irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $2.55MADVOCACY - PUBLISHES AND DISTRIBUTES EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS AND PROVIDES WORKSHOPS AND ADVOCACY SUPPORT REGARDING CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS.
- #2 $1.21MCOMMUNICATIONS - INFORMS CCRS CLIENTS AND STAKEHOLDERS THROUGH THE USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA, DIGITAL PLATFORMS, COMPELLING CLIENT-CENTERED VIDEOS, THE PRESS AND COMMUNITY EVENTS ACROSS THE GLOBE ABOUT THE MISSION OF CCR OF STANDING WITH SOCIAL MOVEMENTS AND COMMUNITIES UNDER THREAT FUSING LITIGATION, ADVOCACY AND NARRATIVE SHIFTING TO DISMANTLE SYSTEMS OF OPPRESSION REGARDLESS OF THE RIST. THIS DEPARTMENT ALSO MAINTAINS CCRS PUBLIC IMAGE AND ITS WEBSITES.
named programs · 6 · from sources
What they call their work
FOIA requests re: anti-LGBTQIA+ Executive Orders
Seeks disclosure of federal policies restricting LGBTQIA+ rights, particularly access to medical care and travel, following executive orders issued in 2025.
OLC Drug Cartel Memo FOIA
Joint request with ACLU to obtain Office of Legal Counsel memos regarding legal justifications for actions related to drug cartels.
Open Records Project: FOIA for the Movement
Litigates Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests to obtain government documents on behalf of movement partners, exposing surveillance and misconduct, such as FBI monitoring of CISPES and DHS's "Race Paper".
Rankin County MS District Attorney Goon Squad Records
FOIA litigation to uncover records of torture and abuse by law enforcement deputies in Mississippi.
Rural Roots Louisiana and Louisiana Bucket Brigade v. Ascension Parish
Public records case challenging industrial buildout in Louisiana's Cancer Alley, seeking transparency on environmental and health impacts.
Sanctuary Fines FOIA Litigation
Seeks information on federal fines imposed on immigrants and local entities for sanctuary policies.
activities · 7 groups
What they do
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Constitutional and Government Accountability Litigation 3 activities
- Challenging discriminatory and unconstitutional government policiesFiles lawsuits to challenge laws and practices that violate civil rights, including bans on gender-affirming care in prisons, criminalization of sleeping outdoors for unhoused individuals, and surveillance of social movements.
- Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and public records advocacyFiles FOIA requests and public records litigation to expose government surveillance, industry influence, and executive branch communications, resulting in the release of hundreds of thousands of pages of documents and transparency in environmental and immigration matters.
- Historic and ongoing civil rights litigationHas litigated landmark civil rights cases since the 1960s, including voting rights cases, criminal justice reform, and precedent-setting appeals such as the first successful self-defense appeal for a domestic violence survivor.
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Immigration Legal Services 1 activity
- Advocacy for asylum seekers and deported individualsRepresents asylum seekers in legal proceedings, including advancing cases to the U.S. Supreme Court, and secures the return of deported individuals who suffered abuse in immigration detention.
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Criminal Justice Policy Advocacy 1 activity
- Capacity building for incarcerated legal advocatesCo-runs the Jailhouse Lawyers program with the National Lawyers Guild to support incarcerated individuals in advocating for their legal rights.
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Podcast and Radio Production 1 activity
- Podcast production on social justice and constitutional rightsProduces a podcast series featuring stories and conversations with activists, lawyers, and artists on topics including Black August, unhoused queer individuals, and the legacy of Floyd v. NYC.
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Civil Rights Advocacy & Litigation 1 activity
- Research and reporting on corporate influence in lawmakingCo-published the report "ALEC Attacks," which documents the origins and impact of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) on communities of color.
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Environmental Policy Advocacy & Litigation 1 activity
- Strategic litigation against environmental racismFiles and advances lawsuits challenging discriminatory environmental policies and industrial development in majority-Black communities, particularly in Louisiana’s Cancer Alley, including cases seeking moratoria on toxic industrial plants and challenging unconstitutional land use systems.
