A report providing details on the establishment of RepresentLA, which aims to provide free legal representation for immigrants living in Los Angeles, was approved Monday by the City Council’s Budget, Finance and Innovation Committee.
The report recommended a selection of contractors to offer legal services, a contract between several partners and an allocation of $4 million to the program. The report was previously approved by the council’s Civil Rights, Equity, Immigration, Aging and Disability Committee.
The council adopted a motion in May asking city staff to collect and use data from the conclusion of the Los Angeles Justice Fund pilot program for the adoption of a new program — RepresentLA. Between the city of Los Angeles, Los Angeles County and two partners, the California Community Foundation and the Weingart Foundation, it established a $7.9 million legal defense fund for immigrants facing deportation.
The pilot program allocated $5.5 million for direct representation, $1.32 million for capacity building activities and expansion of pro bono legal services, $650,000 for administrative support, and $425,000 remained in an unallocated reserve to address any ongoing or open cases at the grants term end.
City officials also approved bridge funding of $1 million from 2020 to 2021 to allow the 11 legal service providers to transition and close out active cases as the pilot program came to an end.
According to the committee’s agenda, the pilot program processed 2,330 legal screenings and accepted 756 cases for legal representation. The city previously reported 299 cases remained active, however, the number decreased to 130 cases, which would be eligible for transfer to the RepresentLA program once approved and established by council.
