Hundreds of vulnerable immigrants estimated to receive access to free legal representation through innovative L.A. Justice Fund
LOS ANGELES – November 27, 2017 –The L.A. Justice Fund has awarded $7,450,000 to 17 L.A. based nonprofit legal service providers to bolster and expand access to legal representation for individuals facing immigration detention and deportation. The L.A. Justice Fund is a unique public-private partnership between Los Angeles County, the City of Los Angeles, the Weingart Foundation, and the California Community Foundation (CCF).
As fears in the immigrant community have dramatically escalated in response to increased federal immigration enforcement, Los Angeles leaders have joined forces to help address the rising demand for legal representation.
“In the face of increased federal immigration enforcement, Los Angeles is stepping up with the L.A. Justice Fund to provide support, hope and access to justice for our immigrant communities,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda L. Solis. “I am hopeful that L.A. County’s $3 million dollar contribution to the L.A. Justice Fund will make a world of difference in the lives of many immigrants who could not otherwise afford a lawyer, as they face deportation and being torn apart from their families and their lives here in Los Angeles. L.A. County will always protect, defend, and fight for our immigrants.”
“The most vulnerable members of our communities — children and victims of domestic violence — should not have to face even greater risk because they cannot afford legal representation,” said Mayor Eric Garcetti. “We want to help keep families together by giving people in need access to the protections in our legal system, and that’s what the L.A. Justice Fund will do. This partnership shows that we value fair and equal justice for all Angelenos.”
Today, more than two thirds of detained individuals are unrepresented in their deportation proceedings. Representation matters: detained immigrants who have lawyers are five times more likely to succeed in challenges to their deportation.
Like Solis, other members of the County’s Board of Supervisors praised the L.A. Justice Fund as fulfilling a critical and urgent need rippling across the region.
“Legal representation is fundamental to the exercise of basic rights and L.A. County is committed to that basic principle,” said Board of Supervisors Chair Sheila Kuehl. “Given the threats now faced by so many in our immigrant communities, the County has taken special steps through the L.A. Justice Fund to ensure that no one is deported without a strong legal defense.”
“The L.A. Justice Fund will assist our most vulnerable immigrants, particularly children and victims of domestic violence, so they have an opportunity to remain in the country they have come to call home,” said Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas. “With this innovative public-private partnership, we can help ensure they can exercise their right to legal representation, regardless of ability to pay.”
Said Supervisor Janice Hahn: “Many immigrants have legal pathways to staying in this country—but without legal representation, they may never be able to make their case. Through the L.A. Justice Fund, we are fortifying our nation’s core principle of due process and allowing our immigrant neighbors their fair day in court.”
The L.A. Justice Fund will increase access to legal representation for immigrants in removal proceedings by supporting a network of nonprofit agencies and legal service providers. Following a rigorous review, nonprofits were awarded two-year grants.
“There is nothing more troubling than visiting an immigration court to see one immigrant after another subject to deportation because they simply don’t have legal representation,” said Judy London, Directing Attorney, Public Counsel and L.A. Justice Fund grantee. “Because of the Fund, people are going to have lawyers who are going to aggressively fight for their rights.”
The Fund aims to prioritize the most vulnerable populations in the immigrant community, including children and victims of sex trafficking. With this increased funding, grantee organizations will be able to address their most pressing needs, including hiring more immigration lawyers and strengthening their organization’s removal defense programs through training workshops and expanded resource and expertise sharing. Grantees will also be able to broaden partnerships between pro-bono and nonprofit legal service providers.
“It is urgently important that we have come together to support Los Angeles’ immigrant communities at this time, and safeguard our values of diversity, inclusion and equity,” said Fred Ali, President and CEO of the Weingart Foundation. “The L.A. Justice Fund is another excellent example of the City, County, and philanthropy working together with nonprofits, with dollars going to provide legal representation to the families that need it most.”
