Immigration Services
The California
Department of Social Services (CDSS) Immigration Services Bureau (ISB)
develops, implements, and administers comprehensive programs that fund
nonprofits to provide pro bono immigration legal services, education and
community outreach, and other essential immigrant inclusion and integration
efforts. CDSS also administers funding to provide critical assistance to
immigrants during emergency situations. Through these programs, the
Department contracts with nonprofits to provide pro bono immigration legal
services, education, and community outreach, and increases the capacity of
legal service providers to support underserved immigrant populations across the
State. In addition, the Higher Education Programs deliver immigration
legal services to the California State University (CSU) and California
Community College (CCC) campuses. The Department also invests in
immigrant equity initiatives and special capacity building programs to increase
immigration legal services availability for the most underserved immigrant
populations and historically underserved regions.
Immigration Programs Legislative Report FY2021-22
Program Information
Immigration Services Funding ... services to increase access to DACA, OIR, naturalization, other immigration remedies, and removal defense.
Youth Legal Services ...legal services to eligible UUMs who are present in California and transferred to the care and custody of the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) or are residing with a sponsor.
DACA and Naturalization Filing Fees (DNAF)... The California Department of Social (CDSS) is pleased to announce the availability of $25 million for the provision of services on behalf of individuals applying for or renewing DACA or applying for naturalization. This budget allocation includes funding to implement the DNAF project. This project aims to support payment of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) application filing fees for DACA and Naturalization applicants who are low-income and face financial barriers in paying these fees. The filing fee assistance is available from November 1, 2021 through December 31, 2022. The filing fee for DACA first-time or renewal applications is $495.00. The filing fee for Naturalization is up to $725.00. A list of the CDSS - funded immigration service providers in California that are able to provide the USCIS filing fee assistance under the DNAF project can be found on the Contractor Contact Page. Please contact the organization directly to ask about your specific case and needs. Each organization offers services in different languages.
Immigration Legal Fellowship Project (ILFP) The Budget Act of 2019 appropriated $4.7 million and authorized the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) to create the first state-funded immigration legal fellowship. The Immigration Legal Fellowship Project (ILFP) aims to increase the number of removal defense attorneys and the capacity of nonprofit organizations to provide removal defense services in California’s Central Coast and Central Valley. Please contact the organization directly to ask about specific cases and needs.