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Committee approves amended appropriation to fund lawyers for unaccompanied immigrant children
Summary
A committee amended and approved an ordinance to fund legal representation for children and families on San Francisco's expedited immigration docket, accepting the budget analyst's attorney-only cost recommendation (approximately $1,063,800 per year) and forwarding the item to the full Board.
A San Francisco Board of Supervisors committee voted to forward an amended ordinance that would fund legal representation for unaccompanied immigrant children and families appearing in San Francisco immigration court.
Supervisor David Campos, the item sponsor, framed the proposal as an urgent humanitarian response to a surge of children on the court's expedited "rocket docket." Campos said the original request sought $1.2 million per year for two years to help nonprofit legal-service organizations hire staff so that every child in the local docket could receive counsel. "This budget supplemental is urgently needed to protect the basic rights of hundreds of children and families," Campos said.
Scores of children and parents addressed the committee during public comment, many describing perilous journeys and detention conditions. A 28-year-old mother, Paola, described traveling "on the famous train called La Bestia" and asked the supervisors for help. Several children also spoke directly to the committee about fear of deportation and the need for attorneys.
Legal-service providers and bar organizations testified that volunteer pro bono attorneys cannot, by themselves, close the justice gap without nonprofit staffing, training and mentoring. The public defender's office urged funding, noting research showing the presence of counsel substantially improves immigration outcomes. "If they did have a lawyer, it showed that over half would be able to stay because of circumstances in their case," one speaker said, citing the Syracuse University finding presented to the committee.
Budget and legislative analyst Mr. Rose presented cost estimates: an annual total-service estimate of about $1.25 million, and an attorney-only alternative that reduces costs by $136,200 to $1,063,800 per year (a two-year attorney-only total of $2,127,600). Following discussion, Supervisor John Avalos moved to accept the budget analyst's recommendation. The committee amended the ordinance to reflect the attorney-only funding level and took the motion "without objection," forwarding the amended ordinance to the full Board for final action.
The committee record indicates staff will expedite procurement and coordination with the Mayor's Office should the Board approve the appropriation.