“We are stronger when we partner across sectors. Addressing the complex challenges our immigrant communities face requires collective effort.” said Antonia Hernández, President and CEO of the California Community Foundation. “The cross sector collaboration of the L.A. Justice Fund is a model for developing and implementing impactful solutions.”
Click here for a list of the L.A. Justice Fund grantees.
Press Contacts:
Michael Kapp, Communications Director, Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda L. Solis
mkapp@bos.lacounty.gov, (213) 974-4111
Andrea Garcia, Press Secretary for Spanish media, Los Angeles City Mayor, Eric Garcetti
andrea.f.garcia@lacity.org, (213) 978-1794
Susan Dunn, Communications Consultant, Weingart Foundation
susan@dunncommunications.net, (818) 762-4708
Roshin Mathew, Communications Director, California Community Foundation
rmathew@www.calfund.org, (213) 377-5630
By Araceli Martínez Ortega, La Opinión
By Jacqueline García, La Opinión
The Los Angeles Justice Fund (LAJF) seeks to ensure that Angelenos, regardless of legal status, have the right to legal representation. It is a multi-million dollar partnership between Los Angeles County, the City of Los Angeles, the Weingart Foundation and the California Community Foundation (CCF).
By Pilar Marrero, La Opinion
Expected to fund legal representation for immigrants against recently heightened federal deportation efforts
LOS ANGELES – July 10, 2017 – The L.A. Justice Fund, an innovative multi-million dollar fund to expand legal representation for immigrants, opened the application process today to nonprofit organizations dedicated to empowering the immigrant community with access to legal services. The L.A. Justice Fund is a partnership between Los Angeles County, the City of Los Angeles, the Weingart Foundation, and the California Community Foundation (CCF).
The L.A. Justice Fund will offer one- and two-year grants that will arm legal nonprofit organizations with the additional resources they need to defend more Angelenos who are at risk of being separated from their families. The L.A. Justice Fund aims to reinforce a safety net that is pro-family, pro-economic growth and pro-civil and human rights.
In L.A. County alone, nearly 1 million undocumented immigrants live with the daily anxiety of deportation and thousands lack legal representation. Representation matters: studies have shown immigrants who have lawyers are more likely to be released from detention and to succeed in challenges to their deportation, with many obtaining permanent relief.
“Unfortunately, too many in our immigrant populations are unable to afford legal representation,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda L. Solis. “With increased immigration enforcement by the federal government and the rollback of essential programs like DACA and DAPA, we must act now. It is more important than ever before to ensure that our immigrant communities have legal assistance to support them in navigating the often tricky legal system.”
“In Los Angeles, the values of compassion, love and acceptance guide us each and every day, and that’s why generations of immigrants have come here to make a better life for themselves and their families,” said Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti. “The L.A. Justice Fund will expand access to due process for our most vulnerable populations, helping to keep families and communities together. While we address this immediate need, I hope this administration will focus its attention to a comprehensive immigration reform, the long term solution Americans deserve.”
One in three Los Angeles County residents are foreign-born. Many immigrant families have resided in Los Angeles for generations, established deep roots and have made important economic contributions. Los Angeles immigrants represent 43 percent of the County’s workforce and more than half are self-employed entrepreneurs. In 2014, these Angelenos contributed $232.9 billion to the County’s total GDP and paid $7.9 billion in state and local taxes.
“Strengthening immigrant communities is part of the California Community Foundation’s long history of working to support the inclusion of all people in the civic and economic fabric of Los Angeles,” said California Community Foundation President and CEO, Antonia Hernández. “Los Angeles’ growth and success is inextricably linked and dependent upon the strength of our immigrant community.”
“It is urgently important that we come together to support Los Angeles’ immigrant communities and to safeguard our values of diversity, inclusion and equity,” said Fred Ali, President and CEO of the Weingart Foundation. “We applaud the City and the County for leading this groundbreaking public-private partnership. Working together, we will be able to get dollars out to the families that need it now.”
