ImmDef Praises Governor Newsom and California Legislature for ADDITIONAL $100M Commitment to Defend Californians from Mass Deportations

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

06/29/26 

Contact:  

media@immdef.org, 213-634-7615 

ImmDef Praises Governor Newsom and California Legislature for Additional $100M Commitment to Defend Californians from Mass Deportations 

The Governor earmarked $20M to put lawyers in immigration courtrooms and give detained Californians a fighting chance to remain united with their families.  

SACRAMENTO, CA. - ImmDef applauds Governor Newsom for signing the 2026–2027 California state budget, which includes $175 million for Immigration Legal Services Programs, as approved by the Assembly and Senate. This commitment includes a one-time $100 million increase over the state’s existing $75 million investment in immigration legal services and protects due process, safeguards children, and keeps families together. Of the total, an estimated $20 million will directly support deportation defense for California’s most vulnerable residents, individuals in detention, amid escalating federal attacks on immigrant communities. This expanded budget is California’s strongest effort yet to counter the surge in raids and arrests that began in July 2025 and have intensified following the federal reconciliation package that delivered an additional $70 billion to ICE and CBP, on top of their already $170‑billion‑plus enforcement budget. California is stepping up accordingly to mitigate harm from our federal government, ensuring that immigrant families have the legal support they need during an extraordinary moment of fear and uncertainty. 

 Lindsay Tozylowski, CEO and co-founder of Immigrant Defenders Law Center ImmDef), said in response, “California has responded with the full force of its values — meeting the urgency of this moment head‑on and honoring the profound contributions immigrants make to this state every single day. As we thank Governor Newsom for this historic commitment to immigrant communities, we call on governors across the nation to follow suit and step up to protect families from escalating federal attacks. ICE and CBP’s bloated enforcement machine will continue attacking our neighbors both at the border and deep inside our communities, and responding with the status quo would abandon immigrant families and everyone who depends on them. With this investment, California is positioning itself to protect immigrant communities to the best of our abilities through the remainder of this administration and into a new era where families can live with greater stability, dignity, and hope. We stand ready to work with state leaders and legal services partners to ensure this investment truly expands representation for all impacted Californians, reflecting a shared understanding that access to counsel is fundamental to protecting the constitutional rights of all Californians.” 

Alexandra Morales, advocacy and external relations director of Immigrant Defenders Law Center (ImmDef) shared, "At a time when federal immigration enforcement is expanding and families are living with heightened fear and uncertainty across the country, California is stepping up to lead. ImmDef applauds the Governor and Legislature for making a significant commitment to immigration legal services and recognizing the urgent need for representation. This funding will help ensure that more Californians facing detention and deportation are not forced to navigate the system alone. As the state's largest deportation defense provider, we are committed to working alongside state leaders and legal service partners to maximize the impact of this investment and expand access to representation for impacted Californians. This commitment reflects the state's recognition that access to legal representation is essential to upholding due process and protecting constitutional rights." 

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The Immigrant Defenders Law Center (ImmDef) is a next-generation social justice law firm that defends immigrant communities against injustices in the immigration system.  Our programs are a first step towards realizing the long-term goal of providing universal representation to all immigrants facing deportation. ImmDef is now the largest non‐profit, pro bono provider of deportation defense in California, with offices in Los Angeles, Riverside, Santa Ana, and San Diego. 

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