Supervisor Campos introduces funding plan for universal legal representation for immigrants

Supervisor David Campos introduced a proposal to create city‑funded, universal legal representation for immigrants facing removal proceedings, presenting the idea as an urgent, pre‑emptive step in response to statements by the incoming presidential administration.

What Campos proposed: Campos said the proposal would provide $5 million for a calendar year to build a coordinated program of representation. He said roughly half of the requested funds would strengthen the Public Defender’s capacity to represent detained immigrants — the office would be authorized to add up to 10 attorneys — and the remainder would be awarded to community‑based legal services providers to represent non‑detained immigrants and provide outreach and screening.

Sponsor’s rationale and numbers presented: Campos said San Francisco has about 44,000 undocumented residents, including roughly 11,000 from Mexico and 10,000 from China, and he emphasized that more than 1,500 immigrants were already in active detention proceedings. He told the board that immigrants with counsel are far more likely to be released from detention and to obtain relief in immigration court, and he urged the city to act now, before federal policy changes could quickly lead to deportations.

Structure and partners: Campos described a joint model that pairs the Public Defender’s office for detained defense with community organizations that provide removal‑defense services and outreach for non‑detained people. He said the plan draws on models used in New York and on discussions with Public Defender Jeff Adachi and multiple community organizations.

Public comment and community support: Dozens of community groups and legal providers spoke in support during public comment or were present at a rally earlier in the day. Speakers representing Pangea Legal Services, La Raza Centro Legal, Dolores Street Community Services and other providers urged the board to adopt sustained funding and praised the coordinated model. Multiple speakers described the effort as both a legal necessity and a moral/ public‑safety measure to keep families from being separated.

Action status: Campos introduced the supplemental appropriation and asked the board to act quickly; the transcript records the introduction and a pledge of support from multiple supervisors but does not show final board approval during this meeting. Campos and several members said they would work with Mayor’s Office staff and the budget process to move the item forward.

What was not decided: The transcript does not record a final appropriation vote or full program design details such as eligibility criteria, contracting mechanisms, or precise administrative oversight. Campos said the Public Defender would be a principal implementer for detained cases and community organizations for non‑detained cases, but contracting and implementation details were left to follow‑up discussions.

Voices and who spoke in support: In addition to Campos, speakers from the legal‑services community included Nilu Frikansari (Pangea Legal Services), Vicky Castro (La Raza Centro Legal), Anna Herrera (Dolores Street Community Services) and other community representatives. Supervisor comments on the item showed broad support across multiple board members present at the meeting.