Where can I donate for legal aid to immigrants to California? (2024)

November 25, 2024 9:50 AM

I'd like to donate to a legal aid charity for immigrants that works specifically in California. A group like RAICES, but in California instead of Texas.

This is a repost of a question I asked six years ago. Back then I never found the large California organization I was hoping for, most of the groups in my state seemed smaller and local. I don't think much has changed but I'm not sure, so asking again.

(My specific concern is Trump doing a violent show of force with mass detentions in California. A demonstration of power. Not clear a polite legal response will be sufficient in that context but it's better than nothing. Not looking for speculation on disaster scenarios, just pointers to charitable organizations that may help immigrants in a time of legal and political danger.)

posted by Nelson to Law & Government (8 answers total)

Best answer: Hi there.

So I work in immigration policy at a national level in DC. (You may have seen me on this reply… unfortunately the work referred to there is now relevant when we were all hoping otherwise. Sigh.) Thank you for asking the question and supporting the vulnerable, truly.

I want to try to give a comprehensive list of orgs who I have worked with personally for you but also for anyone else who reads the question and is inspired to donate. (My employer is not listed below, to avoid appearance of impropriety etc.)

Without further ado, here’s the list. Obviously I only have so much insight into them, but I’m comfortable saying that all of them do what it says on the tin—ie they are all legitimate players in the fight.


Groups with a national presence based in California

Acacia Center for Justice
CHIRLA
National Center for Youth Law (Flores monitors)
NILC (National Immigration Law Center)

California orgs who are primarily non-profit legal service providers

Casa Cornelia
Centro Legal de la Raza
ImmDef
ILRC

National groups with significant California activities and presence

International Rescue Committee
KIND
Young Center

California orgs who do a combination of immigration work

Al Otro Lado
CARECEN - LA
CARECEN - SF
IILA
Jewish Family Services San Diego
La Maestra
Lao Family Community Development

I want to close with this: Donations are crucial right now because of a massive withdrawal from the philanthropic sector from funding immigration work. This is true regardless of the specifics of the organization and the org's mission. On the policy side, we’re heavily constrained in what we can do now during the lame duck interregnum. Money really does help. But you have to know that if we do our jobs right, it’s a rearguard action that most people will never see (e.g., extending protections for immigration parolees from one month to three months).

For service providers — whether legal service providers, social services providers, resettlement agencies, child advocates, or community orgs — the storm is truly coming once Trump is inaugurated. People can imagine. the cost in mass deportations and visible policy changes, but it's *also* coming because a bunch of orgs get some portion of their operating budget from federal contracts (for example, to represent children in immigration hearings or to resettle refugees). We expect that the Trump administration will freeze, delay, bury in paperwork, or otherwise make inaccessible that funding, that is, cutting access to services just as the needs grow higher for the immigrant community.
posted by migrantology at 11:40 AM on November 25 [28 favorites]

That's super comprehensive, migrantology!

In addition, the DOJ maintains a list of pro bono immigration service provides for all states here. At least they do right now...
posted by Mid at 3:30 PM on November 25 [1 favorite]

Mod note: [We've added migrantology's very helpful answer to the sidebar and Best Of blog. Thank you so much!]
posted by taz (staff) at 2:56 AM on November 26 [4 favorites]

I'm going to give a plug for a local service: The Canal Alliance, in San Rafael, California. They are a little org, but they are mighty! They service mostly Hispanic immigrants and help with housing, jobs, education, generally providing what their clients need in the moment. They did a terrific job during COVID of creating a safe space for folks to get vaccines. I am not associated with them other than periodic donations.
posted by agatha_magatha at 9:28 AM on November 26 [2 favorites]

Wow! Thanks Taz. Humbled and happy to help out.

(And the "free" above in "free, delay, bury in paperwork" should have been "freeze." I always catch the type late!)
posted by migrantology at 6:54 AM on November 27 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Thank you for all the answers!

I took migrantology's list and read through it carefully. It's exactly what I was asking for. They are all non-profits and all doing work to benefit immigrants. Most are legal focused but many provide other services too. Here's the same list but I looked up their tax IDs, in case it's helpful to anyone else.

Acacia Center for Justice (87-4099467)
CHIRLA (95-4421521)
National Center for Youth Law (94-2506933)
National Immigration Law Center (95-4539765)
Casa Cornelia Law Center (33-0719221)
Centro Legal de la Raza (23-7181456)
Immigrant Defenders Law Center (47-4473312)
Immigrant Legal Resource Center (94-2939540)
International Rescue Committee (13-5660870)
Kids in Need of Defense (26-2763038)
Young Center (26-1839249)
Al Otro Lado (47-2910078)
CARECEN LA (95-3867724)
CARECEN SF (94-3036508)
International Institute Of Los Angeles (95-1641446)
Jewish Family Service of San Diego (95-1644024)
La Maestra Community Health Centers (33-0473171)
Lao Family Community Development (94-3115164)

I made a lot of donations today. It feels good. It's an easy thing for me to do, much easier than actually doing the work of helping people in need. But I agree with migrantology's statement that now is the time the money is needed most urgently.
posted by Nelson at 1:34 PM on November 27 [3 favorites]

Mod note: Fixed the free / freeze, migrantology!
posted by taz (staff) at 11:40 AM on November 29

I work in an adjacent field and do some work in coalition with local advocates. For San Francisco, Immigrant Defense Project and ILRC do a lot of the heavy lifting here, both on the excellent list above. Two other local groups in this space are Mission Action (formerly Dolores Street Cmty Svcs) and Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights (LCCR). Both have been very key to earlier organizing efforts here.
posted by gingerbeer at 11:28 AM on November 30 [1 favorite]