Jonathan Ryan has served as the Executive Director of the Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services (RAICES) since 2008. RAICES provides free and low-cost legal services to underserved immigrant children, families and refugees in Central and South Texas. Previously, he worked as a staff attorney at American Gateways where he helped to establish the Legal Orientation Program for adults in DHS detention. Jonathan received his B.A. from Columbia College in New York and is a graduate of the University of Texas School of Law.

In 2004 he joined RAICES as one of only four employees. Under Jonathan’s leadership, the organization has grown to over 200 employees.

RAICES provides free legal services for unaccompanied children, families, and adults both in and out of detention; community legal services; refugee resettlement and post-release support; and advocacy on behalf of our clients and the communities it serves.

In 2018, Jonathan was a recipient of the Child 10 Award in Malmö, Sweden. The Child 10 Summit gathers ten individuals from around the world to recognize their effort to protect and end the exploitation of children and the violation of their human rights. This year RAICES plans to expand out of Texas and become a national nonprofit organization.

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