{"id":29599,"date":"2025-06-11T09:00:08","date_gmt":"2025-06-11T16:00:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/peninsula360press.com\/?p=29599"},"modified":"2025-06-11T13:05:08","modified_gmt":"2025-06-11T20:05:08","slug":"defensa-legal-de-personas-indocumentadas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/peninsula360press.com\/en\/defensa-legal-de-personas-indocumentadas\/","title":{"rendered":"San Mateo County Approves Increase in Legal Aid for People Facing Deportation"},"content":{"rendered":"

Community leaders react to San Mateo County\u2019s approval to increase legal aid for people facing deportation: \u201cWe are grateful, but we demand more\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Supervisores
San Mateo Supervisors agreed to increase the budget for legal defense of undocumented persons in the county. Photo: Ra\u00fal Ayrala \/ P360P.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Amid the crisis triggered by the Trump administration\u2019s aggressive anti-immigrant policies, the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors agreed on Tuesday, June 10, to increase the budget for legal defense of undocumented individuals in the county, approving a nearly half-million-dollar boost for the July 2025\u2013June 2026 period.<\/span><\/p>\n

Grassroots organizations, such as Faith in Action, had requested that lawmakers raise the budget to $2.75 million to fund services provided by the Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County, which offers legal representation to immigrants.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ultimately, the board approved an allocation of $1.75 million for 2025\u20132026, half a million more than the previous year\u2019s $1.2 million.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

According to Latina supervisor Noelia Corzo, the amount had already been agreed upon in a contract with Legal Aid Society, following negotiations in which she participated.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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According to Latina supervisor Noelia Corzo, this figure had already been agreed upon in a contract with the Legal Aid Society, which arose from negotiations in which she participated.\u00a0 <\/span>Photo: Ra\u00fal Ayrala \/ P360P.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Faith in Action<\/a> (FInA) connects those in need of legal assistance and without sufficient resources to government-funded legal services.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In its proposal, FInA had requested that the number of Legal Aid Society attorneys be increased to 11. These professionals specifically handle rapid response to immigration raids, deportation defense, and \u201caffirmative relief\u201d such as applying for residency and citizenship. Under the newly approved budget, that number can now rise to 8 as of July.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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FInA had requested that the number of Legal Aid Society attorneys be increased to 11. These professionals specifically handle rapid response to immigration raids, deportation defense, and \u201caffirmative relief\u201d such as applying for residency and citizenship. Under the newly approved budget, that number can now rise to 8 as of July. Photo: Ra\u00fal Ayrala \/ P360P.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

More than 50 Faith in Action members\u2014leaders and activists from various religious denominations\u2014gathered in front of county offices in Redwood City the day before to present their counterproposal and announce they would attend the supervisors\u2019 Tuesday morning meeting.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Indeed, more than a dozen members of the organization took the microphone during the public comment period to reaffirm their request.<\/span><\/p>\n

In a passionate speech, FInA co-director Lorena Melgarejo said that members of her organization\u2014including herself\u2014often must drop other responsibilities to accompany individuals to immigration court, as ICE agents wait there to detain them. Melgarejo apologized as she had to \u201crush to San Francisco,\u201d where a situation like the one she described was taking place.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Faith in Action spokesperson Nani Friedman told Pen\u00ednsula 360 Press they are \u201cgrateful\u201d to the Board of Supervisors for increasing the legal assistance budget, despite it being less than they requested, and appreciated that the decision was made without delay.<\/span><\/p>\n

On Monday, June 9, Supervisor Noelia Corzo joined Faith in Action\u2019s gathering outside 500 County Center to say she planned to ask her colleagues to approve the legal aid budget increase.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Corzo cautioned, however, that the contract with Legal Aid Society had already been signed and could not be amended. \u201cThat\u2019s why I will ask for the agreed amount to be approved,\u201d she said, \u201cbut also for negotiations to continue so that we can bring more support to the county\u2019s undocumented residents who need it.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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More than 50 Faith in Action members\u2014leaders and activists from various religious denominations\u2014gathered in front of county offices in Redwood City the day before to present their counterproposal and announce they would attend the supervisors\u2019 Tuesday morning meeting.\u00a0 <\/span>Photo: Ra\u00fal Ayrala \/ P360P.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Corzo, the daughter of Guatemalan immigrants, said she understands the anxiety people feel when they must appear in immigration court, fearing they may be arrested by ICE. \u201cNext week we\u2019ll have budget meetings,\u201d she added, committing to \u201ctry to find more funding\u201d to strengthen legal aid for immigrants.<\/span><\/p>\n

Wendy Cruz, a Salvadoran leader with Faith in Action who attended both the Monday rally and Tuesday meeting, told Pen\u00ednsula 360 Press that her organization was inspired to request more funding by counties like Santa Clara and San Francisco, which each allocate $6 million to legal services for undocumented individuals (according to data provided by FInA).<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, we can,\u201d affirmed Cruz, echoing the chants heard outside 500 County Center. She also shared her personal story, expressing gratitude for the county legal aid she received when her husband was detained for five months in 2018.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2014 Some Facts:<\/span><\/p>\n