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HUMAN RIGHTS FIRST
NEW YORK, NY · EIN 133116646 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE Q700 · International Affairs · Medium ($1M-$10M) · humanrightsfirst.org
revenue
$7.6M
expenses
$12.2M
net assets
$4.7M
employees
87
volunteers
1,782
program ratio
72%
mission · from form 990

TO EMPOWER AMERICANS TO WORK FOR JUSTICE IN OUR OWN COMMUNITIES AND AROUND THE WORLD.

profile · synthesized from sources

Human Rights First defends refugees, immigrants, and asylum seekers by providing pro bono legal representation and advocating for humane U.S. immigration policies. The organization engages in strategic litigation, policy advocacy, and coalition-building to protect human rights both domestically and internationally. It operates in the United States and influences U.S. foreign policy globally, focusing on accountability, democratic resilience, and protection for persecuted individuals.

irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024

What they reported doing

  1. #1 primary $1.33M
    INNOVATION LABTHE INNOVATION LAB DEVELOPS TECHNOLOGICAL SOLUTIONS TO PROTECT HUMAN RIGHTS. KEY 2024 ACTIVITIES INCLUDE ENHANCING AI TOOLS TO IMPROVE HUMAN RIGHTS INVESTIGATIONS AND DEVELOPING AI TOOLS TO TRACK LEGISLATION WITH HUMAN RIGHTS IMPLICATIONS.
  2. #2 $884K
    ACCOUNTABILITY AND HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERSHUMAN RIGHTS FIRST PROMOTES ACCOUNTABILITY FOR CORRUPTION AND HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES BY INVESTIGATING, DOCUMENTING, AND EXPOSING HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES, THEN ADVOCATES FOR SYSTEMIC CHANGE AT THE NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL LEVELS. IN 2024, THE ORGANIZATION ISSUED MAJOR REPORTS ON THE USE AND IMPACT OF MAGNITSKY-STYLE SANCTIONS AND VISA RESTRICTIONS AND PROVIDED RECOMMENDATIONS TO STRENGTHEN SANCTIONS IMPLEMENTATION AND ADDRESS GAPS. IN ADDITION, WE PUBLISHED REPORTS ON THE WORK OF HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS IN UKRAINE.
named programs · 7 · from sources

What they call their work

Asylum & Refugee Representation
Matches asylum seekers with pro bono attorneys and provides legal support to individuals facing immigration proceedings in New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C.
Democracy Watch Tracker
AI-driven tool monitoring federal and state legislation that restricts civil liberties and democratic rights.
ICE Flight Monitor
Data-driven initiative tracking and documenting U.S. immigration enforcement flights to increase transparency and accountability.
ReadyNow! App
Secure mobile app that allows individuals at risk of arrest to create emergency plans and alert trusted contacts and legal aid with one click.
Third Country Deportation Watch
Monitors the human impact of U.S. forced third-country transfer agreements on deported individuals.
Veterans for American Ideals (VFAI)
Mobilizes veterans and military families to defend democracy, protect constitutional rights, and resist authoritarian overreach.
Welcome With Dignity Campaign
Coalition of over 129 organizations advocating for a fair and humane asylum system in the United States.
activities · 9 groups

