Cities, counties plan immigrant legal aid after Trump’s win
CHICAGO — Major U.S. cities and counties are beefing up legal services for immigrants to help them fight deportation and avoid fraudulent lawyers in the wake of Donald Trump’s election and his hard-line immigration enforcement promises.
Tapping local government funds to represent immigrants in federal proceedings provides an early example of the type of pushback the Republican incoming president will receive in Democratic strongholds. Advocates call it a matter of justice and smart economics, but some question whether it’s a fair use of taxpayer money.
Chicago has approved a $1.3 million legal fund. Los Angeles elected officials said Monday they are working with private foundations to set up a $10 million fund, while some California state lawmakers have proposed spending tens of millions of dollars to provide lawyers to immigrants facing deportation. New York is mulling a public-private legal fund, building on New York City’s public defender program that’s considered a national model.
“We need to be able to stand by people who are fearful,” Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, a former White House chief of staff, said after the measure passed the City Council last week.