Gov. Brown approves legal help for minors in the country illegally

Concerned about unaccompanied children from Central America who have surged into the U.S. illegally this year, Gov. Jerry Brown on Saturday approved legislation providing $3 million in legal aid for them.

More than 60,000 unaccompanied children from poverty-stricken and violence-torn areas of El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras have been detained so far this year by U.S. Border Patrol agents, and California officials worry they will be deported to unsafe places without getting legal due process.

“With the stroke of a pen, Governor Brown reaffirmed California’s commitment to doing its part to address the unprecedented humanitarian crisis at border involving Central American youth,” said Sen. Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens) in a statement Saturday. “Deportation for some of these kids is tantamount to a virtual death sentence so it’s important that they have access to the adequate legal representation.”

Many of the children came to the U.S. to find adult relatives based on false rumors that once they get here the U.S. government would let them stay.

Californians are divided over the proposal, according to a recent USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times. Nearly half of those polled call for the children to be immediately deported, but a similar number say they should be allowed to stay in California as they await legal proceedings.

On Saturday, Brown signed SB 873, which allocates money to nonprofit groups that provide legal assistance to unaccompanied minors held in California, which so far number about 4,000.

Last month, when he announced the legislation, Brown said, “Helping these young people navigate our legal system is the decent thing to do and it’s consistent with the progressive spirit of California.”

The governor said the bill also eliminates ambiguity regarding the jurisdiction of the state court to make findings necessary to enable the federal government to grant these minors special immigrant juvenile status, which allows an expedited naturalization process.

The bill was introduced after Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) and members of the Latino Legislative Caucus, which is chaired by Lara, toured a temporary detention center in Ventura County where children are kept.