IMMIGRANT DEFENDERS LAW CENTER (6)

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Ventura, Kern and Santa Barbara. ImmDefs headquarters are located in downtown Los Angeles and we have a satellite office in Riverside. Our current programs defend the most marginalized groups in our community, including unaccompanied immigrant children, community members targeted by increased ICE enforcement, and detained adults with serious mental health conditions. Without ImmDefs intervention, these individuals would be forced appear alone and defend themselves against a highly -trained ICE attorney before an immigration judge. Because of ImmDeYs unique model of universal representation, we do not waste resources on screening out clients; rather, by working more efficiently, we increase the total number of individuals who can receive representation. ImmDeYs Children's Representation Project provides legal representation to nearly 600 children each year, Including refugees, unaccompanied children and foster youth, and is one of the largest programs in the country. Our representation includes advocacy before the immigration courts, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, and California state courts. This project is complemented by our Detained Youth Empowerment Project, which conducts "Know Your Rights" classes and legal screenings for nearly 1300 children detained in immigration detention shelters in the greater L.A. area. ImmDefs Adult Representation Project represents over 150 detained and recently released adults who are deemed incompetentto represent themselves and entitled to court- appointed counsel pursuant to the class action settlement in Franco -Gonzalez v. Holder ("Franco"). Over the past year, ImmDef has expanded its work to include representation of individuals seeking post -conviction relief so that they may avoid suffering immigration consequences of criminal convictions. With the support of the California Bar Foundation, the California Community Foundation and the Weingart Foundation, ImmDef has added two staff attorneys dedicated solely to rapidly responding to ICE enforcement in our communities. Through this expansion, ImmDef has been able to extend our services to underserved immigrant populations, including those living in the Inland Empire. Describe your plan for intaking clients. Be specific as to how you will come into contact with clients for the first time. Organizations should propose options consistent with the principle of universal representation of those eligible under this contract. Like all our representation programs, ImmDef will run our intake system on a universal representation model. Potential clients will be screened for eligibility based solely on contract guidelines. ImmDef will identify prospective clients through partnerships with organizations currently serving individuals detained in Orange County immigration detention facilities. Because of the time and funding limits of the contract, ImmDef will focus its efforts to represent Santa Ana residents, or other Orange County residents, detained in Orange County at the Musick and Theo Lacy facilities. Based on our experience, Orange County detention facilities include a high number of Santa Ana/O.C. residents 25B-19