Alameda County unanimously approves $3.57 million package to bolster immigrant legal aid and rapid response

Alameda County supervisors unanimously approved an emergency package on Oct. 14 to extend and increase funding for countywide immigrant legal and rapid‑response services, citing a recent spike in immigration enforcement and sharply increased call volumes to community hotlines.

The board adopted recommendations from the Alameda County Together for All ad hoc committee to extend and augment three coalition contracts for six months and to provide support for the county public defender’s immigration work. The total augmentation approved was $3,574,537, of which $1,074,537 was requested from the Measure W emergency and transition support contingency.

Supervisors Nikki Fortunato Bass and David Marquez presented the committee’s findings and recommendations, saying the county’s initial March allocation of $3.5 million helped stand up rapid response, legal defense and organizing networks but that demand and enforcement activity have since increased. County presenters cited San Francisco‑area ICE arrest figures that rose markedly in the first seven months of the year and showed a significant increase in hotline volume.

Under the approved package: ACLIP (a Centro Legal de la Raza‑anchored rapid response coalition) received an extension and augmentation to expand hotline hours and wraparound supports; Trabajadores Unidos (a worker‑organizing partner) received funding to sustain countywide outreach and organizing; and the California Collaborative for Immigrant Justice (ACORD) received additional legal‑defense funding to scale removal‑defense capacity. The Alameda County Public Defender’s Office also requested $50,000 to help cover increased application and litigation fees for indigent immigration cases, a request the board included in the action.

Supporters that addressed the board in person and online emphasized immediate needs: hotline coverage outside weekday hours, bilingual and culturally specific outreach (including greater inclusion of Asian and Southeast Asian communities), surge legal capacity, and a basic‑needs fund for families who lose wage earners to detention. Dozens of speakers — from school officials to legal service providers and community organizers — urged full approval, saying services preserve family unity, school attendance and community stability.

Supervisors asked staff for implementation details, including spending to date on the initial allocations, the names of philanthropic partners that had committed matching funds, and a plan to identify an internal county liaison while a permanent Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs is developed. County staff and coalition leads reported roughly $700,000 in philanthropic matches to date and described ongoing conversations with several foundations to secure further support.

President Halbert called the proposal ‘‘well thought out,’’ and Supervisor Meili said he supported the motion but asked for more budgetary detail ahead of the next fiscal year. Supervisor Tam urged specific outreach and performance reporting for Asian and Southeast Asian communities. The motion, made by Supervisor Fortunato Bass and seconded by Supervisor Marquez, passed on a roll call vote: Marquez, Tam, Meili, Fortunato Bass and Halbert — all aye.

The board also noted philanthropic efforts outside the county action: supervisors Marquez and Fortunato Bass each pledged $50,000 from their offices toward a privately led emergency basic‑needs fund coordinated by the San Francisco Foundation and partners. County staff said they will return with further staffing and budget details for a proposed county office and recommendations for reporting and contract monitoring.

The board’s action is an 18‑month bridge in county support: staff read a correction into the record clarifying the item’s requested allocation as $3,574,537 and the Measure W request as $1,074,537. Supervisors emphasized the measure is an interim response while the county considers a permanent Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs and further regional partnerships.