Free Immigration Legal Support Services

The California State University Immigration Legal Services Project provides FREE immigration legal services to all current students, staff (state and auxiliary), faculty, immediate family members of current students, recent graduates (who graduated within two years), and newly admitted students who have accepted their admissions.

At SJSU, eligible individuals can schedule an appointment with an immigration attorney from Immigrant Legal Defense (ILD).

Services include:

• Immigration Relief Eligibility Screenings

• Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS)

• Detained and non-detained deportation defense

• Deferred Enforced Departure (DED)

• Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA)

• Advance Parole

• Temporary Protective Status (TPS)

• Applications for Permanent Resident Status

• Family petitions

• U & T Visas

• VAWA petitions

• Refugee/Asylum

• Citizenship

Schedule an Appointment

Appointments are available throughout the year and can be scheduled online (see link below). Translation services in almost every language are available upon request.

Schedule a Free Consultation Today!

Do you have a time-sensitive case? Please reach out to us so we can connect you with an immigration attorney outside of the scheduled dates. Contact us at (408) 924-2762 or undocuspartan@sjsu.edu.

For more information, go to our Legal Services Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).

Avoid Fraud

When exploring immigration options for yourself or your family, finding a trustworthy immigration attorney can be challenging. The resources in this section provide information on how individuals and families can protect themselves from immigration fraud and what steps to take if they believe they have fallen victim to it.

Avoiding Fraud When Seeking Immigration Legal Services - ILRC
Notario Fraud Unit - County of Santa Clara, Office of the Sheriff
How to File a Complaint Against an Attorney - The State Bar of California

Additional Resources

Immigration Services Outside of SJSU
- Not part of SJSU? If you are not eligible for SJSU immigration legal services, you may still qualify for free legal help through the following programs based on where you study or live.
  
  • CALIFORNIA COLLEGES (students, employees, immediate family):
  
  California State University Legal Services
  
  Find Your Ally - Legal Services at CCCs
  
  University of California Immigration Legal Services Project:
  
  • SANTA CLARA COUNTY RESIDENTS: Access a list of nonprofit organizations offering free or low-cost immigration legal help. Santa Clara County Immigration Legal Help (PDF).
  
  • CALIFORNIA STATEWIDE SERVICES: The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) funds free legal assistance across the state, including support with DACA, naturalization, deportation defense, and more.
  
  • NATIONAL IMMIGRATION LEGAL SERVICES DIRECTORY (Immigration Advocates Network): Search for immigration legal services providers by state, county, or detention facility. Only nonprofit organizations that provide free or low-cost immigration legal services are included in this directory.
  
  • PATH2PAPERS - EMPLOYMENT-BASED PATHWAYS FOR DREAMERS: Path2Papers is a free legal service from Cornell Law School that helps DACA recipients and undocumented young adults who have graduated with a bachelor’s degree explore work-based visa options.
Family Preparedness
- • Immigration Preparedness Toolkit: This free toolkit from ILRC offers in-depth, yet easily accessible information that outlines the basics about a variety of topics including: your rights during ICE confrontations, the different types of immigration options available, ideas for building your consultation roadmap, and tips on covering your bases while waiting for relief.
  
  • Step-by-step Family Preparedness Plan: Every family should have a Family Preparedness Plan in case of an emergency. This toolkit is divided into different sections that give guidance on family preparedness planning, regardless of immigration status.
Community Tools and Explainers
- • Know Your Rights | UndocuSpartan Student Resource Center : This page offers resources to help undocumented and mixed-status students understand protections in the workplace, privacy for student records, and how to interact safely with immigration enforcement agents.
  
  • List of California Rapid Response Networks | California Collaborative for Immigrant Justice: Rapid response networks (RRNs) respond to ICE detentions, document activity, and connect those affected to legal services and support. Many counties have a local rapid response hotline available 24/7. Santa Clara County Rapid Response Network Hotline: (408) 290-1144.
  
  • Detention and Deportation Resource Library (by Informed Immigrant)
  
  • Community Explainers on Various Topics: ILRC offers timely updates to bring clarity to complicated immigration issues. Resources on this page include a wide range of downloadable tools produced for diverse audiences, from experienced advocates to directly impacted community members seeking answers about the complex world of immigration law.
ILD Webinars and Events
- ILD Event Calendar: bit.ly/m/ILD
  
  Stay informed about upcoming webinar presentations hosted by Immigrant Legal Defense (ILD), our campus legal services partner.
  
  Check the link regularly for updates.
Impact Reports
- 2021-22 [pdf]
  
  2022-23 [pdf]

Legal Services FAQs

Translated FAQs: English [pdf], Arabic [pdf], French [pdf], Hindi [pdf], Igbo [pdf], Korean [pdf], Chinese [pdf], Spanish [pdf], Tagalog [pdf], Vietnamese [pdf]

Who can use the Immigration Legal Services at SJSU?
- ALL SJSU students, recent alumni, staff, faculty, and their immediate family members (including parents, siblings, spouse, children, and/or legal guardian). Services are available year round.
How do I register for an appointment with the legal services?
- Individuals can request a phone consultation with an Immigrant Legal Defense (ILD) attorney by using the Legal Services Appointment Calendar. Individuals may also email the UndocuSpartan Student Resource Center directly at undocuspartan@sjsu.edu to request an appointment for a different day and time.
How will appointments take place?
- In Summer 2023 consultations will be offered virtually (over the phone). Attorneys will contact you or your family member at the number you provide us when you schedule an appointment online.
How can I schedule an appointment for a family member? Ex. Parent/ guardian, brother/sister, spouse, child.
- Students, recent alumni, staff, and faculty can fill out the intake form on behalf of family members.
  
  Please make sure to include the preferred contact information for the family member so ILD can contact them directly during the appointment time.
Do I have to pay for a consultation or for representation in an immigration case?
- No. All consultations, appointments and case representation are free of cost to SJSU students, recent alumni, staff, faculty, and immediate family members. The only cost to the client would be possible immigration fees.
Can I request to speak to an attorney in a language other than English?
- Yes. ILD will do their best to provide an attorney who speaks the requested language or provide a professional interpreter to support in any language upon request. Please use the comment section in the intake form to indicate your preferred language for the consultation and if any additional accommodations are needed for the appointment.
What are Immigration Relief Eligibility Screenings?
- Individuals who are not U.S. citizens can request an appointment to learn about their eligibility for current immigration statuses that can provide them with a pathway towards Permanent Residency, citizenship, or other forms of immigration relief. Clients will also receive information on the next steps to take in order to proceed with their case.
Can I meet with an immigration attorney outside of the scheduled dates if my case is time sensitive?
- Absolutely. Individuals can let us know what works best for them in the comment section of the sign up form. Individuals may also email us at undocuspartan@sjsu.edu for more information.
I am an alumni; can I still receive free legal support through the CSU Legal Services?
- Yes. Recent alumni who graduated within the last two years can access the CSU Immigration Legal Services through ILD.
If I already met with another immigration attorney, can I still use the Immigration Legal Services at SJSU?
- Yes. Individuals have the legal right to seek second legal advice or change their legal representatives if they wish to do so.
Is there funding available for SJSU students to cover the DACA application fee?
- Funding may be available on a case-by-case basis. Please schedule an appointment with the USRC to go over your options.
  
  NOTE: funding is only available for matriculated SJSU students.
Is there a limit to how many appointments we can make with ILD?
- No. You can request as many appointments as necessary with ILD either through the USRC or through your ILD attorney directly.