City College to offer free legal services for immigrant students, faculty, staff

City College of San Francisco announced Monday that it was chosen as a regional center for free legal services for immigrant students, faculty and staff at the state’s community colleges.

The Immigration Institute of the Bay Area will begin providing legal services to immigrant students and staff this month at the college’s Ocean Avenue campus. The California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, California Department of Social Services and the Foundation for California Community Colleges chose CCSF as one of 64 host centers after a competitive screening process.

CCSF Chancellor Mark Rocha said:

“We are proud to stand in solidarity with immigration students, faculty and staff here at CCSF and at community colleges across California.”

Rocha added:

“Our ability to offer these free and confidential legal services will help address a critical need for one of our most vulnerable populations.”

State officials determined the need to provide legal services to immigrant students and staff as part of the California Community Colleges’ Dreamers Project, an effort to audit how community colleges around the state can best serve students living in the country without documentation.

In addition to hosting legal services, CCSF offers immigration and citizenship assistance and resources at its CityDREAM Center, which opened last August.

Information about the college’s legal services for immigrants can be found on the City College website.