California state-funded immigration legal services
The California Department of Social Services funds nonprofit organizations to give free immigration legal services to people who live or have lived in California. Services include DACA, naturalization, other immigration applications, removal defense and help for unaccompanied minors.
Your next step
Open the provider dashboard, find an organization near you, and call to ask about a consultation.
Questions to ask
- Is this provider a nonprofit, a licensed attorney or a DOJ-accredited representative?
- Does this provider handle my type of case, and is there a cost?
- What languages does the provider speak, and can I get an interpreter?
If this one cannot help
Other starting points for the same need:
- CHIRLA: Los Angeles-based immigrant rights group with low-cost immigration legal services (DACA, citizenship, family petitions, deportation defense). Lines on its site: Immigrant Assistance Referral Line 888-624-4752, Legal Assistance 213-201-3797, and the EMPLEO National Wage Theft Hotline 877-552-9832.
- Informed Immigrant: Plain-language guides for immigrants on DACA, detention, health care and work, plus a ZIP code search for legal and community help. It is an information site, not a law office.
- California immigrant resources: California’s official page for immigrant families: Governor’s Office know-your-rights fact sheets in 15 languages, links to state-funded nonprofit legal providers and ImmigrationLawHelp.org, scam warnings, and guidance on school, work and public programs.
What this listing can tell you
A list of state-funded providers. The state does not confirm openings or represent anyone itself.
Do Not Lose Hope does not determine eligibility, appointments, or outcomes. A listing does not imply a partnership.
Official source & review
https://www.cdss.ca.gov/inforesources/immigration/contractor-contact-information
Source page checked: .
Official pages read on 2026-10-22 for service area, contact methods, cost, languages, intake and eligibility. Each field in verification names its source. Current openings and individual eligibility are not confirmed.
What the official pages say
- Service area
- Not recorded.
- How to contact
- Provider dashboard (Tableau); Immigration Services Unit (916) 651-8017, ImmigrationServices@dss.ca.gov. Stated on the official page, checked October 22, 2026. Source
- Cost
- 'free legal services and community education'; providers 'can provide free legal consultations'. Stated on the official page, checked October 22, 2026. Source
- Languages
- No language information on the page. Not stated on the official page, checked October 22, 2026. Source
- How to start
- Find the nearest provider on the dashboard and contact it. Stated on the official page, checked October 22, 2026. Source
- Stated limits
- Immigrants 'who live or have previously resided in California'. Stated on the official page, checked October 22, 2026. Source
Current openings and whether you qualify are not confirmed. Ask the organization.
How we check sourcesGuides on this topic
- Citizenship Complete GuideIf you have had your green card for 5 years, or 3 years married to a U.S. citizen, you may be ready to become a citizen. This guide puts the whole process in one place: who qualifies, what to check first, the papers, the fee and how to pay less, the test, the interview, the oath, and what it means for your children.Complete guide
- Continuous residence for DACAIt means the U.S. has been your real home the whole time. For a first request, that is since June 15, 2007. For a renewal, it is since your last DACA request. Short, innocent trips before August 15, 2012 are OK. Any trip after that without advance parole breaks it.Quick answer
- DACA First TimeYes, you can send a first time DACA request today, and USCIS will accept it. But a court order stops USCIS from deciding new requests, so it will wait. Here is who may qualify, what filing now means, and why a lawyer comes first.
- Bay Area Dreamer grantAdults with DACA, or Dreamers who came to the U.S. young, who have ties to one of 10 Bay Area counties and are working with a lawyer or nonprofit toward lawful status. The grant gives up to $5,000 and you don't pay it back.Quick answer
- DACA fee changesThe DACA renewal price has not changed since April 1, 2024: $555 online, $605 on paper. What changed is how you pay. Since October 28, 2025, mailed renewals must be paid by card or bank account, not by check.Quick answer