The Long Beach City Council on Nov. 18 approved a contract to fund expanded immigration legal services through the Long Beach Justice Fund, awarding the work to nonprofit legal services provider Public Counsel.

City staff said the Justice Fund is supported with $1,990,000 in total FY26 funding and aims to expand access to representation and related wraparound services for low‑income immigrant residents. "The Long Beach Justice Fund exists to ensure that low income immigrants, immigrant residents who live, work, or have deep connections to our city can access the legal representation that they need to make their case and remain in The United States," a staff presenter told the council.

Public Counsel and community advocates urged approval during public comment. Gina Amato Low, directing attorney for Public Counsel's Immigrants' Rights Project, described the organization’s work and said the group would provide a mix of in‑person clinics, pro se workshops and full‑scope representation. "Public Counsel is excited to launch a new partnership...to provide free legal services to the Long Beach community," she said.

Staff told council Public Counsel’s proposed scope would provide individualized screenings and clinics and take on a portion of removal defense cases and affirmative and appellate matters. The presentation said the contracted provider would serve at least 140 community members through a combination of consultations, workshops and full representation, including an estimated 20–24 full removal defense cases.

Council members asked about timing, staffing and the cost per case given the labor intensity of removal defense. Several members noted the need to avoid gaps in services while procurement processes are completed. "Many of those cases are complex and time intensive," one councilmember said, noting that a single removal defense can span one to three years and require hundreds of attorney hours.

The council voted to award the contract and begin onboarding the provider so services could begin; the motion carried.

What's next: staff will finalize contract documents and begin onboarding Public Counsel to initiate clinics and representation under the Justice Fund.