California Law at a Glance
Assembly Bill No. 699 requires that all local educational agencies in California – including school districts, county offices of education, and charter schools – adopt policies “… limiting assistance with immigration enforcement at public schools, to the fullest extent possible consistent with federal and state law, and ensuring that public schools remain safe and accessible to all California residents regardless of immigration status,” pursuant to the Attorney General’s model policies. For more information, please see Attorney General’s Guidance and Model Policies to Assist California’s K-12 Schools in Responding to Immigration Issues; see also San Leandro Unified School District’s Board Policy and Administrative Regulation implementing AB 699.
San Leandro School Board Sanctuary District Resolution
As a proud Sanctuary District, San Leandro Unified School District remains committed to protecting the rights and well-being of our immigrant students and families. In February 2017, the San Leandro Board of Trustees passed Amended Board Resolution No. 17-07, affirming that all district facilities and programs are sanctuaries for students and families threatened by immigration enforcement.
Family Support: Know Your Rights
The following fact sheets and videos enable staff, parents, and students to communicate effectively with government agencies.
English Resources
Spanish Resources
Family Plan
Every family can benefit from having an emergency plan. The resources below can help a family
create such a plan, regardless of their current legal status.
Caregiver Affidavit
A caregiver affidavit is necessary in the event that a parent or guardian is not able to care for their children. This affidavit allows a designated caregiver to make educational and medical decisions on behalf of a child. This form requires only a caregiver’s signature, but it MUST be officially notarized. For more information, please read the Immigrant Legal Resource Center’s Step-By-Step
Family Preparedness Plan.
Unaccompanied Students
Recently, there has been an increase in students immigrating during their later years of high school – often between the ages of 16-18 years old – without their family. The resources below may help unaccompanied students understand their educational rights and learn more about available educational and mental health resources.
Rights of Unaccompanied Students
According to the California Department of Education and current California law reflecting Plyler v. Doe, California schools MUST enroll all school-aged children who reside in California regardless of their citizenship or immigration status. During the enrollment process, local educational agencies may NOT inquire about nor require documents pertaining to or disclosing an enrollee’s immigration status.
Once an unaccompanied student is enrolled in school, he or she is entitled to the same educational services, treatment, and opportunities as any other enrolled student.
For more information regarding the rights of unaccompanied students, please refer to the following resources.
- Unaccompanied Minors Frequently Asked Questions (California Department of Education)
- Information on the Rights of Unaccompanied Children to Enroll in School and Participate Meaningfully and Equally in Educational Programs
- Promoting Access to Education for Unaccompanied Children: A Resource for Families and Educators
General Resources for Unaccompanied Students
- Colorín Colorado
- The Unique Needs of Unaccompanied Children
- U.S. Department of Education Newcomer Toolkit
- Office of Refugee Resettlement: Unaccompanied Children Frequently Asked Questions
- Trauma-Informed Care: Understanding and Addressing the Needs of Unaccompanied Children (Webinar)
- Atención Informada en Trauma: Cómo Entender y Abordar las Necesidades de los Niños Inmigrantes no Acompañados (Webinar)
- Kids in Need of Defense (KIND)
- U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants
- Unaccompanied Children Resource Center (Centro De Recursos Para Jóvenes Inmigrantes)
- National Child Traumatic Stress Network: Resources for Educators of Refugees and Migrants
Community Resources
Local Legal Service Resources for Immigrant Families
The following organizations offer free or low-cost immigration legal services in the San Leandro, Alameda, Oakland, and East Bay areas.
Alameda County Immigration Legal & Education Partnership (ACILEP) is an immigration legal services partnership consisting of a number of community-based organizations in Alameda County. ACILEP offers rapid response and immigration legal services at the number below to the Alameda County community for those detained or those who know someone detained by immigration enforcement. Rapid Response and Immigration Legal Services Phone: (510) 421-4011
Alameda County Public Defender’s Immigration Representation Unit provides legal
representation to immigrant clients facing deportation, as well as post-conviction relief for immigrants convicted of misdemeanors or felonies, and limited representation for juveniles related to Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS).
Phone: (510) 272-6600
Arab Resource & Organizing Center’s Project Immigration Justice for Palestinians (Project IJP) connects Palestinians in the Bay Area with families in Gaza or Egypt to immigration attorneys to discuss immigration options.
Black Alliance for Just Immigration (BAJI) hosts virtual asylum support clinics for Black migrants, providing support for a number of immigration-related actions, including Credible Fear Interviews, Reasonable Fear Interviews, and Humanitarian Parole Preparation, among others. To attend these clinics, please email legal@baji.org and/or visit their website to download one-page immigration information flyers. Phone: (347) 464-5422
Causa Justa Just Cause (CJJC) offers a number of workshops in the Oakland and San Francisco areas regarding immigration legal service topics such as applying for DACA, encountering law enforcement, and applying for drivers’ licenses.
