SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office on Thursday announced a new state and philanthropic partnership to expand legal assistance and basic support for immigrant families facing intensified federal immigration enforcement, as officials describe growing fear and instability across California communities.
The Office of Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a press release that the initiative comes as the Trump administration “escalates mass detention and deportation efforts across the country.” The state reports hearing directly from immigrant families and community leaders who have described widespread fear and instability as people are afraid to leave their homes, children are left without their parents and some families cannot afford groceries. The release also notes reports of individuals being deported before they can speak to an attorney or be located by family members. Tensions are rising as long-term detention expands to families and residents “who have no criminal history.”
In response, California is leveraging up to $35 million in existing humanitarian funding and working alongside philanthropic partners to connect families to legal support, food assistance and other essential resources. The funding reportedly will not provide cash payments, while nonprofits will be able to offer in-kind support for basic needs. The investment builds on prior commitments made with legislative leadership to protect immigrant families and represents a coordinated effort to address urgent and emerging needs.
“While the federal government targets hardworking families, California stands with them — uniting partners and funding local communities to help support their neighbors,” Newsom said. He added, “As the Trump Administration chooses cruelty and chaos, California chooses community.”
The governor’s office said the effort includes collaboration with the California Community Foundation, the San Francisco Foundation and the Sierra Health Foundation — philanthropic organizations that invest in community-based initiatives across the state. Their combined investments total nearly $30 million. The state is funding nonprofits to coordinate legal interventions for detained individuals, strengthen responses to immigration enforcement and connect families to trusted services through regional networks of immigrant-serving organizations. The release notes that this effort has already helped thousands of Californians through outreach events in multiple languages, legal consultations and detention center visits.
San Francisco Foundation CEO Fred Blackwell emphasized the urgency of the moment, stating, “This is a time of great need for immigrant families across California, and meeting that need requires all of us to step up.” He noted that close to $3 million has already been committed to Stand Together Bay Area to support families facing “the fears and realities of deportation.”
California Community Foundation President and CEO Miguel Santana said, “Federal immigration enforcement has created a humanitarian emergency in our immigrant communities.” He highlighted that more than $3 million has been made available to over 3,500 families through the Los Angeles Neighbors Support Fund and also called for “unprecedented solidarity” during this period of crisis.
The governor’s office said Sierra Health Foundation President and CEO Chet P. Hewitt stressed the importance of collaboration, noting that working together allows partners to “combine scale with agility — ensuring immigrant families in California receive the timely and coordinated support they deserve.” Through its Central California Immigrant Resilient Fund, the foundation is investing nearly $7 million to support immigrants in agricultural regions by providing access to health, nutritional, educational and legal services.
The governor’s office also outlined recent state investments in immigration legal services. This year, the state has awarded $15 million to fully fund 33 removal defense organizations over the next two years. California has committed $125 million in recent funding to support free immigration-related legal services statewide, including ongoing funding, special-session funding for civil proceedings, one-time funding for immigration and youth legal services, and $20 million over two years for regional coordination.
According to the release, even though state funding meets requests from existing nonprofit legal staff, current capacity cannot meet the growing demand. The state must continue discussions with providers and philanthropic organizations to expand access to attorneys and support families in the short term.
The Office of Gov. Gavin Newsom said several legislative leaders also voiced their support. Senate President Pro Tempore Monique Limón described the partnership as “critical in meeting the needs of our communities across the Golden State.” Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas stated, “California will never be silent in the face of Trump’s cruel and unlawful immigration raids. We will meet fear and intimidation with courage and action.” Sen. Lena Gonzalez concluded, “The federal government is waging a war on our communities — and we won’t stand for it.”
The release further highlights economic concerns, citing a UCLA Anderson forecast that says California’s economy is likely to contract due to global tariffs and immigration raids affecting construction, hospitality and agriculture.
Los Angeles County reportedly experienced approximately $3.7 million in business losses between July and September 2025 due to federal immigration raids. The release emphasizes that mass deportations in California could reduce the state’s economy by $275 billion and eliminate $23 billion in annual tax revenue. It notes that undocumented immigrants contributed $8.5 billion in state and local taxes in 2022.
The governor’s office concluded that the state will continue meeting with immigrant families, service providers, schools and local governments to assess emerging needs and maintain its commitment to supporting communities across California.
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