(CALIFORNIA) Contra Costa County officials and community groups are expanding a county-funded rapid response network aimed at helping undocumented immigrants who fear stepped-up ICE enforcement in 2025, offering free legal help, a 24-hour hotline and trained observers who can verify reports of immigration agents. The initiative, called Stand Together Contra Costa (STCC), was launched by the Contra Costa Board of Supervisors with support from philanthropy and local organizations. It is built to respond quickly when a parent is detained, a workplace is visited, or rumors spread online. County leaders say the program tries to calm fear while protecting due process.
Hotline and immediate response services
Stand Together Contra Costa operates out of 800 Ferry Street in Martinez, but its most visible tool is the 24-hour hotline, (925) 900-5151, which residents can call to:
- Report ICE sightings
- Ask for emergency help if someone is detained
- Start an intake for a later legal consultation
Organizers say callers do not need to show documents or pay fees. Dispatchers take basic details before an immigration attorney follows up. For non-emergencies, the hotline also accepts calls Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Callers can also request a legal observer if agents appear at homes or courthouses. Trained volunteers can document the scene and verify whether reported activity is real.
How the program works — teams, verification and legal help
The program blends county funding with private support, pairing lawyers with community “rapid response” teams that can check whether a social media post reflects real ICE activity.
Supporters say culturally competent verification matters because fear can move faster than facts, especially in mixed-status families. When a report checks out:
- Trained volunteers document the scene.
- Attorneys advise families on what to say and what not to sign.
- Attorneys help families seek release or pursue emergency filings when appropriate.
STCC also runs rights workshops and trainings designed to keep immigrant residents engaged in schools and civic life across the county’s regions.
“Stand up for your rights” — a message emphasized in STCC trainings that explain the right to remain silent and the need for a signed judicial warrant for most home entries.
Types of legal cases and forms STCC assists with
STCC materials say its lawyers can cover a wide spread of cases, from asylum to long-term status, depending on the person’s facts and deadlines. That can include filing forms with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) such as:
| Purpose | Form |
|---|---|
| Asylum and withholding of removal | [Form I-589] |
| DACA renewals | [Form I-821D] |
| U visas for some crime victims | [Form I-918] |
| VAWA self-petitions and Special Immigrant Juvenile Status | [Form I-360] |
| Naturalization | [Form N-400] |
| TPS (Temporary Protected Status) | [Form I-821] |
| Family petitions | [Form I-130] |
| Work permits | [Form I-765] |
Advocates say clinics help determine eligibility and meet filing deadlines, and they caution that a hotline call is not the same as filing a case with USCIS.
Keep a ready-to-use contact card with the hotline number, local legal resources, and notes from any intake. Update the list after each interaction to ensure you can reach help quickly when needed.
Detention response and locator resources
The hotline is pitched as a lifeline when someone is taken into custody and moved quickly through the detention system. Organizers say they can respond if a resident is held at Contra Costa County Jail or transferred to facilities such as Yuba County Detention Center. They may assist with bond hearings or emergency filings like habeas corpus petitions in federal court.
Families can also check the official ICE locator if they have a person’s A-number and country of birth:
Attorneys warn that records can lag after a transfer in the hours after an arrest, so the locator may not immediately reflect recent movements.
Legal and public-policy context
Supporters describe the effort as an extension of California’s 2017 Values Act, which limits how local police can participate in federal immigration enforcement. They frame STCC as a way to keep residents from calling 911 less often out of fear and to preserve public safety.
Older county profiles noted 33.2% of Contra Costa residents were described as “New Americans,” a label that includes immigrants and their children. Stand Together Contra Costa lists partners such as:
- Contra Costa County Public Defender’s Office
- East Bay Community Law Center
VisaVerge.com reports county-backed legal defense models are spreading as raids rise across Northern California.
Economic rationale and county support
County District 1 Supervisor John Gioia, who helped set up the program, said the goal is to protect “hard working immigrant families” who are part of the local economy even when they lack papers.
He pointed to 2017 estimates showing Contra Costa County had 55,499 undocumented immigrants who paid $151.9 million in federal taxes and $67.1 million in state and local taxes. Those figures, cited in county-linked reports, are often used by backers to argue that deportation threats can destabilize neighborhoods, employers and schools, not just individual households. Gioia said the county can’t thrive if residents live in constant panic.
Financial support for families after detention
Alongside legal defense, supporters are trying to soften the financial hit when a wage earner is suddenly detained and bills pile up.
- A regional Stand Together Bay Area Fund launched in September 2025 to pool donations for families affected by ICE raids, helping cover rent and food in the weeks after an arrest.
- Locally, STCC says its services remain no-cost for Contra Costa residents regardless of immigration status or ability to pay. Details are posted at: https://standtogethercontracosta.org
County officials say the hotline also takes tips from neighbors who witness enforcement activity.
Safety guidance and limits
Immigration lawyers involved with the effort emphasize:
- Community members should document events safely and avoid interfering with federal agents, since obstruction can lead to arrest.
- A call to the hotline is not the same as filing paperwork with USCIS; deadlines still apply for many benefits.
- STCC’s written materials do not name any clients, reflecting the risks of speaking publicly while ICE enforcement is in the news.
The program’s aim: make sure every resident can reach a lawyer quickly when it matters right away.
Contra Costa launched and expanded Stand Together Contra Costa (STCC), a county-funded rapid response network offering a 24-hour hotline, free legal assistance, trained observers and rights workshops. STCC verifies ICE activity, helps families during detentions, and assists with USCIS filings (asylum, DACA, work permits and more). Backed by county funds and philanthropy, the initiative also links to a regional fund launched in September 2025 to cover immediate expenses for affected families.
