Nonprofits Working with Undocumented Activists
Rules of the Game: The Bolder Advocacy Podcast
Release Date: 03/05/2025
Election Season Prep
Rules of the Game: The Bolder Advocacy Podcast
Whether it be local elections or picking a new president, election season seems to always be lurking around the corner, so on today’s episode we’re unpacking what it means for 501(c)(3)s to remain nonpartisan and how these nonprofits can safely engage in several different types of advocacy during election season. Attorneys for this episode Monika Graham Melissa Marichal Zayas Sarah Efthymiou Remaining Nonpartisan: The rule is clear: 501(c)(3) organizations cannot engage in any activity or make statements that suggest...
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Ask Us Anything
Rules of the Game: The Bolder Advocacy Podcast
As we head into the final stretch of 2025, we’re back on the mic to tackle some of the most common questions we hear about accountability advocacy. Whether your organization is calling out broken promises, uplifting community voices, or demanding action from those in power, this episode is all about giving nonprofit organizations the clarity, confidence, and tools to hold public officials accountable boldly and legally. Attorneys for this episode Natalie Ossenfort Monika Graham Victor Rivera Shownotes Can 501(c)(3)...
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SCOTUS Term Preview and Advocacy for 501(c)(3)s
Rules of the Game: The Bolder Advocacy Podcast
It's fall, it’s October and the US Supreme Court is back in session. On today’s episode, we have a special guest from the AFJ Justice team. We are joined by our colleague Jamal Lockings. With Jamall we will cover the big cases to be heard by the court. Then we will talk about how nonprofits can get involved with supreme court advocacy, nominees, and more while staying nonpartisan and being mindful of lobbying limits. Attorneys for this Episode Brittany Hacker Susan Finkle Sourlis Jamaal Lockings Intro to Justice...
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Back to Basics: Comparing Tax-Exempt Organizations
Rules of the Game: The Bolder Advocacy Podcast
With school back in session and fall in the air, it’s the perfect time to get back to basics on the Rules of the Game podcast. On today’s episode, we’ll review how the advocacy rules differ across the various types of tax-exempt organizations, including 501(c)(3)s, 501(c)(4)s, and PACs. Whether you’re a seasoned advocate or just starting out, understanding these fundamentals is crucial for crafting bold advocacy plans that maximize your capacity and comply with the appropriate rules. Join us for a quick refresher! Attorneys for this Episode Melissa Marichal Zayas Natalie...
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Ballot Measures and California Redistricting
Rules of the Game: The Bolder Advocacy Podcast
Ballot measures give voters a chance to participate in direct democracy while providing nonprofit organizations with a powerful platform to educate the public about issues they champion. In this episode, we discuss California's pending redistricting ballot measure and other developments in direct democracy with returning guest Emma Olson Sharkey. Attorneys for this Episode • Tim Mooney • Susan Finkel Sourlis • The Importance of Ballot Measures · Ballot measures give voters direct power to shape laws and policies, bypassing legislatures. ...
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State Advocacy
Rules of the Game: The Bolder Advocacy Podcast
In today's episode, we’re focusing on the topic of state advocacy, specifically exploring the vital role that nonprofits play in shaping policy and driving change at the state level, and how that role is increasingly coming under attack. We will discuss some of the landscape nonprofits are currently facing at the state level and provide actionable tips for organizations looking to amplify their impact. And we’ll be sharing information about exciting new state resources that are in progress at Bolder Advocacy! Attorneys for this Episode Brittany Hacker Maggie Ellinger-Locke Sarah Efthymiou...
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Threats to Tax Exempt Status
Rules of the Game: The Bolder Advocacy Podcast
On this episode, we’re diving into a topic that’s especially important in today’s high-stakes advocacy environment — threats to your tax-exempt status. Yes, we’re talking about that precious 501(c)(3) status, the one that lets your organization do good in the world without paying taxes, and with the constant challenge of figuring out how to advocate, influence policy, and make change without accidentally stepping into ‘oops, we might lose our status’ territory. Attorneys for this Episode Monika Graham Victor Rivera Special guests, interns Ariana and Cecilia Shownotes Lobbying...
