Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Michael P. Callagy, County Executive
Blanca Tapia, Interim Chief, Office of Community Affairs
Subject: Measure K: Three Legal Services Agreements with Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County for Affirmative Legal Services, Removal Defense Limited-Scope Legal Services, and Rapid Response Legal Services to Support Immigrant Residents in San Mateo County.
RECOMMENDATION:
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Measure K: Adopt a resolution authorizing and directing the President of the Board to:
A) Execute an agreement with Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County to provide Affirmative Immigration Legal Services, for the term of July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2028, in an amount not to exceed $894,744, along with the option to extend the agreement for one year, for an amount of $469,923; and
B) Execute an agreement with Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County to provide Rapid Response Legal Services, for the term of July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2028, in an amount not to exceed $1,212,137, along with the option to extend the agreement for one year, for an amount of $636,524; and
C) Execute an agreement with Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County to provide Removal Defense Limited-Scope Legal Services, for the term of July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2028, in an amount not to exceed $1,773,780, along with the option to extend the agreement for one year, in an amount of $931,685.
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BACKGROUND:
According to the American Community Survey, a third of San Mateo County residents are foreign-born and many of these residents have children who are United States citizens. These immigrants are important to the vitality of the community and to the San Mateo County economy. The County has identified an ongoing need for legal services to support immigrants in the community who may not be able to afford or have access to such services on their own. The current agreements for such services with Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County expire June 30, 2026.
Since 2016, the County of San Mateo, Office of Community Affairs (OCA), has maintained legal services agreements to serve the community and residents of San Mateo County. Over the past nine years, immigrant legal services have been identified as essential support to the members of the community.
These services have included but are not limited to:
Affirmative Immigration Legal Services
The Affirmative Immigration Legal Services program offers legal workshops and Know Your Rights presentations to reach an estimated 300 participants annually; provides application assistance, consultations, and asylum clinics; recruits, trains, and supports pro bono attorneys who provide free legal advice and services; provides legal limited-scope services, including change of address, change of venue motions, and employment authorization applications; hosts monthly community legal consultation clinics; assists with filing applications for relief including Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS), U Visa, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA), Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), Temporary Protected Status (TPS), Affirmative Asylum, and Adjustment of Status; and collaborates with community-based organizations to develop tailored readiness policies and procedures.
Rapid Response Legal Services
The Rapid Response Legal Services program provides comprehensive dispatch (hotline), information, referrals, and social and material support coverage in San Mateo County. The hotline provides referrals for shelter, housing, food and other safety net services to immigrant callers and their families. To help dispel rumors and misinformation about immigration enforcement activities, training has been conducted for community members to observe and confirm immigration enforcement activity. Trained community leaders provide outreach presentations to increase awareness of the Rapid Response Hotline. Rapid Response also provides limited legal support in the form of attorney activation in response to certain hotline calls, whereby the attorney response is designed to educate, consult with, and assist a potential target of immigration enforcement with the full exercise of their legal rights under the law.
Removal Defense Legal Services
The Removal Defense Legal Services program provides comprehensive legal representation for San Mateo County residents facing deportation and removal proceedings in immigration court and in the Board of Immigration Appeals (BOIA). Removal defense attorneys assist with case opening and closing, hearings, briefs, motions, witness preparation, supporting documentation, opposing counsel negotiations, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) interviews, U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) requests, client counseling, declaration drafting, legal research, and Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests.
DISCUSSION:
On March 19, 2026, OCA released three separate Request for Proposals (RFPs) for Affirmative Immigration Legal Services, Rapid Response Legal Services, and Removal Defense Limited-Scope Legal Services. On April 20, 2026, five proposals were received in total for the three RFPs. International Rescue Committee, Inc. and Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County submitted proposals for Affirmative Immigration Legal Services. International Rescue Committee, Inc. and Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County submitted proposals for Removal Defense Limited-Scope Legal Services. Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County submitted a proposal for Rapid Response Legal Services.
A review committee comprised of staff and partners with experience in serving San Mateo County’s immigrant communities evaluated the five proposals received and recommended that the County move forward with Legal Aid of San Mateo County for Affirmative Immigration Legal Services, Rapid Response Legal Services, and Removal Defense Limited-Scope Legal Services.
Each proposed contract will be for a two-year term from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2028, with the possibility of an extension for a third one-year term. The not to exceed value of the Affirmative Immigration Legal Services two-year agreement will be $894,744, the not to exceed value of the Rapid Response Legal Services two-year agreement will be $1,212,137, and the not to exceed value of the Removal Defense Limited-Scope Legal Services two-year agreement will be $1,773,780.
Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County will serve as coordinator and fiscal lead for all three program agreements. In this role the program will be responsible for managing and organizing financial operations, including compliance and reporting and overseeing partners. For the Removal Defense Legal Services program, Legal Aid of San Mateo County will provide ongoing technical assistance in immigration law to partner agencies to ensure high quality legal representation to San Mateo County residents. Technical assistance will include but is not limited to monthly case rounds, providing legal and policy change updates and conducting tailored specific training.
The County Attorney’s Office has reviewed the proposed agreements and resolution to form.
PROGRAM OBJECTIVES:
Affirmative Legal Services:
• Increase quantity of affirmative immigration representation without duplication.
• Expand free limited-scope legal services without duplication.
• Provide workshops, clinics, mobile clinics, and community outreach and education.
• Improve and synchronize coordination with providers of Rapid Response Services and Removal Defense Limited-Scope Legal Services.
Rapid Response Legal Services:
• Operate a 24/7/365 multilingual hotline including comprehensive dispatch, information and referral, and social support coverage to callers.
• Provide free, urgent legal assistance to San Mateo County immigrant residents facing imminent threats such as detention or deportation, through Emergency or Urgent Response attorney activation, within 48 hours.
• Coordinate and track emergency legal triage and limited-scope legal assistance.
• Provide verification of enforcement activity through trained volunteers and provide training for volunteers.
• Accompany residents to appointments and check-ins with immigration authorities, immigration court dates, other related or similar activities.
• Coordinate case transfer and collaboration with the Affirmative Legal Services provider and the Removal Defense Limited-Scope Legal Services provider.
• Conduct community education and outreach regarding "Know Your Rights" and preparedness plans.
Removal Defense Legal Services:
• Expand immigration legal services access to the San Mateo County communities that will be presented before the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR).
• Provide matter (task) based representation through limited-scope models.
• Improve and sync coordination with Rapid Response Services and Affirmative Legal Services.
• Increase organizational capacity while ensuring no duplication of services.
COMMUNITY IMPACT:
The County of San Mateo values every resident, whatever their birthplace, language spoken, or immigration status. These three agreements will allow for accessible services and legal workshops for community members and residents that are seeking legal consultation and who may not have the resources to seek private legal services. Having legal representation increases the chances of application approval by ensuring accurate documentation, avoiding costly errors, and presenting strong cases to immigration authorities. Staff do not expect any negative impact from approving these contracts.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The three agreements will be funded through Measure K Reserves. The appropriation for these agreements will be included in OCA’s September revisions for FY 2026-27 and in the FY 2027-28 Adopted Budget. The initial term of the three separate agreements is from July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2028, for a cumulative amount not to exceed $3,880,661. If the County elects to exercise its options to extend each agreement for an additional year, the total fiscal impact of these three contracts will be the cumulative amount of $5,918,793.