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County outlines immigrant response: legal funding, communications and standby‑guardianship bill
Summary
County executives and the Office of Immigrant Relations updated supervisors on efforts to expand legal representation and rapid response for immigrants, a multilingual communications campaign and proposed standby‑guardianship legislation intended to protect children if caregivers are detained or deported.
Santa Clara County officials told the Children, Seniors and Families Committee on April 24 they have begun distributing county funds for immigrant legal services, are preparing a countywide multilingual communications campaign, and are working with state lawmakers on a standby‑guardianship bill meant to reduce the likelihood that children enter dependency systems after a parent’s detention.
What officials reported - Legal services funding: Deputy County Executive David Campos said the county set aside $5,000,000 for immigrant legal services when the board approved an expedited allocation earlier this spring. Staff used an expedited application process to award roughly $1,400,000 to address immediate gaps; the county also funds roughly $5.9 million in existing immigration legal services and is recommending increased funding to about $6.3 million, yielding a combined county commitment approaching $8 million for legal immigration services if recommendations are adopted. - Standby guardianship legislation: Officials described proposed legislation carried by Assemblymember Gail Pellerin to create a formal standby‑guardianship vehicle so a parent can designate a caretaker who would step in if the parent is detained or deported. Officials said they are taking community concerns into account and are identifying witnesses for the bill’s April 29 hearing. - Communications and outreach: The county plans a rapid, multilingual outreach campaign — including Spanish, Vietnamese, Chinese and Tagalog assets and use of ethnic media and social platforms — and intends to spend an initial allocation of about $1 million to deploy a robust campaign quickly rather than waiting months for a full RFP process. - Community engagement and contingency planning: Staff said they are meeting with school districts, community clinics and legal‑service providers and have begun work with districts on a “Know Your Rights” kit for parents; the county has convened community meetings, including focused meetings with LGBTQ and transgender communities to identify gaps.
Operational notes and concerns Casey Halkin, deputy county executive, described an ICE field incident in early April where agents detained a parent while children were briefly left with an ICE officer; officials said DFCS has not received any children as a result of ICE actions to date but is preparing family‑finding protocols and a roster of resource families ready to respond if children need short‑term caregiving because of government action. County staff urged families to complete caregiver affidavits and to use the Office of Immigrant Relations resources and the county’s Know Your Rights materials.
Committee action The committee voted to receive the report. Supervisors asked staff for briefings and emphasized coordination with schools, community partners and County divisions (including the Division of Equity and Social Justice) to increase outreach and service capacity.
What the report did not claim Officials did not assert that mass removals were underway in the county; they said the county is preparing contingencies and rapidly expending funds to fill identified legal and community gaps.
Next steps Officials said additional contract awards are pending, a communications launch is imminent, and staff will provide updates on legal contract renewals and community outreach activities.
