🟪 Refugee Rights & International Migration
A ranked guide to advocacy groups defending the rights, dignity, and safety of refugees, asylum seekers, stateless people, and cross-border migrants.
These organizations focus on people displaced by war, persecution, and crisis—and the laws and systems that affect their survival and resettlement. On their websites, you’ll find advocacy toolkits, legal guidance, reports, campaigns, and resources for speaking out, taking action, and supporting displaced communities worldwide.
For more on related advocacy—covering U.S. immigration, Latino community rights, and the global forces driving refugee crises—see additional resources at the end of this list.
Looking for more ways to make a difference?
This resource is part of my continuing series of issue advocacy guides at Plainly, Garbl. You’ll find 60 more—including voting rights, executive overreach, environmental protection, worker rights, peace and diplomacy, education, and disaster relief—at Advocacy Groups by Issue. Check back occasionally for new issues and updated guides.
UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
UNHCR leads international efforts to protect refugees and stateless people. It offers global advocacy tools, legal guidance for U.S. and international asylum processes, and campaigns to stop forced returns.
International Rescue Committee (IRC)
IRC provides emergency aid, health care, and refugee resettlement services in over 40 countries and U.S. cities. Has an office in Washington state supporting local refugee communities, including Afghan and Ukrainian arrivals.
Women’s Refugee Commission (WRC)
WRC focuses on the rights of displaced women, youth, and people with disabilities. It provides research, campaign toolkits, and policy recommendations to make humanitarian aid more gender-responsive and protective.
International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP)
IRAP mobilizes legal aid and policy change to protect refugees, especially those stuck in transit or at risk of deportation. It shares legal training materials, advocacy playbooks, and global campaign tools.
This independent group sends field teams into crisis zones and publishes reports and policy recommendations that activists and lawmakers use to push for refugee protections and resettlement.
Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC)
NRC delivers legal aid, housing, and education to people displaced by conflict, especially in high-risk areas. It offers reports and advocacy guides on statelessness, refugee law, and humanitarian access.
HIAS is the global Jewish nonprofit that protects refugees and displaced people of all backgrounds. It offers legal aid, resettlement support, and advocacy rooted in Jewish values of welcoming the stranger.
U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI)
USCRI helps refugees, asylum seekers, and unaccompanied children resettle in the U.S. and provides community-based resources and policy tools to improve protection and integration.
Tahirih defends immigrant survivors of gender-based violence, including asylum seekers fleeing forced marriage, trafficking, or abuse. It shares trauma-informed legal strategies and advocacy tips.
Organization for Refuge, Asylum & Migration (ORAM)
ORAM supports LGBTQI+ asylum seekers and refugees through legal services and public education. It offers outreach materials, country-of-origin reports, and rights-based training for advocates.
Based in Washington state, OneAmerica organizes immigrant and refugee communities across the country. It builds national alliances, promotes language justice and education equity, and advocates for fair immigration and resettlement policy.
Northwest Immigrant Rights Project (NWIRP)
Headquartered in Washington, NWIRP provides legal aid to asylum seekers and leads major litigation with national impact. Its training resources and lawsuits have shaped immigration protections across the U.S.
Related Resources
Legal support and advocacy for immigrants and refugees living in the United States.
Advocacy groups that support Latino communities affected by U.S. immigration enforcement and refugee policy.
Human Rights & Global Sovereignty
Organizations focused on international law, conflict, and the root causes of displacement.
Top Issues
Refugee and Asylum Protections: Upholding the rights of people fleeing violence, war, and persecution under international and U.S. law.
Resettlement and Integration: Supporting safe pathways, family reunification, housing, health care, and job access for refugees in host countries.
Statelessness: Advocating for legal identity and citizenship for people denied nationality or documents.
Gender-Based Persecution: Protecting women and LGBTQI+ people from forced marriage, trafficking, and violence in transit or origin countries.
No Forced Return (Anti-Refoulement): Opposing deportation or expulsion of refugees to countries where they could face persecution, torture, or life-threatening danger.
Access to Legal Aid: Expanding legal support, translation, and representation for displaced people navigating complex asylum systems.
Global Displacement Crises: Responding to major emergencies like those in Ukraine, Sudan, Venezuela, Afghanistan, and Myanmar. For advocacy focused on sovereignty, conflict, and international law, see the guide on Human Rights & Global Sovereignty.
LGBTQI+ Refugee Rights: Fighting discrimination and violence against LGBTQI+ people in refugee camps and border zones.
Safe Transit and Borders: Demanding humane treatment, due process, and safety in migration routes and at checkpoints.
Climate Displacement: Addressing the growing impact of extreme weather, drought, and rising seas on forced migration worldwide.