READ: Our new comic, Broken Stems, is a story about how California prisons tear apart families by voluntarily colluding with ICE.

Call us Monday - Friday 9-5pm PT: (415) 896-1701

Get Help

Contact

Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Asian Law Caucus

We provide confidential legal information, assistance, and referrals for low-income community members to help you understand your rights. In some cases, we offer free legal consultation and representation to community members on immigrant detention and deportation, housing, workers’ rights, and civil and constitutional rights, including unjust surveillance, profiling and police misconduct. For matters that we are not able to consult or represent on, we will attempt to provide appropriate referrals.

ALC commits to providing legal help in our clients’ preferred languages. For languages and dialects not spoken by our staff, we work with professional interpreters and translators to cover over 200 languages and dialects free of charge. The languages most commonly requested by our clients are Arabic, Cantonese, Farsi, Korean, Mandarin, Tagalog, Spanish, Urdu, and Vietnamese.

Scroll down for a Q&A with more resources on evictions, deportation orders, workplace harassment, and many other topics.

Office: 55 Columbus Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94111

Phone: (415) 896-1701

NOTE: The Asian Law Caucus’ office at 55 Columbus will be temporarily closed for renovations beginning 12/18/23. If you have any questions, please see the FAQ page or call our main line number.

Contact Us

Name
Type of request *
5 characters left
5 characters left

Completing the form as a means of contacting the Asian Law Caucus is a request for legal assistance and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Legal representation by the Asian Law Caucus is established only by written agreement signed by all parties.

50 words left

Eviction, Harassment, and Rent Relief

I am a tenant in San Francisco and need legal assistance. How do I get in touch?

Please call (415) 896-1701 to speak with our front desk staff and leave a message. Our staff speaks English, Cantonese, and Mandarin, and we may have capacity for other languages.

If you are facing imminent eviction, you can also call the Eviction Defense Collaborative's legal assistance line at (415) 659-9184 or email legal@evictiondefense.org.

You can also find information about your housing rights and answers to frequently asked questions.

Surveillance, Profiling, and Immigration Barriers

I’m getting questions from police, FBI, DHS, or other government agents. What are my rights?

We hold free legal clinics to provide assistance with government questioning, harassment, and surveillance; problems when entering the U.S.; and problems boarding flights. To schedule an appointment, please call (415) 848-7714.

The ACLU created a pamphlet about people’s rights if you are stopped by the police, immigration agents, or the FBI. You can read the pamphlet in English, Farsi, Indonesian Bahasa, Somali, Tagalog, Urdu, Chinese, and Arabic.

Our team also created a resource with ACLU and CAIR to help community members know your rights if the FBI contacts you or knocks on your door. You can read about your rights in English, Arabic, and Farsi.

I’m a member of Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim and/or South Asian communities. How can I learn about my rights?

To schedule an appointment during one of our free legal clinics, please call (415) 848-7714. You can also learn about your rights in a pamphlet our team created with ACLU and CAIR California. The pamphlet is available in English, Arabic, and Farsi. Our partners at CLEAR also created a guide to help Muslim communities know their rights while traveling by plane, which is available in English, Arabic, Bangla, and Urdu.

Workers' Rights

I'm struggling with unpaid wages, wrongful termination, or unemployment insurance benefits. What can I do?

We provide free and confidential legal consultations to low-income workers throughout California, including undocumented workers and workers with limited English proficiency. To schedule an appointment, please call (415) 896-1701.

I'm facing discrimination, harassment, retaliation, or health and safety concerns at my job. How can I get help?

We provide free and confidential legal consultations to low-income workers throughout California, including undocumented workers and workers with limited English proficiency. In some limited cases, we are able to provide legal representation. To schedule an appointment, please call (415) 896-1701.

Immigrant Rights, Detention, and Deportation

I know someone who was arrested by ICE after contact with local or state law enforcement. How can I get some help?

If someone was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after contact with the police or after leaving prison or jail, please call us at (415) 896-1701. If you live in California, you can also call your local rapid response hotline.

What types of immigration legal services do you provide?

ALC provides consultations and representation to immigrants facing detention or deportation by ICE due to criminal convictions, with a focus on Bay Area and Central Valley residents. Unfortunately, we generally do not take asylum cases or provide assistance with applying for immigration benefits with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Please contact us here or call (415) 896-1701 if you are facing detention or deportation due to a criminal conviction and let us know if you have immigration court documents and/or conviction records. If you do not have your paperwork, you can use our guide to request your records from the immigration agencies and criminal court.

You can also use the National Immigration Legal Services Directory to find an immigration nonprofit near you. If you are looking for a private immigration attorney, you can contact the Bar Association of San Francisco or the bar association for your county to request referrals.

I have a conviction and I’m interested in applying for a pardon or a commutation. Can you help?

A pardon restores rights, such as the ability to obtain a professional license. In some cases, a pardon can also prevent deportation. Read our Guide to California Pardons to learn more about the process for applying for a pardon.

People serving a sentence for a criminal conviction can petition the California Governor to have their sentences commuted. Read the California Coalition for Women Prisoners Guide to Commutations for more information about applying for a commutation.

Please call (415) 896-1701 if you have questions about your pardon or commutation application.

I have a loved one who is incarcerated in a California State Prison and has questions about their immigration status. Who should I contact?

Please advise your loved one to write our office directly at Asian Law Caucus, 55 Columbus Ave, San Francisco, CA 94111 and request an intake form.