 2021. https://weingartfnd.org/grant-p-r-i-database/.
  8. “Weingart Foundation.” Return of a Private Foundaton. (Form 990-PF.) 2018. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/956054814/201943169349100529/full.
  9. “The David and Lucile Packard Foundation.” Return of a Private Foundation (Form 990-PF.) 2018. https://pp-990-rendered.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/201923199349102877_full_0.html?X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Credential=AKIA266MJEJYTM5WAG5Y%2F20210727%2Fus-east-1%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Date=20210727T134141Z&X-Amz-Expires=1800&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&X-Amz-Signature=3bed7e74e1d2a074bd5b933eb3aeaff9e4045282f724b314d8ec168fadc9b442.
  10. “Georgetown University.” Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax. (Form 990.) 2019. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/530196603/202001979349300735/full.
  11. “Liberty Hill Foundation.” Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990.) 2018. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/510181191/202022279349302817/full.
  12. “Update: Supporting efforts to reunite, advocate for immigrant families.” The James Irvine Foundation. July 12, 2018. Accessed July 27, 2021. https://www.irvine.org/insights/update-supporting-efforts-to-reunite-advocate-for-immigrant-families/.
  13. “Vera Institute of Justice Inc.” Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax. (Form 990.) 2017. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/131941627/08_2019_prefixes_04-13%2F131941627_201806_990_2019082916607555.
  14. https://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/administrative/news/2021/02/immigration-def-v-dhs.pdf
  15. “About.” Immigrant Defenders Law Center Webpage. Accessed July 27, 2021. https://www.immdef.org/about.
  16. “Homepage.” Immigrant Defenders Law Center. Accessed July 27, 2021. https://www.immdef.org/.
  17. “Staff.” Immigrant Defenders Law Center Webpage. Accessed July 27, 2021. https://www.immdef.org/staff.
  18. “Susan Alva.” Immigrant Defenders Law Center, Accessed April 1, 2025. https://www.immdef.org/leadership/susan
  19. “Immigrant Defenders Law Center Board of Directors – Member.” IMMDEF. Accessed March 31, 2025. https://web.archive.org/web/20250317193513/https://www.immdef.org/board-of-directors/marisa.
  20. “Marisa Arrona .” LinkedIn. Accessed March 31, 2025. https://www.linkedin.com/in/arronamarisa/.
  21. “SAFE Initiative.” Vera Institute of Justice. Accessed July 28, 2021. https://www.vera.org/initiatives/safe-initiative.
  22. “Santa Ana City Council Expands and Makes Permanent Its Deportation Defense Fund.” Press Release. Immigrant Defenders Law Center. June 17, 2021. Accessed July 21, 2021. https://www.immdef.org/post/santa-ana-city-council-expands-and-makes-permanent-its-deportation-defense-fund.
  23. “City Announces SAFE Cities Grant from the Vera Institute of Justice and Selection of a Legal Services Provider to Initiate the Long Beach Justice Fund.” Press Release. City of Long Beach. April 16, 2019. Accessed July 27, 2021. https://longbeach.gov/press-releases/city-announces-safe-cities-grant-from-the-vera-institute-of-justice-and-selection-of-a-legal-services-provider-to-initiate-the-long-beach-justice-fund/.
  24. “Los Angeles Justice Fund.” Immigrant Defenders Law Center. Accessed July 27, 2021. https://www.immdef.org/lajf.
  25. “Orange County.” California Immigrant Resilience Fund. Accessed July 27, 2021. https://www.immigrantfundca.org/orange-county.
  26. “Local Funding.” Immigrant Defenders Law Center. Accessed July 27, 2021. https://www.immdef.org/.
  27. “Our Programs.” Immigrant Defenders Law Center. Accessed July 27, 2021. https://www.immdef.org/programs.
  28. “About.” Check the Sheriff. Accessed July 28, 2021. https://www.checkthesheriff.com/about.
  29. Ross, Chuck. “Taxpayer-Funded Immigration Group Chaired by DOJ Employee Wants To Abolish ICE, Defund Police.” Washington Free Beacon, March 21, 2025. https://freebeacon.com/politics/taxpayer-funded-immigration-group-chaired-by-doj-employee-wants-to-abolish-ice-defund-police/
  30. Ross, Chuck. “Taxpayer-Funded Immigration Group Chaired by DOJ Employee Wants to Abolish Ice, Defund Police.” Washington Free Beacon, March 21, 2025. https://freebeacon.com/politics/taxpayer-funded-immigration-group-chaired-by-doj-employee-wants-to-abolish-ice-defund-police/.
  31. Ross, Chuck. “‘No Immigrant Should Be Detained,’ Says Left-Wing Nonprofit with $769 Million Federal Immigration Contract.” Washington Free Beacon, January 30, 2025. https://freebeacon.com/politics/no-immigrant-should-be-detained-says-left-wing-nonprofit-with-769-million-federal-immigration-contract/.
  32. USAspending.gov. Accessed March 31, 2025. https://www.usaspending.gov/award/CONT_AWD_140D0422C0009_1406_-NONE-_-NONE-.
  33. “Children’s Representation Project.” IMMDEF. Accessed March 31, 2025. https://www.immdef.org/childrens-representation.
  34. “Amicus Briefs Filed in Support of Challenge to Trump Administration Policy That Denies Asylum Seekers Safety & Legal Rights.” Southern Poverty Law Center. Press Release November 23, 2020. Accessed July 27, 2021. https://www.splcenter.org/presscenter/amicus-briefs-filed-support-challenge-trump-administration-policy-denies-asylum-seekers.
  35. “Lyft Supports Local Nonprofits with More than $160,000 in Transportation Grants.” Lyft Blog. December 20, 2019. Accessed July 27 2021. https://www.lyft.com/blog/posts/lyft-supports-local-nonprofits-with-more-than-160000-in-transportation-grants.
  36. “Immigrant Defenders Law Center.” Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990.) 2018. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/474473312/01_2020_prefixes_47-51%2F474473312_201812_990_2020011617037143.
  37. “California Community Foundation.” Grants and Other Assistance to Organizations, Governments and Individuals in the United States. (Form 990 Schedule I.) 2016. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/953510055/201801169349301450/IRS990ScheduleI.
  38. “L.A. Justice Fund.” California Community Foundation. Accessed July 27, 2021. https://www.calfund.org/lajusticefund/.
  39. “Grant Programs.” San Diego County Bar Foundation. Accessed July 27, 2021. https://sdcbf.org/grant-programs/.
  40. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Immigrant Defenders Law Center. 2023. Part I. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/474473312/202433069349302708/full
  41. Kerr, Andrew. “Gavin Newsom Pushed Private Foundation to Donate $500,000 to Anti-ICE Defund Police Group, Records Show.” Washington Free Beacon, July 21, 2025. https://freebeacon.com/california/newsom-pushed-private-foundation-to-donate-500000-to-anti-ice-defund-police-group-records-show/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email.
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Nonprofit Information

