PRINCETON UMC
Seeking Home:
Immigration Organization Resources
Part 3: Organizations that Focus on Immigrants
Immigration is a complex, many-faceted, dynamic matter and process. The following organizations represent several of these facets: legal assistance, hospitality and resettlement, education, community organizing, advocacy, empowerment, and more. This is not an exhaustive list.
Organization
Focus
What They Do
Make the Road New Jersey (MRNJ)
Builds power among immigrant, working‑class, Latinx communities via organizing, legal support & education. (justicecorps.org/organization/make-the-road-new-jersey/)
Immigrant‑led justice work and solidarity with migrants.
Lutheran Social Ministries of New Jersey – Immigration Legal Services
Faith‑based nonprofit providing low‑cost immigration legal support (family petitions, naturalization, DACA, etc.). (lsmnj.org/)
Practical service ministry; good for action‑step referrals.
Wind of the Spirit Immigrant Resource Center
Immigrant‑led center in NJ focusing on organizing, education, solidarity for immigrants. (wotsnj.org)
Offers long‑term advocacy, formation, and education.
Center for Immigrant Justice – Rutgers
Research, legal clinic and policy work focused on immigration & citizenship in NJ. (cij.rutgers.edu/)
Source for statistics, deeper study around immigration policy.
New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice (NJAIJ)
Statewide coalition of 50+ community, labor, faith groups advancing immigrant rights. (njaij.org)
Connecting to the broader state‑level movements and justice campaigns.
Church World Service – Jersey City
Refugee resettlement, newcomer support, legal assistance for immigrants in NJ. (cwsjerseycity.org)
Volunteer to help with resettlement, newcomer hospitality, or mentoring programs.
Latin American Legal Defense & Education Fund (LALDEF)
Grass‑roots organization based in Mercer County (Trenton) serving Latin American immigrants. Offers legal representation (asylum, DACA, U visas, TPS), citizenship classes, ESL, health access, and advocacy to dismantle barriers. (laldef.org)
This organization lives the dual call of welcome & justice. It offers legal/education needs and is a strong local voice for immigrant inclusion.
Resistencia en Acción NJ (“Resistance in Action”)
Immigrant‑worker justice organization based in New Jersey. Grass‑roots, volunteer‑led, organizing, educating and empowering migrant worker communities in NJ. (resistenciaenaccionnj.org/)
Creating hospitable communities, working for structural change, and advocating for worker rights in our region.
Interfaith RISE
Multi‑faith coalition serving refugees and asylees across central & southern NJ. Supports housing, ESL, cultural orientation, social & mental‑health services, job training, transport, integration. Affiliate of the US Committee for Refugees & Immigrants. (interfaithrise.org)
Focuses on refugee welcome and practical hospitality. Volunteering opportunities are available.
New Jersey Business Immigration Coalition (NJBIC)
State‑wide business‑led coalition promoting evidence‑based immigration reform, research, policy advocacy, immigrant entrepreneur awards, linking immigration to workforce & economic vitality in NJ. (njbusinessimmigration.org)
Connects the policy and economy dimensions of the matter. Migration isn’t only a social justice issue but part of our community’s vitality and future.
Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC)
Provides immigration-law trainings, technical assistance, educational materials, policy advocacy and community resources aimed at advancing immigrant rights and helping organizations and individuals navigate the immigration system. (ilrc.org/)
Serves immigrants, influences policy at state and federal levels, and empowers immigrants to engage in civic life.
New Sanctuary Movement of Philadelphia
A faith-based community organizing network in Philadelphia that builds power among immigrant communities, organizes direct-action campaigns, and fosters long-term ally-ship between congregations and immigrant families. (sanctuaryphiladelphia.org/)
Engaging structurally and relationally with migration, moving beyond service to collective organizing for justice.
First Friends of New Jersey & New York
An organization that supports detained immigrants through volunteer visitation, bonds, resettlement assistance, pen-pal programs, and advocacy for those impacted by the immigration enforcement system. (firstfriendsnjny.org/)
Addresses one of the most acute and hidden realities of immigration—detention—and provides a tangible way to engage with individuals at the margins of our immigration system.
Immigration Law & Justice Network (ILJ Network)
A national network of free/low-cost legal clinics and advocacy rooted in faith, offering legal counsel, support services, and policy advocacy for immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers. (iljnetwork.org/)
Legal representation and policy engagement are essential to migration justice; both direct legal service and wider reform efforts.