Orange County Justice Fund

The Orange County Justice Fund (OCJF) is dedicated to empowering transformative change in the immigration system so the most vulnerable immigrants and refugees in Orange County, impacted by detention and deportation, are afforded effective legal representation, due process rights, and services for community re-integration.

An estimated 310,000 undocumented immigrants live in Orange County and are at risk of detention and deportation. The Trump Administration’s enforcement of immigration laws highlighted many parts of the immigration system that were broken and its harm on the most vulnerable members of our community, prompting an urgency to respond. OCJF was created in 2017 through a collaboration of to ensure that no Orange County resident is forced to defend themself from deportation alone, and to provide support so that those individuals eligible to be released from detention can do so without being financially devastated. Our goal is due process for all.

In early 2019, thanks to the generosity of donors and allied organizations, OCJF established the first and only immigrant bond fund in OC and has since contributed over $400,000 to over 90 individuals from ICE detention, thus reuniting loved ones, and bringing people back into their communities, where their safety, physical and mental health are greatly improved. OCJF’s services have grown to include legal empowerment programs aimed to democratize the law and redistribute power to those directly impacted by injustice and post release support services Cafecito Contigo –a healing group, and fellowship program.

As of January 2023, nearly 16,000 OC residents are facing deportation in immigration court and 50% do not have legal representation, and hundreds of individuals remain detained in ICE detention centers. We envision an OC that honors immigrants and refugees with dignity, justice, and equitable treatment to empower their freedom, safety, and well-being as members of our community. OCJF remains dedicated to being an organization that directly impacted community members can turn to find resources, support, and community in their journey through the immigration legal system.

In 2023, OCJF made substantial strides towards immigrant justice in Orange County (OC). Throughout 2023, OCJF distributed $73,350 in immigration bond fund assistance to 16 community members who otherwise would not be able to pay the price of a bond in exchange for their freedom. Additionally In May, OCJF released a comprehensive research report titled The State of Immigration Enforcement and Legal Resources in Orange County. This report serves as a pivotal advocacy tool for improved accessibility to legal support for residents facing deportation.

Building on these insights, OCJF officially launched legal empowerment programming in July that met some of the legal needs of low-income Irvine residents entangled in the immigration legal system. A noteworthy development occurred in November with the launch of OCJF's legal empowerment clinic. The clinic played a crucial role in assisting Irvine residents with immigration case assessments, providing them with a wholesome understanding of their immigration status and potential relief options.

This year, we especially look forward to strengthening legal empowerment program offerings. We plan to include more immigration legal aid to help families and individuals in immigration court that do not have an attorney, by taking the steps to become a Department of Justice (DOJ) recognized organization. Two staff members are currently training to become DOJ-accredited representatives by mid-2024. OCJF’s DOJ accredited representatives will be authorized to provide competent immigration legal aid to community, such as filing applications with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and more.

In 2024 we are also looking forward to continuing the momentum created by OCJF’s report, to further advocate for increased legal resources for residents in immigration court without legal representation. We aim to enlist a part-time Community Organizer to direct a county-wide campaign advocating for deportation defense funding.

OCJF must invest in organizational capacity growth, in order to redistribute responsibilities and funding. OCJF needs a part-time bond fund coordinator (approx. $45,000). Currently, managed by the program coordinator, the bond fund requires a part-time coordinator to enhance efficiency, given the coordinator's evolving role in legal empowerment services and Department of Justice (DOJ) accreditation. OCJF also needs to sustain the DOJ accreditation process to completion (approx. $75,000). Additionally, to advocate for permanent access to justice for OC immigrants and refugees in immigration court and government funding to support OCJF’s work, OCJF needs a Community Organizer staff person (approx. $50,000). Leveraging OCJF’s program models, and strong connections to local stakeholders, OCJF is positioned to become leaders in advocating for expanded access to justice for immigrants in Orange County.

Orange County Justice Fund is based in Orange County, California, offering services to residents the cities of Anaheim, Aliso Viejo, Brea, Buena Park, Costa Mesa, Cypress, Dana Point, Fountain Valley, Fullerton, Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, Irvine, La Habra, La Palma, Laguna Becah, Laguna Hills, Laguna Woods, Lake Forest, Los Alamitos, Mission Viejo, Newport Beach, Orange, Placentia, Rancho Santa Margarita, San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, Santa Ana, Seal Beach, Stanton, Tustin, Villa Park, Westminster, and Yorba Linda.