Building Capacity Through Data and Technology

By Mélodie Kinet, Impact Director

As a tech nonprofit supporting marginalized immigrants coming to the United States with trusted information it’s important that Mobile Pathways base its strategic decisions on the evidence of its impact. In December 2022, I conducted a survey of our legal partners and how Mobile Pathways impacts their work. The 2022 Nonprofit Impact Survey was completed by immigration attorneys, paralegals, communicators, and administrative staff. Key findings include: 

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Marginalized immigrants have difficulty navigating the harsh United States immigration system due to the complexity of the law, the cost of representation, and language barriers. As a result, the U.S. hosts millions of people who do not understand their legal rights. Additionally, many immigrants with the legal right to stay are deported because they cannot afford an attorney. In fact, only 37 percent of immigrants can afford attorneys and a shocking two percent find pro bono service providers.*

Mobile Pathways democratizes immigration law by building and leveraging mobile technology to provide fair access to justice for marginalized immigrants, its beneficiaries, and to help them navigate the immigration process. 

We partner with trusted immigration nonprofits, our partners, who use our technology to serve clients more efficiently, and build their technical capacity to scale reach. Our online platform My Camino securely retrieves legal information from government sources and allows partners to text updates to clients. It is used by 146 nonprofits to reach approximately 4,000,000 immigrants, so they are prepared for court, safe on their journey, and connected to services.

“Their platform has saved us a tremendous amount of time and energy. We’re so thankful for their work.” - Mariam Kelly, Managing Immigration Attorney, Community Legal Services East Palo Alto (CLESPA)

This video with Mariam Kelly from the Building Data and Technology Capacity for Immigration Advocates webinar shows how data and technology can build capacity for immigration advocates. 

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* Source: “A National Study of Access to Counsel In Immigration Court,” University of Pennsylvania Law Review

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