About LEI

We are the
Legal Empowerment Initiative (LEI)

We are a collaboration of immigrant justice organizations responding to a growing gap in access to legal representation in Northern California. We help people understand what is happening, connect with trusted legal support, and navigate court without facing the process alone.

What does LEI do?

LEI connects immigrants with cases at the Cocord immigration court with attorneys, trained volunteers, and community resources so they can navigate immigration court with greater support and understanding. This includes Attorney-of-the-Day legal support, court navigation, pro se legal clinics, and ongoing accompaniment before and after court.

Who does LEI serve?

Who is LEI?

Legal Empowerment Initiative (LEI) is a community-led collaboration of immigrant justice organizations working together to expand access to legal support and accompaniment for immigrants facing deportation proceedings in Northern California.

LEI serves immigrants who are facing removal proceedings and do not have legal representation, particularly people with cases at the Concord Immigration Court. The program prioritizes people who might otherwise have to navigate the immigration system alone, connecting them to legal information, support, and community resources.

Who has immigration cases at Concort Court?

The Concord court’s main function is to process removal cases for immigrants who have residential addresses across Alameda, Contra Costa, Solano, Madera, Fresno, Inyo, Tulare, Kings, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, and Mariposa counties.

With the San Francisco 100 Montgomery immigration court closure, the Concord court will also serve immigrants who have residential addresses in San Francisco, Marin, Sonoma, San Mateo, and Santa Clara counties.

LEI is here to ensure that no one navigating the Concord Immigration Court has to face the process alone.

A rapidly expanding deportation system requires a community-powered response.

The Concord court already carries tens of thousands of cases, and the closure of San Francisco’s 100 Montgomery Street court is expected to bring more than 120,000 additional cases into the system.

LEI has been preparing over a year to expand attorney coverage, volunteer navigation, and accompaniment as demand grows.

Our Collaborative

Partners

In addition to CCIJ, CCIRA, IAN, and IM4HI, partner organizations providing Attorney-of-the-Day coverage include Stand Together Contra Costa, Jewish Family and Community Services East Bay, and Church World Services Northern California. LEI is close to finalizing agreements with the Justice & Diversity Center of The Bar Association of San Francisco and International Rescue Committee to take Attorney-of-the-Day shifts.

Contra Costa Human Rights Alliance (CCIRA)

Recruits volunteers, supports immigrants outside of court settings by matching them to trained volunteers that accompany them until their next court date, and connects families to other nonprofit resources.

Coordinates attorney coverage, recruits nonprofit legal organizations, tracks case data and trends, and provides technical assistance to legal service organizations taking part in the program to ensure every person and family that has a case at the Concord immigration court receives legal support the day of their hearing.

California Collaborative for Immigrant Justice (CCIJ)

Immigrant Action Network (IAN)

Provides daily on-site support, coordinates volunteer “Welcome Navigators” that assist with non-attorney activities, and organizes pro se clinics.

Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity (IM4HI)

Supports with internal infrastructure and managing an immigrant and community member resource hub, the SAFE Center (Services and Access for Everyone Center), located near the Concord immigration court.