BUILDING PATHWAYS TO JUSTICE AND SAFETY
Every person has the fundamental right to live safely and to provide for their families with dignity.
Yet for immigrants — and even those who have gained citizenship — both legal and financial security can feel out of reach.
Our Legal Rights & Safety programs are determined to change this reality. We offer clients four critical pathways to legal and financial safety.
- Our expert immigration legal services team works relentlessly to secure work authorization and citizenship for those who seek it.
- Through our Citizenship Exam Preparation services, we support individuals with their citizenship and naturalization exam preparation.
- Through our immigration rights educational programming, we equip individuals and partner organizations with the knowledge to protect immigrants’ constitutional and civil rights, reducing violations and fostering justice.
- Through our free tax services and public benefits counseling programs, we ensure that people enroll for the benefits for which they and their families are eligible and put hard-earned dollars where they belong — back into the hands of our clients and our local community.
Together, we are creating safety and opportunity — and hope — for the immigrant community in Marin.
Immigration Legal Services
As the sole provider of low- or no-cost immigration legal services for Latino immigrants living, working, or studying in Marin County, our legal team is dedicated to offering essential support. We provide consultations, expert advice, representation, and referrals, equipping our clients with the knowledge they need to understand their rights and take the next steps forward. These legal services form a powerful pathway to safety and security, helping clients secure work authorization, and navigate the process of naturalization or citizenship.
Through our work, we don’t just support individuals — we build stronger, more resilient communities, where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.
Citizenship Exam Preparation
We offer classes and resources designed to help clients prepare for their citizenship exams because we understand that naturalization and citizenship bring more than just legal status — they bring protection, safety, and a sense of belonging. With citizenship, individuals gain the right to vote, run for public office, and travel freely to visit family without the need for a visa. But the benefits extend far beyond that. Citizenship opens doors to economic opportunities, providing access to jobs that would otherwise be out of reach.
We are committed to guiding our clients toward a future where they not only belong but thrive — protected, secure, and with every opportunity to succeed.
Immigrant Rights Education
While everyone living in this country is entitled to basic rights under the Constitution, knowing and exercising these rights can be overwhelming. We know that education is a powerful tool in protecting these rights. By teaching clients, tenants, and the broader community about the constitutional and civil rights of immigrants, we significantly reduce the risk of rights violations. That’s why rights trainings are at the heart of our programming.
Through education, we ensure individuals — allies and immigrants alike — can confidently defend the rights of immigrants and stand up for justice and safety here in Marin.
Public Benefits Enrollment & Tax Filing
Putting money directly back into people’s pockets is a transformative way to improve social determinants of health, particularly for infants and mothers, by reducing poverty and enhancing overall health outcomes. Our public charge and tax consulting programs ensure that clients can safely enroll in vital public assistance programs they qualify for — such as MediCal, WIC, CalFresh, Section 8, and Unemployment — while also filing their taxes accurately. Through these efforts, we bring approximately $1 million in earned income tax credits back to our clients every year, providing them with critical financial support.
This not only helps families meet their immediate needs but also creates long-term positive impacts on their well-being, lifting families out of poverty and improving their health prospects for the future.
Housing & Employment Legal Aid
In addition to the immigration legal services provided by our Canal Alliance staff, we partner with Legal Aid of Marin (LAM) to ensure that Latino immigrants in Marin have direct access to trusted legal guidance on housing, employment, and other urgent civil matters. Through office hours hosted at our neighborhood location in San Rafael, clients are able to meet confidentially with LAM attorneys.
By bringing legal expertise directly into the Canal neighborhood, we help families prevent eviction, fight wage theft and discrimination, and resolve court matters that could otherwise lead to deeper financial or social hardship.