Immigrant Legal Services and Outreach Program

Recognizing the critical need for expanded legal services and rights awareness for Richmond immigrants. The Richmond City Council has made up to $1,000,000 available to support immigrant legal services and public awareness campaigns. The program aims to ensure that Richmond residents have access to legal support and understand their rights when facing immigration-related challenges.

In recent years, immigrant communities have experienced significant uncertainty due to the evolving landscape of immigration law. Individuals facing potential deportation, changing asylum processes, and family separations are in urgent need of legal counsel. Unfortunately, the demand for legal services far outpaces the supply, leaving many without representation or the proper guidance to navigate these challenges.

To achieve these goals, the City will partner with a minimum of three (3) organizations that will be responsible for administering the legal and/or educational and outreach services and ensuring compliance with all applicable regulations.

Program Services

The City of Richmond is proud to provide the Immigrant Legal Services and Outreach Programming, which includes free, confidential immigration legal help and Know-Your-Rights education for Richmond residents. Services are available through our partner organizations. Below, please find the best way to communicate with them and to get to know about their ongoing work:

Multicultural Institute (MI)

Focus Area: Immigrant rights education and community outreach

Website: https://mionline.org/ Contact Info: (510) 847-1479 or (510) 848-4075 ext. 301 immigration@mionline.org, 3600 Macdonald Avenue

Catholic Charities East Bay (CCEB)

Focus Area: Affirmative immigration legal services and outreach. Examples include: U and T visas, DACA, TPS, etc.

Website: www.cceb.org, Contact: (510) 768-3100, info@cceb.org or Richmond_Immigration@cceb.org, 217 Harbour Way

East Bay Sanctuary Covenant (EBSC)

Focus Area: Removal defense and legal consultations

Website: https://eastbaysanctuary.org/ Contact: 510-540-5296, paralegal hotline: 510-646-8484, info@eastbaysanctuary.org

In the near term, additional information will be provided regarding educational outreach events, workshops, and legal consultation hours. Richmond remains committed to protecting all who call our city home. If you have questions, please contact the City of Richmond at (510) 620-6606.

Reporting Misconduct by Federal Agents

The California Department of Justice has launched an online portal for the public to report potentially unlawful conduct by federal agents in California. Reporting helps the State document incidents, identify patterns of concern, and assess whether further action is needed to protect public rights and safety.

Submissions may include written information, photos, or video. Filing a report does not guarantee action and is not a method for reporting crimes in progress. For emergencies, call 911.

Report Misconduct by Federal Agents, California DOJ

October 2, 2025 - Update

Mayor Martinez and Councilmembers,

As a follow up to last week’s email update that we would announce awardees this week, we are pleased to announce the current awardees from the Request for Proposal (RFP) process for the inaugural Immigrant Legal Services and Public Awareness Campaigns and Outreach Program.

Service delivery will be comprehensive, including community outreach, engagement, and education efforts to raise awareness, alongside direct legal services. These legal services will cover both affirmative immigration support—such as helping residents apply for visas, green cards, or citizenship—as well as removal defense for individuals facing deportation.

Organization	Recommended Grant Award Amount	Focus Area
East Bay Sanctuary Covenant (EBSC)	$323,118.66	Immigrant Legal Services - Affirmative & Legal Defense, 2 Years
Catholic Charities East Bay	$394,225.26	Immigrant Legal Services - Affirmative Only plus Public Awareness Campaign and Outreach, 1 Year
Multicultural Institute (MI)	$130,000.00	Public Awareness Campaign and Outreach, 1 Year

Next Steps

All current awardees have received draft contracts and have the opportunity to review and provide feedback. Once they agree to the terms and submit supporting documents, contracts will be routed for signature and execution. After execution, and once awardees confirm their service start dates, the city will announce the program launch to the Richmond community.

Remaining Funding

Of the total $1,000,000 approved by the Richmond City Council, $990,000 was allocated to the RFP (with $10,000 set aside for the Municipal ID Program). Given the urgency to start services, it was important to announce and begin funding the top organizations. City staff will now analyze the scopes of the awarded contracts to identify any service gaps and consider the need to add services to current awardees or to additional qualified applicants.

Thank you, Gabino

September 26, 2025 - Update

Mayor Martinez and Councilmembers,

I am writing to provide an update on the status of the $1 million allocation for immigrant legal services and public awareness efforts.

