KALI FONTANILLA: if you are an illegal alien looking to stay in this country permanently, there is a massive, tax-exempt machinery waiting to provide you with elite, “pro bono” legal representation that most Americans could never afford.

Human Rights First: the “charity” opposed to border security https://t.co/cAZvMS1Kvn

— J Michael Waller (@JMichaelWaller) March 20, 2026

If you are an American citizen who has ever faced a complex legal battle, you know the costs that come with that kind of fight. You better have a high-limit credit card ready, significant savings, or be prepared to navigate the justice system alone (which is practically impossible). But if you are an illegal alien looking to stay in this country permanently, there is a massive, tax-exempt machinery waiting to provide you with elite, “pro bono” legal representation that most Americans could never afford.

At the center of this machinery is a non-profit organization called Human Rights First.  Human Rights First isn’t just a legal aid group. They have turned themselves into a high-tech surveillance wing against our own Department of Homeland Security, undermining our national sovereignty.

Its “ICE Flight Monitor” uses sophisticated aviation data to track and publish the flight patterns of ICE aircraft. Think about this, while federal officers are trying to remove individuals who have violated our laws (some of whom have committed serious violent crimes), this “human rights” group is broadcasting their movements to the world.

Even more telling is the justification they provide. Human Rights First claims the project exists because of what it calls “lawless ICE enforcement” and says the monitor is meant to “strengthen public accountability and uphold transparency.” This framing assumes wrongdoing first, then builds a system to expose it.

Who are they really protecting here? It is not the American family in Chicago or New York who just wants safe streets. They are protecting people who shouldn’t be here in the first place, effectively weaponizing technology against our own country’s security.

Our own government is funding a non-profit that prides itself on tracking the moves of a government agency. In their recent filings, Human Rights First reported receiving more than $2.4 million in government grants. On top of this, their latest filing shows they posted a significant financial loss, reporting negative net income of more than $1.4 million. They can afford to operate in the red because they are propped up by a network of foundations and government handouts, all while maintaining a cozy tax-exempt status.

The most revealing part of the Human Rights First model is its Refugee Representation program. The nonprofit states that it “partners with leading law firms and corporate legal departments” and “mobilizes pro bono attorneys and volunteers” to represent asylum seekers. If you are in the country illegally, Human Rights First will connect you with top-tier attorneys from elite law firms. These are firms that typically charge corporate clients thousands per hour. Through its referral network, the group funnels thousands of immigration cases into the hands of some of the most powerful legal talent in the country, often using every possible delay tactic to keep individuals in the United States for as long as possible.

Human Rights First is not just providing legal aid to individual illegals. It is actively suing to block federal immigration policy. The group was a leading opponent of the first Trump administration’s “Remain in Mexico” policy, claiming it “forces asylum seekers to wait in dangerous conditions. Obviously, if someone is truly fleeing danger in their home country, reaching another country like Mexico already removes that immediate threat. The policy was meant to deter weak or fraudulent claims and reduce incentives to cross into the United States simply to stay. Instead, Human Rights First has used its legal network to challenge and dismantle enforcement tools and recently challenged the current Trump administration not to reimplement this policy.

Another piece of this operation is Human Rights First’s Innovation Lab. The group has developed digital tools like “Testimo,” an app designed to help migrants generate sworn declarations for their asylum cases, and “ReadyNow,” which prepares illegals for encounters with immigration enforcement. With the push of a red button within their app, illegal aliens can notify their contacts of possible detention and get immediate access to legal help. Imagine if we had something similar for Americans when they are arrested for a crime. This is tech-enabled advocacy designed to outmaneuver enforcement at scale.

Organizations like Human Rights First do not serve the American people’s best interests. They serve a far left agenda that views borders as human rights violations and law enforcement as oppressors. When a nonprofit operates at a financial loss while actively undermining the safety and sovereignty of the nation that hosts it and accepts government grants to do so, it shouldn’t be called a “charity.” 

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