Oakland Office Phone: (510) 764-5877 or (510) 763-5824
San Francisco Office Phone: (415) 487-9203 or (415) 487-9022
Centro Legal De La Raza serves the Oakland community by providing immigration legal services through their Removal Defense Practice and Pro Bono Immigration Program, which focus on issues such as detained and non-detained removal defense, asylum applications, family-based Visa petitions, U-Visas, DACA, SIJS, adjustment of status, and naturalization. Centro Legal also hosts drop-in General Immigration clinics on the third Thursday of every month from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at 3400 E 12 St., Oakland, CA 94601. Phone: (510) 437-1554
Mujeres Unidas y Activas (MUA) provides a number of virtual and in-person services directed toward Latina and Indigenous immigrant women in the Oakland, San Francisco, and Union City/Hayward areas, including English classes, professional development and employment skills’ workshops, workshops on civic, political, and social issues, and counseling and support. Oakland Urgent Support Phone: (510) 261-3398
The Street Level Health Project is a community center that aims to assist uninsured and underinsured immigrants and Day Laborers in the Oakland area, offering free and low-cost services such as health screenings, on-site insurance enrollment, medical services, vocational training, wage advocacy, and other civic engagement activities. Phone: (510) 533-9906
Catholic Charities of the East Bay offers many legal immigration legal services, including family-based Visa petitions, permanent residency (Green Card) applications, DACA, VAWA petitions, U-Visa, Temporary Protected Status (TPS), and naturalization/US citizenship. Appointments and consultations may be scheduled at the number below; initial consultations may be made at a $50 fee, which can be waived depending on income. Oakland Office Phone & Appointments/Consultations Phone: (510) 768-3100
East Bay Spanish Speaking Citizens’ Foundation serves the East Bay community by offering citizenship and immigration services, including citizenship applications, Form I-130 Petitioning for Your Child, Form 1-130 Petitioning Your Parents, Adjustment of Status, DACA Renewal, English/citizenship classes, interview skills tutoring, and more. Please view the legal services website to schedule a specialized appointment for immigration services and to view the required documents and information to bring to an appointment. The foundation also provides 30-minute, in-person immigration consultations for $50 every Monday from 9:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. and Wednesday from 2 p.m. – 4:30 p.m., which may be scheduled by calling this number. Phone: (510) 261-7839
Bay Area Legal Aid provides a variety of immigration legal services and clinics, such as U- and T-Visa petitions, SIJS status, Violence Against Women Act petitions, and more. Please note that their services generally do NOT include DACA-related cases. Alameda Office Phone: (510) 663-4744. Legal Advice Line: (800) 551-5554
The International Rescue Committee (IRC)’s Oakland Office offers free and low-cost immigration and citizenship support to the Oakland community, including applying for citizenship, Green Cards, work authorization, DACA renewals, travel documents, Violence Against Women Act petitions, Temporary Protected Status (TPS), family-based petitions, and more. For more information, please email immigration.oak@rescue.org or call Oakland Office Phone: (510) 452-8222
The Immigration Institute of the Bay Area (IIBA) provides a variety of immigration and citizenship workshops, classes, and legal services. IIBA’s General Immigration Clinic answers general immigration clinic on Thursdays and may be attended by appointment by calling the number below. IIBA also offers one-on-one, hour-long consultations with attorneys on Mondays and Thursdays. Every Thursday from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m., or 1 p.m. – 5 p.m., IIBA also hosts a Crime Victim Clinic, which provides free eligibility screening for U-Visa and Violence Against Women Act
(VAWA) petitions by appointment. IIBA also offers free Deportation Defense Consultations for immigrants with removal orders and immigration court cases. Phone for All Appointments, Clinics, and Consultations: (510) 451-2846 ext. 301
East Bay Community Law Center (EBCLC)’s Immigration Services program works with La Clínica de la Raza school-based health centers in the East Bay, California community colleges, and the Undocumented Student Program at UC Berkeley to provide free legal advice and possible representation for Alameda County residents on immigration-based matters such as DACA, Asylum, U-Visa, SIJS, Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) petitions, Temporary Protected Status (TPS), Green Card, T-Visa, naturalization, petitions for undocumented family members, visas through employers, public benefits, and reducing or eliminating immigration effects of criminal arrests or convictions. To access EBCLC’s services, please call the number below and clearly state your full name, phone number, and a brief description of your issue. Phone: (510) 548-4040
Legal Assistance for Seniors (LAS) provides immigration legal assistance to senior immigrants in Alameda County, including filing citizenship applications, applying for medical waivers for English language interviews and/or civics tests, applying for disability waivers, and providing legal representation for citizenship interviews and agency proceedings. LAS also offers brief legal advice appointments with attorneys Monday – Friday from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. at their main Oakland office and on the third Monday of every month from 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. at their Alameda office.
Please call the number(s) below to schedule an appointment. LAS Oakland Office: (510) 832-3040. Alameda Office: (510) 747-7500
East Bay Sanctuary Covenant (EBSC) provides free and low-cost legal services for immigrants in a number of areas, such as affirmative asylum, DACA, Green Cards, work permits/employment authorization, U.S. citizenship (naturalization), and for unaccompanied minors. To schedule an appointment, please email info@eastbaysanctuary.org or call (510) 540-5296.