the small acts that ripple outward—that’s where the magic happens. But some folks take that same spirit of connection and turn it into a lifelong mission to help others find safety, belonging, and home. That’s why we’re proud to shine a light on RAICES, also known as the Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services—a Texas-born organization that’s been standing up for immigrant and refugee families since 1986.

Texas Roots With a National Reach

RAICES began as a two-person team in a tiny San Antonio office during the Sanctuary Movement, when communities across the U.S. opened their doors to Central American refugees seeking safety and freedom. What started small has grown into something extraordinary: Legal and social advocacy that reaches families nationwide. 

Their mission is simple and powerful: to build a country where everyone can pursue their American dream with dignity and respect, no matter where they were born.

What They Do

RAICES provides free and low-cost legal and social services to immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers who would otherwise have to face the complex U.S. immigration system alone. From first contact to final resolution, they walk beside families through every step of the process, ensuring that no one is left behind because of cost, language, or fear.

Their programs include:

• Legal and social services. RAICES represents and collaborates with children and families throughout their years-long immigration cases, including case management services rooted in trauma-informed holistic care;
  
• Rights advocacy RAICES. mounts court challenges against harmful U.S. immigration policies and brings an experienced perspective to the national conversation, informed by on-the-ground community engagement;
  
• Refugee client services. RAICES centers the service recipient’s needs and strengths through culturally-attuned self-sufficiency programs, including cash and medical assistance, school enrollment, and employment referrals.
  

By combining legal expertise with compassion, RAICES has created a model for what humane immigration support can look like—a mix of advocacy, empathy, and action that transforms lives every single day.

Four Decades of Fighting for Families

Through changing administrations and shifting laws, RAICES has remained a steadfast advocate for human rights. They’ve helped parents and children separated at the border reunite and heal. They’ve filed federal lawsuits to challenge unjust detention and deportation policies. 

They’ve provided housing and emergency aid during the pandemic, and stood beside families rebuilding their lives in Texas communities. They’ve seen heartbreak up close—and turned it into action. 

For nearly forty years, RAICES has embodied what it means to be rooted in community: steadfast, compassionate, and unwilling to look away.

Why This Work Matters

Families with legal representation are ten-and-a-half times more likely to receive immigration relief than those who face court alone. Without organizations like RAICES, countless individuals would be forced to navigate a system designed to exclude them—often in a language they don’t speak, under laws they can’t afford to interpret, in courts stacked against them. Having someone in their corner can mean the difference between safety and deportation, between family unity and separation.

Behind every statistic is a real person—a mother reunited with her child after months apart, a student finally able to dream about college again, a father who can sleep at night knowing his family is safe. That’s the quiet power of this work: giving people back their sense of dignity, stability, and belonging. And to us, that’s what “legalizing humanity” really looks like.

How to Get Involved

As part of our ongoing Legalize Humanity initiative, Old Pal Provisions is donating $2-$5 from every Legalize Humanity item sold on our site to RAICES. It’s our way of standing with those who stand up for others—because community isn’t a word, it’s a practice. Together, we can help more families find home, hope, and belonging. Visit the RAICES website to learn more, volunteer, or support their programs directly. Because when we show up for one another—across neighborhoods, borders, and backgrounds—we make the world a little more human. Legalize humanity. Root for community. And never underestimate what a few caring hearts can build together.