“With so much fear in our immigrant communities, this partnership is crucial,” said Mike Feuer, L.A. City Attorney. “We’ve grappled with the consequences of that anxiety first-hand—when we battle unscrupulous notarios to whom desperate immigrants turn to legalize their status; when our Victim’s Assistance Program struggles to persuade immigrant crime victims to seek the help to which they’re entitled; when our Neighborhood Prosecutors strive to convince terrified parents to continue to cooperate in addressing local public safety issues. The L.A. Justice Fund will be a key safety net to whom vulnerable Angelenos can reach out for help.”
The L.A. Justice Fund partners recognize the immigration system has been broken for decades, leaving families, workers, businesses and communities to live with the consequences of federal inaction. Ultimately, only comprehensive immigration reform at the federal level can address their uncertain status.
The California Community Foundation will administer the Fund on behalf of the L.A. Justice Fund partners. The review and selection of nonprofits is based on eligibility criteria set by the County and the City. Proposals will be reviewed and selected so that nonprofit legal services providers can begin to enhance and expand legal representation by the fall of this year.
For more information about the request for proposal process and timeline, please visit the California Community Foundation website.
The L.A. Justice Fund continues to raise money for this fund. Please donate here.
CONTACT
Roshin Mathew
rmathew [@] calfund [.] org
(213) 377 – 5630
By Steve Angeles, Balitang America
By Leslie Berestein Rojas, KPCC
City of Los Angeles
LOS ANGELES – June 23, 2017 – Thanks to the leadership of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and the Los Angeles City Council, the L.A. Justice Fund will move forward to provide critical legal assistance to immigrants facing the threat of deportation.
Today, we celebrate a trailblazing, multi-sector and cross-governmental approach to address the pressing demands of our diverse immigrant communities. The creation of the L.A. Justice Fund is a shining example of responsive government working together with philanthropy to meet the needs of the region.
The L.A. Justice Fund is a partnership between the City of Los Angeles, the County of Los Angeles, the California Community Foundation (CCF) and Weingart Foundation. Each is contributing funds that will support efforts to provide legal representation to Angelenos in immigration removal proceedings.
The Fund has already raised more than $7 million, including $2 million from the City of L.A., $3 million from the County and $2.2 million from CCF and the Weingart Foundation. These funders are actively engaging others to with the hopes of raising at least $10 million.
CCF plans to release a request for proposals in July 2017. Proposals will be reviewed and selected in August so that nonprofit legal services providers can begin to enhance and expand legal representation by September 2017.
As we celebrate the L.A. Justice Fund, we recognize that our immigration system has been broken for decades, leaving families, workers, businesses and communities to live with the consequences of federal inaction.
While only Congress can make meaningful and comprehensive reforms to our immigration laws, Los Angeles and many other communities are not standing still. Until we have comprehensive immigration reform, Angelenos will continue working together to address the consequences of our broken immigration system and protect immigrants through efforts like the L.A. Justice Fund.
In L.A. County alone, there are close to 1 million undocumented immigrants. More than 80 percent have been in the United States for a decade or more. They contribute to their communities, pay taxes and want to get right with the law.
The L.A. Justice Fund partners stand side by side ready to make a difference in the lives of L.A. immigrants. As we move forward, we will strengthen our partnership so that we continue to stay responsive to community needs and support efforts that have the most impact, promote efficiency and serve as many people as possible.
For more information about the L.A. Justice Fund, visit www.calfund.org/lajusticefund.
The California Community Foundation has served as a public, charitable organization since 1915, empowering donors to pursue their own personal passions and to collaborate with us in addressing the root causes of challenges in Los Angeles County. CCF stewards more than $1.6 billion in assets and manages over 1,600 charitable foundations, funds and legacies. For more information, please visit www.calfund.org.
CONTACT
Roshin Mathew
[cryptx]rmathew@www.calfund.org[/cryptx]
(213) 377 – 5630