(SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA) San Francisco will direct an additional $3.4 million in philanthropic funding to expand immigration legal defense as the city faces rising federal enforcement threats under President Trump. Announced by Mayor Daniel Lurie in July 2025, the plan extends support for the Public Defender’s Immigration Defense Unit through March 2029, adding staff and attorneys to represent residents in deportation proceedings and related cases. City leaders said the move aims to stabilize families, keep workers in their jobs, and ensure due process if federal actions escalate.
City Hall officials said the money, raised from private donors, will fund four new positions in the Immigration Defense Unit. The Public Defender’s Office expects the added capacity to speed up screenings, take on more complex removal cases, and coordinate closely with community groups for referrals. The city’s parallel grant programs will continue to support language access, naturalization help, and fee assistance, including for low-income applicants who qualify for fee waivers.
Mayor Lurie and Supervisor Bilal Mahmood said the city is acting in light of recent federal steps, including the deployment of more than 100 federal immigration agents to the Bay Area and threats by President Trump to send National Guard troops for immigration operations. San Francisco reaffirmed its longstanding sanctuary policies, which bar local law enforcement from assisting with civil immigration enforcement except as required by law. The city’s budget for Fiscal Years 2025–2026 and 2026–2027 protects immigrant legal services despite an $800 million shortfall.
Funding Details and Scope
According to officials, the $3.4 million will help the Immigration Defense Unit expand court representation, bond advisals, and post-conviction relief work that can reduce immigration consequences of old criminal cases. The Public Defender’s Office will also ramp up rapid-response capacity for home and workplace enforcement actions.
While the grant runs through March 2029, leaders said demand will be assessed quarterly to track needs and shift staffing.
How the new resources will be used
- Increase attorney staffing for detained and non-detained removal defense.
- Boost outreach with clinics at schools, health centers, and faith sites.
- Provide support for asylum, cancellation of removal, and waivers when tied to removal cases.
- Strengthen interpreter services and trauma-informed client support.
Community organizations will continue to receive city grants for services that connect people to legal help and stabilize households. These programs include:
– Language access services for public benefits and court appointments.
– Naturalization application support using Form N-400 for eligible lawful permanent residents, with referrals to citizenship classes. Link: https://www.uscis.gov/n-400.
– Fee assistance and, where eligible, help with Form I-912 to request a fee waiver for certain USCIS applications. Link: https://www.uscis.gov/i-912.
VisaVerge.com reports that free, high-quality representation often increases a person’s chances of success in immigration court, helping families remain together and reducing downstream costs for local services. The city’s approach aligns with that view by pairing courtroom advocacy with community-based support so people can prepare cases, gather records, and appear at hearings.
Legal and Political Backdrop
The city’s move comes amid stepped-up rhetoric from Washington and heightened worry in immigrant neighborhoods. Local officials and advocates said the recent influx of federal agents has driven people to skip work, avoid medical appointments, and keep children home from school.
Governor Gavin Newsom has said the state will go to court if federal deployments exceed lawful authority or encroach on state and local autonomy. City officials stressed that nothing in San Francisco’s plan interferes with federal law; instead, it funds legal counsel and community services that the law allows.
“In deportation cases, people have the right to hire a lawyer but are not provided one by the government.”
The expanded Immigration Defense Unit fills that gap by offering free counsel where resources allow, consistent with EOIR guidance on the right to counsel at no expense to the government.
Public defenders note that lawyers can check for relief like:
– Asylum or withholding of removal
– Cancellation of removal for certain long-term residents
– Adjustments based on family ties
– Remedies addressing criminal-immigration (“crim-imm”) issues, where an old conviction may be reclassified or vacated under state law, sometimes changing the immigration outcome
The Lurie administration said preserving immigrant services in a tight budget signals stability during a volatile period. The adopted two-year budget protects funding for attorneys, community clinics, and fee aid even as other departments face cuts. Officials said the city chose to keep these programs because they prevent harsher outcomes later, such as family separations, shelter turnover, and lost tax revenue when workers are detained or deported.
The regional landscape is also shifting. The California Department of Social Services awarded nearly $37 million statewide for immigration services in 2025–26, including grants to Bay Area providers. Local leaders said the city’s new philanthropic funding plugs gaps that state contracts don’t cover, such as:
– Specialized litigation
– Bond motions for detained residents at remote facilities
– Rapid-response work after large-scale enforcement operations
Impact for Families and Community Preparedness
For families, the difference can be immediate. A San Francisco mother with two U.S. citizen children might face removal after a roadside stop, only to learn she may qualify for cancellation of removal because of her long residence and the hardship her deportation would cause her kids. Without a lawyer, she might miss filing deadlines or fail to collect key school and medical records that support her case.
With counsel through the Immigration Defense Unit, she can:
1. Build a full record with supporting documents.
2. Appear at hearings with representation.
3. Seek release and continue working while her case proceeds.
Officials said the city remains in contact with federal agencies to protect public safety and maintain clear lines between criminal law enforcement and civil immigration enforcement. They also urged residents to stay informed, avoid rumors, and seek reputable legal help.
The Public Defender’s Office and its nonprofit partners continue to run:
– Know-your-rights workshops
– Hotline support
– Emergency planning sessions so families can prepare documents and pick child guardians if needed
President Biden has not endorsed National Guard deployments for local immigration operations, and the White House has said it supports community trust policies. Still, San Francisco is preparing for a range of scenarios given the current climate. City leaders emphasized that any federal activity must respect constitutional limits, state law, and court orders.
Guidance for Residents
Residents who need help should:
– Contact trusted legal providers and avoid notarios or unlicensed consultants.
– Ask about fee waivers and reduced fees for U.S. citizenship applicants.
– Request a legal review for old criminal cases to see if state remedies exist.
– Consult unions and community groups for job-site raid planning, including emergency contact lists and document safes.
San Francisco’s decision is both a shield and a signal: a shield for families at risk now, and a signal to donors and lawmakers that, in this moment, steady support matters.
As federal enforcement threats rise and court backlogs grow, the city’s investment in its Immigration Defense Unit and community services aims to keep due process real, not just promised. City officials said the goal is simple—if someone is ordered deported, it will be after a fair hearing, with proper notice, and with a lawyer by their side.
This Article in a Nutshell
San Francisco has obtained $3.4 million in philanthropic funding to expand the Public Defender’s Immigration Defense Unit through March 2029. The grant will fund four new positions to increase attorney staffing for detained and non-detained removal defense, accelerate screenings, handle complex removal and post-conviction relief work, and strengthen rapid-response efforts for home and workplace enforcement. The city will continue parallel grants for language access, naturalization support using Form N-400, and fee assistance, including help with Form I-912 waivers. Officials framed the move as a response to growing federal enforcement activity — including deployments of over 100 federal agents — while reaffirming sanctuary policies and protecting services despite an $800 million budget shortfall. The investment aims to preserve families, keep workers employed, and ensure due process by providing counsel and community-based supports.