This week, City staff met with additional RFP respondents to clarify their proposed scopes of work. Respondent organizations provided supplemental information, and following the initial round of meetings, service provider organizations have been selected to move forward. Contracts have been drafted and sent to the City Attorney’s Office for review. As approved by Legal, staff are forwarding the final versions to selected service providers for review. That process began today. Once each service provider agrees to the final contract version, staff will proceed with obtaining signatures.

City staff anticipates announcing the awardees next week and moving quickly to execute contracts. Service delivery will include outreach, engagement, education, affirmative immigration legal assistance, and removal defense.

Given the high level of community interest and the urgency of these services, City staff created a dedicated webpage to post current and past updates on the RFP process. Once services launch, the page will also include additional program information:

Immigrant Legal Services and Outreach Program

We will also be adding the link to the website in the City Manager Weekley Report.

Thank you, Gabino

September 12, 2025 - Update

Dear Mayor Martinez and Councilmembers,

I am providing an update on the status of the $1 million allocation for immigrant legal services and public awareness efforts.

As a brief summary, the City Council directed staff to allocate up to $990,000 from FY 2024–25 surplus funds to support immigrant legal services and public awareness campaigns, with $10,000 reserved for the municipal ID program. The Council also directed staff to identify a qualified fiscal sponsor to oversee implementation. Following two unsuccessful rounds of solicitation in the spring, the Council authorized the City Manager during the regular meeting on July 1, 2025 to negotiate and execute service agreements directly with qualified providers in order to expedite service delivery during the recess.

Based on discussions with nonprofits engaged in this work, staff released a restructured third version of the RFP on July 25, 2025, structured around two service categories:

Category A: Immigrant Legal Services: Provide affirmative immigration legal services and defensive removal representation to support community members.
Category B: Public Awareness Campaigns and Outreach: Conduct outreach and education efforts so immigrant communities know about their rights and available services.

The solicitation closed on August 18, 2025, and yielded ten applications and after initial review seven were deemed responsive and met threshold review for our procurement rules.

City staff is now negotiating with the top applicants to finalize the scope of work and contract amounts. On Monday, September 15, 2025, we will meet with one of the outreach-focused applicants, with the goal of submitting an RLO for approval and executing the contract next week. Meetings with the leading legal services applicants are also being scheduled, and we anticipate executing legal services contracts shortly thereafter.

We do not anticipate bringing the contracts back to City Council for approval since, on July 1, 2025, Council authorized the City Manager or designee to negotiate and execute the agreements to expedite the process:

“Authorized the City Manager or their designee to negotiate and execute service agreement(s) as necessary, with qualified fiscal sponsor(s), appropriate agencies, or service providers as necessary to ensure the timely provision of immigration legal services and related support as directed by the City Council on March 4, 2025, for up to $1,000,000.”

We recognize the urgency of this matter and understand the frustration with delays. While this is the first time staff has managed an RFP for immigrant legal services, we have learned significantly from the process and are confident in the providers’ capacity to deliver impactful services.

Once all vendor negotiations are finalized, staff will immediately share the full details with the Council. Thank you again for your continued leadership and support in advancing resources for Richmond’s immigrant community.

Thank you, Gabino Arredondo

July 25, 2025 - Update

Good afternoon, Mayor Martinez, Richmond City Councilmembers, City Manager Curl, and City Staff,

We are pleased to share that the City of Richmond has officially released the Request for Proposals (RFP) for the Immigrant Legal Services and Public Awareness Campaigns and Outreach Program today, Friday, July 25, 2025.

This RFP advances the City’s commitment to supporting immigrant communities by funding services we previously had listed in our other RFPs in two (2) distinct areas:

Category A: Direct Legal Services provides immigration-related legal support, including application assistance, consultations, and representation.

Category B: Public Awareness and Outreach Campaigns focuses on culturally responsive outreach and education efforts that build trust and increase awareness of immigrant rights and available services.

This release separates legal and outreach components into two standalone service categories, allowing interested organizations to focus on their area of expertise or apply for both. In line with Council direction, the City will award at a minimum, three (3) vendors to ensure a diverse and coordinated delivery of services.

Important Dates:

Milestone	Date and Time
RFP Release Date	Friday, July 25, 2025
Final Day to Submit Questions	Wednesday, August 6, 2025 at 4:00 PM PDT
Responses to Questions Posted	Friday, August 8, 2025
Proposal Submission Deadline	Monday, August 18, 2025 at 4:00 PM PDT

Next Steps:

City staff will continue meeting with local nonprofit organizations to better understand their current work, community needs, and how their services may align with the goals of this program. We will inform them of the RFP in hopes that they will submit a proposal.