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Uncategorized 2 activities
- Corporate accountability litigation for human rights abusesPioneers use of U.S. courts to hold corporations accountable for human rights violations abroad, including torture at Abu Ghraib prison, through litigation under the Alien Tort Statute and defense of verdicts such as the $42 million judgment against CACI.
- Legal representation in habeas corpus and detention casesProvides legal representation to detained individuals, including Guantanamo Bay detainees and those wrongfully held in immigration detention, securing landmark court rulings and advancing habeas corpus cases in federal courts. Examples include the representation of Mahmoud Khalil and Dr. Badar Khan Suri.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$13.49M
Contributions & grants$11.74M87%
Program service revenue$588K4%
Investment income$1.15M9%
Other revenue$19K
expenses
Total expenses$14.02M
Program expenses74%
Admin / overhead11%
Fundraising15%
Salaries & benefits$11.25M
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$46.56M
Cash$3.66M
Investments$34.86M
Liabilities$1.09M
Net assets$45.47M
Liquid reserves33.0 mo
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue -14.6%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 11
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ERNEST V WARREN | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $377K |
| MARIA LAHOOD | DEPUTY LEGAL DIRECTOR | 40 | $278K |
| BAHER AZMY | LEGAL DIRECTOR | 40 | $272K |
| DONITA JUDGE | ASSOCIATE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $253K |
| JENNIFER ALTENOR | COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR | 40 | $228K |
| DEOPHISTER UFFER | FINANCE DIRECTOR | 40 | $223K |
| NADIA BEN YOUSSEF | ADVOCACY DIRECTOR | 40 | $218K |
| MASHA KATZ BAER | DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT | 40 | $205K |
| SHAYANA KADIDAL | SENIOR STAFF ATTORNEY | 40 | $188K |
| PAMELA SPEES | SENIOR STAFF ATTORNEY | 40 | $182K |
| IAN HEAD | OPEN RECORDS PROJ MANAGER | 40 | $167K |
board members · 14
- ALEJANDRA ANCHEITA — TRUSTEE
- AMANDA ALEXANDER — TRUSTEE
- COLETTE PICHON BATTLE — TRUSTEE
- GAY J MCDOUGAL — TRUSTEE
- JUMANA MUSA — CO-CHAIR
- JUSTIN HANSFORD — TRUSTEE
- LINDA BURNHAM — TRUSTEE
- LISA CROOMS-ROBINSON — CO-CHAIR
- LUMUMBA AKINWOLE-BANDELE — TRUSTEE
- MAKANI THEMBA — TRUSTEE
- MARJORIE FINE — TRUSTEE
- MEENA JAGANNATH — TRUSTEE
- NERMEEN ARASTU — SECRETARY
- NOURA ERAKAT — TRUSTEE
relationships · 34
Who they work with
- 350 New Orleans Partner — Jointly filed a petition seeking public records related to the Bayou Bridge Pipeline.
- Al Otro Lado Partner — Co-counsel in a Supreme Court case challenging asylum policies.
- Al Otro Lado Partner — Humanitarian aid and legal service provider represented by CCR in the Supreme Court case Noem v. Al Otro Lado.
- Alabama Coalition for Immigrant Justice (ACIJ) Partner — Collaborated with the Center for Constitutional Rights on FOIA requests related to Alabama immigration enforcement.
- American Civil Liberties Union Partner — Jointly filed a FOIA request with the Center for Constitutional Rights seeking OLC guidance on drug cartel matters.
- Amica Center Partner — Jointly submitted a FOIA request with the Center for Constitutional Rights to the Department of Health and Human Services.
- Atchafalaya Basinkeeper Partner — Jointly filed a petition seeking public records related to the Bayou Bridge Pipeline.
- Bush administration Government — Challenged the Bush administration's policy of extraordinary rendition.
