Immigration
Oct. 23, 2026
When the immigration fellowship pipeline falters, firms can help rural legal aid hold the line
California's Immigration Legal Fellowship remains funded but lacks permanent statutory protection, leaving law firms an opportunity to help expand access to legal representation in underserved rural communities.
Ariana Sañudo
Associate Attorney
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP
Phone: (213) 229-7000
Email: asanudo@gibsondunn.com
On Sept. 27, Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed SB 1194, Sen. Anna Caballero's bill to codify the Immigration Legal Fellowship. Since 2021, the pilot program has placed newly admitted lawyers at immigrant-serving organizations in "legal desert" regions of the state (Central Valley, Inland Empire and Central Coast), each paired with an experienced immigration law mentor.
The veto does not end the program outright, nor does it undermine the state's broader investment in its i...
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