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Advocacy Check Up (Rebroadcast)
Rules of the Game: The Bolder Advocacy Podcast
This is a special rebroadcast of an episode from earlier this year on a self assessment tool that our nonprofit listeners should know about because of the continued and on-going threats of politically motivated investigations and attacks on the sector. We'll be back in two weeks with a brand new episode. * * * For those who caught our most recent podcast on Nonprofit New Year’s Resolutions – Resolution #2 was to conduct an Advocacy Check Up. In this episode, we’re deeper into how to do that. We released new Nonprofit Self-Assessment tool, designed to help nonprofit...
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Politically Motivated Attacks Revisited
Rules of the Game: The Bolder Advocacy Podcast
ROTG137 Politically Motivated Attacks Revisited Nonprofit advocates face a complex environment in 2025 where political disagreements routinely escalate into targeted attacks—ranging from carefully crafted misinformation to more extreme tactics like organizational funding cuts, subpoenas, and personal targeting. This episode explores the emerging challenges advocates encounter, offering insights into recognizing, preparing for, and navigating these increasingly sophisticated forms of political pushback. Attorneys for this Episode Brittany Hacker Tim Mooney Quyen Tu ...
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Advocacy for Labor and Economic Justice
Rules of the Game: The Bolder Advocacy Podcast
Today we're wrapping up our eight-part series by exploring how labor and economic justice nonprofits can advance their missions through advocacy. We'll cover recent developments and examine both lobbying and non-lobbying strategies that advocates are using to improve economic justice for all. Attorneys for this episode Tim Mooney Susan Finkle Sourlis Sarah Efthymiou Shownotes Current Events / Executive Orders · Trump Administration Directives Impacting Workers o In March, President Trump issued an executive order exempting...
info_outlineThreats to find and deport undocumented immigrants in the United States have grown immensely since the start of the Trump administration. Nonprofits can continue fight for immigrant rights and include undocumented activists in their advocacy efforts. Even though we at Alliance for Justice aren’t immigration lawyers (so what comes out of our mouth will not be legal advice), we felt it was important to address how nonprofits can work with undocumented activists and continue to fight for immigrant rights. In today’s episode, we’ll first talk about what undocumented activists can and cannot do when advocating with nonprofits and what nonprofits should keep in mind.
Attorneys for this Episode
Quyen Tu
Brittany Hacker
There are a number of ways that nonprofits can engage undocumented activists to help support their missions. And these activists are often the best voice to amplify when the rights at stake directly impact them.
· Free speech and assembly: peaceful protest (be careful of arrest, could result in ICE arrest)
· Advocate for policy change:
o Advocate for or against executive orders and executive branch policies like ICE priorities and border protocols
o Community organizing
o Education of the public or officials
o Lobbying
o Ballot measure campaigns (check state & local laws)
o Be plaintiffs in a court case or a nonprofit can file a case to represent the interest of undocumented immigrants: like ACLU case on birthright citizenship
There are a few things undocumented immigrants are not allowed to do, including:
· Assist citizens in completing voter registration applications
· Cannot contribute anything of value to federal, state, or local elections (money, volunteer time)--for both undocumented and visa holding immigrants
o Considered a foreign agent interfering with an election
o It is also prohibited for nonprofits to knowingly solicit or receive contributions from foreign nationals (including undocumented activists)
· Vote in federal elections
· Work without employment authorization
Best Practices:
-for non-citizens: Consult an immigration attorney! Be prepared if you engage in protest. Check out know your rights resources and trainings in the show notes.
- If you are a nonprofit planning work with undocumented activists:
· Consult legal counsel: especially if doing partisan work
· If you serve immigrant communities, have policies in place to protect clients and staff, know what ICE agents can and cannot do
-Make sure that your nonprofit is in good standing; have appropriate documents and robust compliance so if you are investigated, you know you’re operating on solid legal grounds. Check out our nonprofit advocacy check-up, a compliance list and recent episode on this topic.
Examples of great work involving undocumented activists:
· ILRC: great immigrant rights tool kits, legal resources for immigrants about visas and other legal processes, ways to get involved with local lobbying and policy work
Resources
-Engaging in Advocacy with Undocumented Activists
-Race and Equity: The Advocacy Playbook for Racial Justice and Immigrant Rights
-Advocacy Check-Up: Nonprofit Self Assessment
-ILRC know your rights Toolkit
-10 Things Noncitizen Protestors Need to Know (ILRC)
-NYLPI Guidance to Nonprofits Regarding Immigration Enforcement
-Immigrant Arc list of EOs on Immigration (includes status of litigation, NY focused but applicable nationwide)