Coalitions report surge in enforcement, urge Alameda County to extend contracts and sustain rapid‑response legal services

Leaders of Alameda County coalitions that coordinate legal defense, rapid response and community care on immigration matters described expanded services and warned that sustained county funding is needed to preserve gains.

Monique Berlanga of Centro Legal de la Raza (co‑lead of ACLIP) said the rapid‑response hotline now operates seven days a week, has increased outreach and verification capacity and has provided thousands of Know‑Your‑Rights trainings and tens of thousands of red cards countywide. ‘‘Together, these numbers reflect a continuum of support,’’ Berlanga said, noting ACLIP’s rapid legal filings and courtroom strategies to help residents in detention.

Lisa Knox of the California Collaborative for Immigrant Justice described ACORD’s expansion from four to eight partner organizations providing removal defense, noting the collaborative met or exceeded service targets and has worked to expedite referrals and representation for detained residents.

Speakers from Akudir (Alameda County United in Defense for Immigrant Rights) highlighted community organizing, mutual aid, and an increase in localized kidnappings and home arrests in recent weeks. Several coalition representatives said detainees were being moved to Central Valley facilities and that local families often face long distances to visit loved ones.

Coalition leaders sought two immediate items from the county: bridge funding to prevent service interruption and active inclusion in the county’s development of a request for proposals (RFP) to longer‑term contracts. County staff and supervisors said they intend to extend current contracts through June 2027 while developing an RFP; staff cautioned that RFP scope development will take several months and procurement rules limit pre‑award discussions.

The presentations included data and case examples. Coalition representatives described over 8,500 Know‑Your‑Rights trainings and distribution of roughly 25,000 red cards, 85 accompaniment events, approximately 75 substantive legal filings in emergencies (including habeas petitions), and reported that a set of habeas petitions earlier in the year secured release for some detained residents. Coalition leads said county funding for these programs expires in September and asked for a funding bridge and clearer inclusion in RFP scope development to avoid diverting frontline resources to solicitation responses.

Speakers and public commenters also urged the county to expand outreach to Southeast Asian, AAPI and African immigrant communities, including funding for culturally and linguistically specific providers (for example, Asian Health Services and the Asian Prisoner Support Committee). Several community members described recent family separations and urged the Board to sustain and increase funding for legal defense and community care.

Supervisors thanked the coalitions and said staff will continue developing the RFP scope with the goal of maintaining existing services while addressing documented gaps. The Board scheduled a related work session presentation for July 28 and said staff will post information and materials on the county’s Act for All pages.

Public commenters from multiple neighborhood organizations emphasized the urgency: many said community members are afraid to leave home or go to work, and they called for sustained investment in legal defense, rapid response and community supports.