What they do

  • Human Rights Advocacy & Accountability 3 activities
    • Convenes coalitions and stakeholders to advance human rights solutions
      Brings together advocates, policymakers, and communities in the U.S. and internationally through events and forums that foster dialogue, coalition-building, and action to protect fundamental rights and the rule of law.
    • Monitors human rights impacts of forced third-country deportation agreements
      Conducts research and monitoring through Third Country Deportation Watch to assess the human cost and legal implications of U.S. government agreements that deport individuals to third countries.
    • Operates public Action Center for policy engagement
      Runs an online Action Center that enables the public to contact elected officials, advocate for human rights policies, and support legislative initiatives related to refugee protection and democracy.
  • Constitutional and Government Accountability Litigation 2 activities
    • Conducts strategic litigation to defend civil and human rights
      Engages in strategic litigation to protect constitutional rights, including defending the right to protest, holding foreign agents accountable for violence on U.S. soil, and securing damages for victims of hate-based violence.
    • Monitors legislation restricting rights using AI-driven tools
      Uses an AI-powered system to track and analyze federal and state legislation that restricts civil and human rights, enabling rapid response and advocacy against authoritarian legal trends.
  • Immigrant Rights Advocacy & Policy Reform 2 activities
    • Leads the Welcome With Dignity Campaign for asylum system reform
      Leads a national coalition of over 129 organizations advocating for a fair, humane, and functional asylum system through policy advocacy, public education, and coalition-building.
    • Produces nonpartisan policy recommendations on refugee and immigrant rights
      Conducts research combining fact-finding, data analysis, legal expertise, and local perspectives to develop nonpartisan policy recommendations aimed at protecting refugee and immigrant rights and promoting humane asylum systems.
  • Volunteer Engagement and Capacity Support 1 activity
    • Builds capacity through volunteer engagement and legal support networks
      Recruits and supports volunteers—including attorneys, interpreters, students, and medical and mental health professionals—by matching them with protection seekers and providing training, mentorship, and resources to strengthen community-based human rights defense.
  • Democracy and Civic Engagement Support 1 activity
    • Mobilizes veterans and military families to protect democracy
      Engages veterans, military families, and allies in nonpartisan efforts to defend democratic institutions, uphold the Constitution, and resist authoritarianism.
  • Civil Rights Advocacy & Litigation 1 activity
    • Protects the right to protest and First Amendment rights
      Defends the right to protest through legal analysis, public education, policy advocacy, and litigation to uphold First Amendment protections for peaceful assembly and free expression.
  • Immigrant Rights Education & Legal Preparedness 1 activity
    • Provides emergency alert and preparedness tools for immigration enforcement encounters
      Operates the ReadyNow! App, a secure one-click emergency alert system that enables users to create emergency plans and instantly notify trusted contacts and legal aid during immigration enforcement encounters.
  • Immigration Legal Services 1 activity
    • Provides legal representation to asylum seekers
      Delivers high-quality legal support and representation to asylum seekers who cannot afford counsel, primarily through partnerships with pro bono attorneys, in major metropolitan areas including New York City, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C., including for detained individuals.
  • Uncategorized 1 activity
    • Tracks U.S. immigration enforcement flights using data-driven methods
      Systematically monitors and publishes data on U.S. immigration enforcement flights through the ICE Flight Monitor initiative, increasing transparency of ICE Air operations and their links to expanded detention and deportation activities. As of August 2025, the project had tracked over 40,000 flights.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$7.59M
Contributions & grants$6.75M89%
Program service revenue$9K0%
Investment income$445K6%
Other revenue$384K
expenses
Total expenses$12.24M
Program expenses72%
Admin / overhead20%
Fundraising8%
Salaries & benefits$8.72M
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$8.91M
Cash$585K
Investments$3.89M
Liabilities$4.17M
Net assets$4.75M
Liquid reserves4.4 mo
4 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -48.4%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 15
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
MARC TOBIAS COO 38 $256K
ELEANOR ACER SENIOR DIRECTOR GLOBAL HUMANITARIAN PROTECTION 38 $204K
LAURA SENKEVITCH DIRECTOR DONOR RELATIONS 38 $195K
ROBYN BARNARD SENIOR DIRECTOR, REFUGEE ADVOCACY 38 $187K
KURT PACQUETTE SR VP, FINANCE 38 $182K
PERRIS RICHTER SENIOR DIRECTOR, INNOVATION LAB 38 $178K
JENNIFER QUIGLEY VP, ADVOCACY 38 $178K
MICHAEL F BREEN PRESIDENT AND CEO 38 $173K
ADAM KEITH SENIOR DIRECTOR ACCOUNTABILITY 38 $172K
SUSAN E HENDRICKSON PRESIDENT AND CEO 38 $162K
JENNA GILBERT SENIOR DIRECTOR, REFUGEE REPRESENTATION 38 $156K
JASON LONG TECHNICAL DIRECTOR, INNOVATION LAB 38 $153K
LICHA NYIENDO CHIEF LEGAL OFFICER 38 $147K
ANWEN HUGHES SENIOR DIRECTOR LEGAL SERVICES 38 $145K
QUENTIN HINES CHIEF OF STAFF 38 $144K
board members · 10
  • ALENCIA JOHNSON — DIRECTOR
  • BEN JEALOUS — DIRECTOR
  • BEN MORELLI — DIRECTOR
  • BRENDAN CONDON — DIRECTOR
  • CARLOS PASCUAL — DIRECTOR
  • CATHERINE AMIRFAR — DIRECTOR
  • CINDY SIMON SKJODT — DIRECTOR
  • DAVID P MATTHEWS — DIRECTOR
  • DONALD FRANCIS DONOVAN — CO-CHAIR
  • ELIZABETH BOWYER — DIRECTOR THRU 4/24
relationships · 9

