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San Jose advocates press council for $1.5M in immigration legal services as ICE activity rises
Summary
Community groups, led by Amigos de Guadalupe, urged the City Council to fund $1.5 million for rapid-response legal services and outreach to residents facing deportation; speakers said Los Angeles raids show San Jose must act now and suggested using budget-stabilization funds or redirecting police savings.
San Jose — At a public hearing on the proposed 2025–26 budget, immigrant-rights groups and community members urged the City Council to allocate $1.5 million to expand legal representation and outreach for residents facing immigration enforcement.
Amigos de Guadalupe and allied organizations said recent and reported Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity in Los Angeles shows the threat could spread to Santa Clara County. "The Trump administration is just ramping up… the time to act is now," Jeremy Bruce of Amigos de Guadalupe said, urging the council to approve a one‑time $1.5 million allocation for lawyers and navigators.
Maritza Maldonado, executive director of Amigos de Guadalupe, said $500,000 is inadequate and the organization needs at least $1.5 million "to hire more lawyers and outreach workers." Several speakers asked the council to consider Option 1 in a councilmember memo — using the budget stabilization fund — or to redirect non‑essential police savings such as SJPD vacancies to pay for the work.
Supporters emphasized outcomes and practicality: they cited evidence that immigrants with legal counsel fare far better in removal proceedings, and said the city can fund community programs that stabilize families and allow workers to keep contributing to the local economy.
Opponents of increased enforcement also made a direct link to the immigration ask: several public speakers said that expanding criminal enforcement of encampments while failing to invest in immigrant legal defense would harm mixed‑status families and increase fear across neighborhoods.
Ending
Councilmembers will consider budget amendments and final allocations at the council meeting scheduled the day after the hearing. Advocacy groups said they would press the council to find funding before midyear.