  • Accounting Period: December - November
  • Tax Exemption Received: November 1, 2015

    • 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
    2022 Dec Form 990 $12,126,839 $11,631,634 $7,306,510 $1,883,500 N $12,097,689 $0 $29,150 $153,633 PDF
    2021 Dec Form 990 $10,760,876 $10,557,462 $5,659,960 $791,881 N $10,753,797 $0 $7,079 $849,697 PDF
    2020 Dec Form 990 $8,030,268 $8,686,687 $5,283,372 $1,712,956 N $8,030,268 $0 $0 $449,826
    2019 Dec Form 990 $5,947,963 $6,461,690 $4,390,267 $662,163 N $5,947,963 $0 $0 $442,078 PDF
    2018 Dec Form 990 $6,627,268 $5,121,457 $4,572,550 $354,427 N $6,627,268 $0 $0 $206,345 PDF
    2017 Dec Form 990EZ $0 $0 $24,182 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 PDF
    2016 Dec Form 990 $3,272,695 $2,566,562 $1,265,291 $186,766 N $3,272,695 $0 $0 $138,824 PDF
    2015 Dec Form 990 $1,021,654 $649,262 $610,367 $237,975 N $1,021,654 $0 $0 $60,609 PDF

    Immigrant Defenders Law Center

    634 S SPRING ST 10TH FLOOR
    LOS ANGELES, CA 90014-3912