Jan 28 Support Letter for $25 million for immigration-related legal services

January 28, 2025

Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel
1021 O Street, Suite 8230
Sacramento, CA 95814

Re: Support for AB X1-2: Budget Act of 2024 – $25 million for immigration-related legal services

Dear Assemblymember Gabriel,

On behalf of the Marin County Board of Supervisors, I am writing in support of Assembly Bill X1-2 to allocate $25 million to support legal services for vulnerable residents facing detention, deportation, eviction, wage theft, and other immigration-related threats – in light of the current Administration’s focus on immigration enforcement including deportations.

AB X1-2 would allocate a total of $25 million for immigrant legal services:

• $10 million for legal services to help vulnerable Californians facing detention, deportation, eviction, wage theft, and other threats. Grants would be distributed through the Legal Services Trust Fund Commission.
• $10 million for immigration-related services through grants, contracts and state services including legal defense for individuals at risk of deportation.
• $5 million for nonprofit legal service providers via the California Access to Justice Commission to expand access to civil legal services.

Access to an attorney is a critical factor in winning an immigration removal defense case, and most immigrants or their families cannot afford to have an immigration attorney to represent them in immigration court despite it being the single most important factor in determining whether someone will win or lose their case. This means that many deportations – and their resulting trauma, family separation, loss of income and other adverse local economic and social impacts – can be avoided by ensuring immigrants have legal representation. Of course, in many cases, the safety of individuals themselves is also imperiled by deportation to dangerous conditions in the country of origin.

We stand in support of these needed, new state resources for the nearly 2 million undocumented residents in California in the face of unprecedent federal immigration enforcement under the current administration. We urge the Legislature to pass AB X1-2, and make its $25 million in funding available to legal aid services as soon as possible to begin helping California residents in need. We also urge that, where possible, funding is directed to community-based organizations most trusted by immigrant communities.

Thank you for your shared commitment to all residents of our state.

Sincerely, 

Mary Sackett, President
Marin County Board of Supervisors

CC:       Marin County Board of Supervisors
            Assemblymember Damon Connolly
            Senator Mike McGuire