Assemblywoman Celeste Rodriguez Delivers $2 Million to Bring Immigration Legal Services Hub to the San Fernando Valley

SACRAMENTO, CA - Families across the San Fernando Valley will soon have more immigration legal services available closer to home, thanks to $2 million in state funding secured by Assemblywoman Celeste Rodriguez (D-San Fernando Valley) to expand CHIRLA's work in the region.

This funding comes at a time when the region has been significantly impacted by the federal administration's immigration enforcement policies. According to an LA County report, communities within Assembly District 43, which Rodriguez represents, are the areas most impacted and vulnerable to ICE enforcement operations and related economic hardship in all of LA County. This funding will expand the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights' (CHIRLA) existing satellite office to serve as a hub for immigration legal services throughout the San Fernando Valley. Building on CHIRLA's earned trust and leadership, the hub will allow the organization to expand operations in the Valley, reducing the need for families to travel to Downtown Los Angeles for assistance, or look to other alternatives that could lead to higher costs.

"Families in my district are being targeted by aggressive federal immigration enforcement that is intended to spread terror and disruption throughout our neighborhoods. People who have built their lives here, who work here, raise their children here, and contribute to our communities are being made to feel in a constant state of threat and danger in the place they call home. These are our neighbors, our coworkers, our friends, and our families. They deserve more than our words of support - they deserve to know that when they need help, there is somewhere in their own community they can turn to," said Assistant Speaker Pro Tem Assemblywoman Celeste Rodriguez.

"This $2 million will bring more legal services directly into the San Fernando Valley through an organization our community already knows and trusts. When a family needs legal help, they should be able to find it right here in the Valley, in the community they call home. They should not have to navigate unnecessary barriers or travel far from home to access the support they need-especially when their greatest concern is being targeted for enforcement or separated from their loved ones. Our immigrant families are part of the fabric of the San Fernando Valley, and when they are targeted, we will continue to stand with them and fight for them," Rodriguez continued.

As federal immigration enforcement has intensified across the Northeast San Fernando Valley, families are increasingly looking for trusted legal help close to home. CHIRLA has reported growing concerns among residents about seeking services in person, underscoring the importance of having accessible legal resources rooted in the communities they live in. In the last two years alone, its Pacoima satellite office has served more than 2,000 community members. But despite the growing need, access to trusted, culturally responsive, and language-accessible legal services remains limited throughout the region.

This new funding will enhance CHIRLA's existing work to help residents navigate the immigration system across the Valley. In addition to assisting community members with legal consultations, adjustment of status, DACA renewals, naturalization applications, U-visa applications, VAWA petitions, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status matters, family petitions, and removal defense, this funding will provide additional attorneys, paralegals, legal and administrative staff to expand affirmative immigration services, pro se assistance, and representation for detained and non-detained individuals facing removal proceedings.

This allocation of state resources will also support a new mobile legal services clinic to bring assistance directly into neighborhoods throughout the San Fernando Valley. This approach would allow CHIRLA to reach residents who may be unable or reluctant to travel to a physical office and provide in-person services through trusted community locations and partnerships with local libraries, schools, colleges, churches, and community-based organizations.

Finally, the investment will provide financial assistance for immigration filing fees for individuals experiencing significant financial hardship. CHIRLA has identified filing-fee assistance as one of the most frequently requested forms of support from its clients, including DACA recipients seeking to maintain their deferred status and ability to work and support their families.

"Assemblywoman Celeste Rodriguez has been an extraordinary champion for immigrant families and the San Fernando Valley. Her leadership in securing $2 million for critical legal services and capacity building for local organizations is a powerful investment in keeping families together, protecting their rights, and ensuring our communities can continue to thrive. We are deeply grateful for her unwavering commitment to the families who call the Valley home," stated Angelica Salas, Executive Director, Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA).

The Assemblywoman's advocacy to secure these funds builds upon her work to address the needs emerging from the Federal Administration's attack on working communities. After the passage of the Family Preparedness Plan Act of 2025 to protect families and childcare facilities through AB495, and current legislation focused on addressing the mental health impact of ICE on students, these financial resources will continue to expand support for the communities across the San Fernando Valley when it's needed most.

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Assemblywoman Rodriguez represents the 43rd Assembly District, which includes the City of San Fernando and communities across the Northeast San Fernando Valley, including Arleta, Sun Valley, Sylmar, Pacoima, Panorama City, North Hollywood, Valley Glen, Lake View Terrace, Mission Hills, and North Hills.

For more information, visit a43.asmdc.org or follow @asmcelesterodriguez on Instagram.