We are also continuing discussions with Stand Together, who have expressed a strong interest in supporting this initiative, to see how we may be able to work together.

We recognize that this work is becoming increasingly more urgent given the shifting immigration landscape. Ensuring Richmond residents have access to legal services and outreach continues to be our priority.

How You Can Help:

Please help us by sharing this RFP with your networks. We welcome proposals from community-based organizations, legal service providers, outreach experts, and coalition partners committed to serving Richmond’s immigrant population.

The full RFP is attached for your reference. All proposals must be submitted using the City’s BidsOnline system. Registration instructions are included on the cover sheet of the RFP.

Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions or requests for additional information.

Best, Lupe

June 18, 2025

Dear Mayor Martinez and Members of the City Council (via bcc):

City staff would like to provide an update regarding the need to expedite the implementation of the City Council directive to support immigration legal services. The following represents our current understanding of the progress made and direct actions taken, reflecting our continued efforts to support the City Council and the Richmond community.

Richmond Community Preparedness Planning Workshop (Know Your Rights)

Nevin Center – June 20, 2025, at 7:00 PM

In response to the current federal administration’s threats of mass deportations and its rescission of the longstanding federal policy restricting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (“ICE”) activity in sensitive locations—such as schools, after-school programs, hospitals, community health centers, and places of worship—City staff (Environmental & Health Initiatives) is actively collaborating with community-based organizations, the Mayor’s Office, and Councilmember Jimenez to host a community preparedness workshop this Friday. If you would like to host additional workshops in collaboration with the City and CBOs, we welcome the opportunity to do so. Please contact Gabino Arredondo, Project Manager at Gabino_Arredondo@ci.richmond.ca.us.

The workshop is intended to provide information on community resources, local ordinances, rights education, and the existing community response network. [Flyer attached]

Immigration Legal Services RFP

As directed by the City Council, the City of Richmond appropriated up to $1,000,000 to support immigrant legal services and implement a public awareness campaign to educate Richmond residents about their constitutional rights. To carry out this effort, the City was authorized to issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) to identify a fiscal sponsor responsible for distributing these funds to non-profit organizations providing direct services.

In accordance with the Council’s March 24, 2025, direction, staff developed and released the initial RFP, with a submission deadline of April 7, 2025. Unfortunately, no proposals were received. Following a review and revision, staff rereleased the RFP on May 7, 2025, with a new submission deadline of June 9, 2025. However, this second round yielded only one response—from an out-of-state firm with no relevant experience or established ties to our local community. In response, City staff initiated outreach to Stand Together Contra Costa, a regional program with an RFP deadline overlapping the City’s (June 9, 2025), to explore potential partnerships. Stand Together Contra Costa offers (1) legal representation in immigration proceedings, (2) community workshops, legal clinics, and trainings, (3) public education and outreach, and (4) a community verification and response hotline. The organization has a proven track record and established relationships with local non-profits.

To date, City staff have held two meetings with the Stand Together team on June 11 and June 17, and received positive feedback about their interest in collaboration. Staff is committed to further exploring this partnership in coordination with County staff, given the urgent need for expedited services, the group’s proximity, and its relevant expertise.

A follow-up meeting with Stand Together Contra Costa and additional County representatives is currently being scheduled to continue these discussions. While the City may consider releasing a third round of the RFP, the prior lack of viable responses raises concerns about the effectiveness of this approach.

Proposed Agenda Item – Authorization for the City Manager to Negotiate and Execute a Contract

Due to the upcoming City Council recess (July 2, 2025 – August 18, 2025) and the urgency to implement Council direction on immigrant legal services, I will place an item on the July 1, 2025, City Council agenda seeking authorization to negotiate and execute agreement(s) as necessary. This item will provide the authority to proceed with service agreements—whether with Stand Together Contra Costa, a qualified fiscal sponsor, or County agencies—to ensure the timely provision of immigration legal services and related support. This approach reflects the City’s commitment to acting decisively and responsibly, considering the community’s immediate needs.

If you have any questions regarding this matter, please feel free to contact me directly.

