California announced an expansion of immigration legal services, allocating $193 million in the state's 2026-27 budget for the effort. The amount more than doubles previous state support for immigration-related legal services. The expansion comes as federal immigration enforcement has intensified across regions.
The funding supports regional immigration services coordinated through Regional Hubs and works with a network of nonprofit legal service providers. According to the state, more than 500,000 Californians have been connected with legal services and community support through existing programs.
The new funding will support an "attorney of the day" pilot program, expansion of legal services to rural underserved areas through immigration fellows positions, provision of legal services for children, and a pilot program to expand nonprofit legal capacity by partnering with private immigration attorneys when nonprofit capacity is exhausted.
The state also announced dedicated funding to provide free legal assistance to farmworkers and their families. This program will coordinate with outreach partners from the state's Labor and Workforce Development Agency.
Governor Gavin Newsom recently signed a package of legislation to address immigration detention, enforcement transparency, civil rights, and oversight of civil detention facilities in California.