Who they work with

  • Bahrain's Rulers Government — Subject of a report documenting return to 2011-era repression methods.
  • Foley Hoag Partner — Co-counsel with Human Rights First in the civil lawsuit against Patriot Front.
  • Human Rights First Action Center Partner — Platform enabling public advocacy on human rights, refugee protection, and democracy issues.
  • Quorum Partner — Collaborates on campaign infrastructure for advocacy actions, as seen in the ICE Out campaign.
  • Tom Cartwright Partner — Former flight tracker who developed the methodology and transferred the project to Human Rights First in August 2025.
  • Uzra Zeya Government — Featured in connection with international human rights work, indicating engagement with U.S. government officials.
  • Veterans for American Ideals Partner — Mobilizes veterans, military families, and allies to protect democracy and uphold the Constitution.
  • Welcome With Dignity Campaign Coalition — Human Rights First leads this coalition of over 129 organizations advocating for a humane and fair asylum system.
  • pro bono attorneys Partner — Partners with pro bono attorneys to provide legal representation to individuals seeking asylum.
strategies · 10

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.

  • Cross-Border Accountability and Multistakeholder Engagement
    methodology: cross-border accountability and policy advocacy
    By strengthening transnational accountability systems and convening diverse stakeholders, we produce sustainable human rights progress because collaborative, globally informed strategies amplify local efforts and leverage foreign policy influence.
  • Integrated Advocacy Combining Legal, Policy, and Research Tools
    methodology: integrated-advocacy
    By combining legal representation, policy advocacy, research, and public reporting, we produce durable human rights protections because multi-pronged approaches increase institutional accountability and enable evidence-based reform.
  • Integrated Legal and Policy Advocacy
    methodology: integrated_legal_and_policy_advocacy
    By combining legal representation, policy advocacy, research, and public reporting, the organization advances rights-respecting policies and strengthens accountability, because integrating legal and policy tools creates multiple pressure points for systemic change and bridges courtroom outcomes with legislative and administrative reform.
  • Pro Bono Legal Network with Capacity Support
    methodology: pro_bono_legal_network
    By mobilizing volunteer attorneys through a supported pro bono network, the organization expands access to high-quality legal representation for asylum seekers, because pairing skilled volunteers with mentorship and resources overcomes capacity barriers while maintaining service quality.
  • Research-to-Advocacy Pipeline
    methodology: research-to-advocacy
    By grounding advocacy in rigorous, multi-source research and analysis, we produce credible influence on decision-makers because data-verified evidence increases legitimacy and enables targeted policy engagement.
  • Research-to-Advocacy with Multi-Source Verification
    methodology: research-to-advocacy
    By grounding advocacy in rigorously verified research and data analysis, the organization generates credible and actionable policy influence, because cross-referenced evidence from legal, media, and community sources strengthens legitimacy and enables precise targeting of policy interventions.
  • Strategic Litigation for Systemic Accountability
    methodology: strategic_litigation
    By pursuing high-impact litigation, we produce systemic constraints on abuses of power and reinforce democratic and human rights norms because legal victories create binding precedents and deter future violations.
  • Strategic Litigation for Systemic Accountability
    methodology: strategic_litigation
    By pursuing high-impact litigation, the organization produces systemic constraints on abuses of power and advances human rights protections, because legal cases can set binding precedents, influence policy, and hold governments and private actors accountable in ways that individual advocacy cannot.
  • Technology-Enhanced Civic and Legislative Advocacy
    methodology: technology-enabled_legislative_surveillance
    By using AI-driven monitoring and technology tools, the organization detects and responds to civil liberties threats in real time, because rapid identification of harmful legislation enables timely advocacy and public mobilization that traditional surveillance methods cannot match.
  • Veteran-Led Civic Mobilization for Democratic Defense
    methodology: veteran-led civic engagement
    By mobilizing veterans and military families as public advocates, we produce stronger resistance to authoritarianism because their moral authority and lived experience lend credibility and broaden public resonance.