- CUNY Law School’s Human Rights and Gender Justice Clinic Partner — Jointly filed a FOIA request with Mijente and the Center for Constitutional Rights seeking information on Thomson Reuters and RELX Group contracts with ICE.
- CUNY School of Law Partner — Co-counseled with Professor Nermeen Saba Arastu of CUNY School of Law in the immigration proceedings for Dr. Badar Khan Suri.
- Center for Constitutional Rights Partner — Organization leading legal advocacy to transform power systems affecting vulnerable communities.
- Color of Change Partner — Jointly filed a FOIA request with the Center for Constitutional Rights seeking information from DHS and FBI.
- Detention Watch Network Partner — Partnered with the Center for Constitutional Rights on a FOIA request seeking information on immigration detention bed quotas.
- Dream Defenders Partner — Co-published the report "ALEC Attacks" with the Center for Constitutional Rights.
- Florence Project Partner — Jointly submitted a FOIA request with the Center for Constitutional Rights to the Department of Health and Human Services.
- HMA Law Firm Partner — Co-counseled with Hassan Ahmad of HMA Law Firm in the immigration proceedings for Dr. Badar Khan Suri.
- Hispanic and Immigrant Center of Alabama (HICA) Partner — Collaborated with the Center for Constitutional Rights on FOIA requests related to Alabama immigration enforcement.
- Immigrant Defense Project Partner — Jointly filed a FOIA request with the Center for Constitutional Rights seeking information on ICE home raids policies.
- Inclusive Louisiana Partner — Partner organization in litigation challenging discriminatory land use policies in St. James Parish, Louisiana.
- Louisiana Bucket Brigade Partner — Jointly filed a petition seeking public records related to the Bayou Bridge Pipeline.
- Mijente Partner — Jointly filed a FOIA request with the Center for Constitutional Rights seeking information on Thomson Reuters and RELX Group contracts with ICE.
- Mt. Triumph Baptist Church Partner — Co-plaintiff in lawsuits filed by CCR to protect cultural heritage and demand accountability in Ascension Parish, LA.
- NYU School of Law's Global Justice Clinic Partner — Filed a FOIA request jointly with the Center for Constitutional Rights on behalf of Muslims for Human Rights (MUHURI).
- National Immigration Project Partner — Collaborated with the Center for Constitutional Rights on FOIA requests related to Alabama immigration enforcement.
- National Lawyers Guild Partner — Co-runs the Jailhouse Lawyers program with CCR to support incarcerated individuals.
- New York Civil Liberties Union Partner — Jointly filed a lawsuit with the Center for Constitutional Rights and ACLU seeking transparency over President Trump's illegal strikes.
- No More Deaths Partner — Jointly filed a FOIA request with the Center for Constitutional Rights seeking information from CBP on Border Patrol activities.
- Palestine Legal Partner — Co-published the report "ALEC Attacks" with the Center for Constitutional Rights.
- Peter Weiss Partner — Longtime ally, mentor, and former vice president of the Center for Constitutional Rights
- Rural Roots Louisiana Partner — Co-counsel and organizational partner in lawsuits to protect cultural heritage in Ascension Parish, LA.
+ 4 more
strategies · 3
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Integrated Movement Defense and Accountabilitymethodology: movement_centered_transparencyBy combining FOIA requests, litigation, and advocacy, we expose and challenge repressive systems, because multi-pronged exposure reveals corporate-state collusion and advances movement-defined accountability, not just transparency.
- Prisoner-Centered Narrative Leadershipmethodology: prisoner_led_advocacyBy centering the leadership and stories of incarcerated people in legal and advocacy work, we advance prison justice, because authentic narratives from directly impacted individuals produce more legitimate, resonant, and effective challenges to systemic abuse.
- Strategic Litigation as Systemic Interventionmethodology: strategic_litigationBy using creative and targeted litigation grounded in justice-enabling legal principles, we challenge systemic injustice and shift power structures, because legal strategies can influence actors beyond the courtroom and disrupt entrenched patterns of government overreach, discrimination, and repression.