Residents urge Ontario City Council to draft $1 million immigrant justice fund

Dozens of residents addressed the Ontario City Council asking it to begin drafting a $1,000,000 justice fund to provide legal representation and support for immigrant families affected by federal immigration enforcement. Vanessa, a community member who spoke during public comment, said the fund would allow the city to partner with trusted local organizations to help families who cannot afford attorneys.

"I'm asking for the city council to draft a proposal for a $1,000,000 justice fund, to work with community organizations to determine how these resources could be used effectively and responsibly," said Vanessa. Daniela Ramos, youth organizer for the Inland Empire Immigrant Youth Collective, said immigrant youth are watching and will take notice of where the council stands.

Legal services providers asked the council to rely on nonprofits to stretch limited dollars. Benjamin Wood, who identified himself as the legal director at IC4IG, noted nonprofits have capacity to provide representation more efficiently than private attorneys. "$1,000,000 can go really quick on immigration lawyers in private practice. Who can make it stretch is the non profits," he said.

A staff-attorney speaker, Russell Houdegui of the San Bernardino Community Service Center, urged the council to consider that there is no public-defender system in immigration court and that a local fund would help residents secure counsel in removal proceedings. Speakers asked the council to put a draft proposal and timeline on a future agenda for formal consideration; there was no formal vote on the fund during this meeting.

Speakers and organizers framed the fund as both a moral and an economic issue: they described family disruptions from recent local enforcement actions and argued supporting legal representation could stabilize local businesses and households. The council did not adopt the fund at this meeting but members acknowledged the volume of public comment and indicated topics raised would be considered through the usual agendizing process.