Legal Rapid Response: Immigrant Families Together

Immigrant and refugee support

County of Los Angeles (select only if your project has a countywide benefit)

Expand existing project, program, or initiative (expanding and continuing ongoing, successful work)

LA has one of the largest and most diverse immigrant populations in the nation. Immigrants and their children represent 53% of the County’s population and are an integral part of LA communities. Yet, they are one of the most vulnerable groups. 
Increasing aggressive ICE enforcement tactics have critically harmed our communities, disproportionately targeting black and brown immigrants. ICE raids in schools, workplaces and even churches, expeditated removals and family separation threaten the physical and mental wellbeing of thousands of Angelenos. The impact of detention extends beyond the detained individual, having detrimental effects on not only loved ones but whole communities.
As if these difficulties were not enough, in immigration court no one is guaranteed an attorney, not even children. They are expected to navigate an unjust system alone. A complex problem like this one requires holistic, trauma-informed, and justice-centered solutions. This is when ImmDef steps in.

Our proposed project for this grant is the Rapid Response Team, launched in mid 2024 in response to the rising number of asylum seekers and aggressive enforcement actions in the Southern California region. The initiative provides urgent and lifesaving legal services to migrants in crisis, particularly those detained by CBP and ICE, separated families, survivors of trafficking, and unaccompanied children. By offering immediate legal representation, we protect due process and fight to keep families and communities together. 
In January, we launched a bilingual public hotline where anyone can call to ask questions and or request help for a loved one or community member in detention.  This accessible resource bridges gaps in information and support, empowering communities to respond quickly in emergencies. 
This initiative is a practical and compassionate response to a growing need in our communities, providing real-time, culturally competent, and trauma-informed support. At ImmDef we operate under a universal representation model rooted in the belief that everyone deserves an attorney by their side, regardless of complicated factors or a low likelihood of success under the law. As capacity and funding allow, our teams always ensure our immigrant communities are seen, heard, and protected. 

Immigration law is incredibly unforgiving. Success cannot be measured by case outcomes alone. At ImmDef, we define success by the number of people for whom we are able to make an unjust system more humane and by ensuring every client has a competent and zealous attorney to stand by their side in court. By the end of the grant term, we aim to expand the Rapid Response Team into a regional network, increasing our capacity to respond to urgent cases. Long term, we envision scaling into a nationwide network. Beyond providing legal services, we see our work as part of a broader justice-led movement to protect our immigrant communities. 
With a Rapid Response Team, our communities will have a fighting chance as they adapt to the progressively aggressive tactics we will continue to see from ICE. We see a future where LA County continues to grow into a safe and welcoming place for all, where no one goes through the immigration system alone, and legal representation is a right,not a privilege.