In partnership, Shasa

April 29, 2025

Good morning, Mayor Martinez and Richmond City Councilmembers,

On April 8, 2025, City staff sent the email below informing City Council that we did not receive any bids for the Immigration Legal Services and Public Awareness Campaign Fiscal Sponsor Request for Proposals (RFP). City staff also shared the RFP and asked for any feedback from councilmembers. City staff received feedback from one councilmember regarding the RFP which included language regarding advance payments and eligibility, as well as a new recommendation to establish a Community Advisory Group (CAG).

The concept of the CAG was not included in the agenda report from March 4, 2025, nor discussed by the City Council and would be such a significant change that it would require Council approval. As such, City staff plan to return to City Council on May 20, 2025, to discuss the CAG (responsibilities, member selection, etc.) and other proposed concepts.

Thank you and please feel free to reach out with any questions or comments. LaShonda White

April 8, 2025

Good afternoon, Mayor Martinez, Richmond City Councilmembers, City Manager Curl, and City Staff (via Bcc),

I wanted to inform you that we did not receive any bids for the Immigration Legal Services and Public Awareness Campaign Fiscal Sponsor Request for Proposals (RFP) by the deadline yesterday at 4:00 p.m.

After an initial discussion with City staff, I would like to update you on how we plan to move forward with the RFP. Before staff proceeds with the next steps, we wanted to gather your feedback and any community input before extending the deadline and releasing the updated RFP. Below are the key actions we are considering:

Revising the scope of work with relevant staff to provide clarity where needed.
Conducting targeted and general outreach efforts to nonprofit organizations and the community to provide additional information and generate more interest in the RFP.
Extending the RFP submission deadline, potentially until Friday, May 9, 2025, or another reasonable timeframe.

We are aiming to re-release the RFP tentatively on Friday, April 18. To ensure we can incorporate your suggestions, we would appreciate any feedback on the following by Monday, April 14:

Suggestions for publicizing this opportunity
Ideas for pre-proposal outreach or community feedback we should consider
Recommendations for adjustments to the RFP language

I have attached the RFP for your reference. If you require any additional information from staff, please let us know.

Thank you for your continued support. I look forward to any feedback and guidance.

Sincerely, Lupe

March 25, 2025

Dear Mayor Martinez and Members of the Richmond City Council:

I am pleased to inform you that the Request for Proposals (RFP) for the Immigrant Legal Services and Public Awareness Campaign Program Fiscal Sponsor was released yesterday, Monday, March 24, 2025, and is now available for bids on PlanetBids. The deadline for responses is April 7, 2025.

The RFP is also attached for your convenience. We remain on track to present the contract award to the City Council for consideration and approval on Tuesday, April 15, 2025.

Please note that organizations must register as vendors in BidsOnline to view and submit a response. If an organization does not already have an account, it will need to sign up to log in, view the RFP, and submit a proposal (staff can assist as needed and provide technical assistance).

City of Richmond Vendor Portal – Vendor Registration: https://vendors.planetbids.com/portal/14590/portal-home

If you have any questions, please contact Guadalupe Morales and Gabino Arredondo and cc me. I am expressing my sincere appreciation to Ms. Morales for promptly leading the development of this RFP with support from Mr. Arredondo and Mr. Seals.

Guadalupe Morales, Associate Management Analyst guadalupe_morales@ci.richmond.ca.us (510) 620-6553

Gabino Arredondo, Project Manager gabino_arredondo@ci.richmond.ca.us (510) 620-6606

In partnership, Shasa

Request for Proposals (RFP) Process

The City of Richmond used an RFP process to allocate funding to ensure a competitive and fair selection of qualified vendors, allowing for a thorough comparison of different proposals, and helping ensure the strategic and cost-effective use of public funds by selecting the best partners for projects and services. An initial RFP focused on funding a Fiscal Sponsor to manage and distribute the funds was issued on March 24, 2025, via the City’s BidsOnline system, with a submission deadline of April 7, 2025. No proposals were received. In response, staff revised the RFP to clarify expectations and strengthen the scope of work, and reissued the RFP on May 7, 2025, with a revised deadline of June 9, 2025. The City received one proposal, which was not recommended to be funded.

The latest RFP, "Immigrant Legal Services and Public Awareness Campaigns and Outreach Program," focused on receiving direct proposals from immigrant legal and outreach providers, has been successful. Multiple applications have been received and scored. Updates will be provided below periodically on the status of awarding contracts.

RFP Release Date: Friday, July 25, 2025
RFP Deadline for Submittal Monday, August 18, 2025, 4:00 P.M. PDT