Governor Signs Bill For Lawyers For Immigrant Kids
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Gov. Jerry Brown says he has signed into law a bill to help fund lawyers for unaccompanied children in immigration proceedings.
The legislation signed Saturday appropriates $3 million to qualified nonprofit organizations to help represent unaccompanied minors in deportation proceedings.
The move follows a surge in the number of unaccompanied Central American children arriving on the U.S.-Mexico border, many fleeing violence. Nearly 60,000 unaccompanied minors have arrived in the last fiscal year, and federal government data shows more than 4,600 of the children have been sent to live with sponsors in California.
Brown also signed legislation to clarify the role of state courts in making findings to let unaccompanied minors apply for a federal government program that awards green cards to abused and abandoned children.
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