Immigration and California families

California is home to many families with different immigration statuses. Many US citizens live with family members who

  • have a green card or a visa but aren’t US citizens, or
  • who are undocumented.

Californians may have questions about public programs, their families' mixed immigration status, or what federal immigration policies mean for their daily lives.

These resources can help answer those questions. The resources are for families and groups that engage immigrant families, such as schools, local governments, and community organizations. 

We will continue to update these resources so they stay relevant and useful. The updates will also reflect changes in federal policy.

Who are immigrant families in California?

Millions of Californians live in families with immigrant family members. Immigrant Californians:

  • Are documented. Over half are US citizens. Others have a different documented status from the U.S. government, like a green card, a work visa, and some have temporary protections like TPS (Temporary Protected Status) and DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals). California is also home to refugees and vulnerable populations in the U.S. for humanitarian reasons.
  • Have kids. About half of all kids in California have at least one immigrant parent. One in five (20%) California children live in mixed-status families. Mixed-status families are families whose members have different citizenship or immigration status, like a US citizen child with an undocumented grandparent or a mom who has a green card (lawful permanent resident).
  • Are business owners or workers. Immigrants are 38.6 % of entrepreneurs, 39.4 % of STEM workers, and 35.0 % of nurses in the state. Many immigrants work in agriculture, manufacturing, construction and general services industries.
  • Contribute to the economy: In 2021, immigrants contributed $51.4 billion to California's state and local taxes and $81.8 billion to federal taxes and had $354 billion in spending power.

Information and resources

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Access to Public Education and Protections for Students and Families

Non-discrimination

All students, including those who are undocumented or come from immigrant families, have the right to:

  • attend public school
  • participate in school activities
  • receive a quality education without discrimination

Safe school environment

  • Immigration enforcement officers: Schools are generally prohibited from voluntarily granting immigration enforcement officers access to campus. They need a judicial warrant or court order. 
  • Personal information:  Unless explicitly required by law, schools are prohibited from
    • requesting social security numbers
    • inquiring about the citizenship or immigration status of students, their parents, or guardians.

In 2024, Governor Newsom sent a letter to school leaders affirming California’s commitment to a safe environment for all students, including immigrant students and students from immigrant families.

Also in 2024, Attorney General Bonta issued updated guidance and model policies to assist California’s K-12 schools and higher education institutions in responding to immigration issues:

Confidentiality of student information

Schools must protect the privacy of their students. Schools are prohibited from sharing personal information about students or their family members for immigration-enforcement purposes. Immigration authorities must have a court order or judicial subpoena to receive information.

Overhead view of a support group of 6 adults sitting together indoors.

Support for Mental Health, Immigration and Against Discrimination

Immigration Legal Help

Legal help may be available from nonprofit organizations. Visit Service Provider Contact Information (Department of Social Services) for more information.

Be sure to avoid fraudulent immigration legal services. This includes non-attorneys who make promises about immigration benefits. Review more information from the California Department of Justice in English, Spanish, Chinese (Simplified), Korean, Tagalog, and Vietnamese at oag.ca.gov/immigrant/resources.

Immigrant families who are concerned about immigration can develop a family preparedness plan. Visit Step-by-Step Family Preparedness Plan for community information developed by a nonprofit organization.

CalHOPE Warmline

The CalHOPE Warmline provides telephone and text-based services in English and Spanish. For callers that need services in another language, the CalHOPE Warm Line provides telephone-based (not text-based) services through a third-party interpretation service (Language-Link). They offer telephonic interpretation in over 240 additional languages. The CalHOPE Warmline phone number is (833) 317-HOPE (4673).

988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline

The 988 Lifeline offers interpretation in 240 languages through Language Line Solutions. There is also a national 988 site in Spanish.Individuals can call or text 988, press 2, and get access to a Spanish-speaking counselor 24/7.

Mental health flyers and resources

Community Hotline to Report Hate

All victims and witnesses of hate incidents and hate crimes can report and are eligible for free hotline support services. Visit California vs Hate or call 833-8-NO-HATE. California vs Hate is not affiliated with law enforcement, and you can report anonymously. If you are in present danger, call 911.

Report discrimination

If you or someone you know has been the victim of discrimination, you can File a discrimination complaint. The Civil Rights Department may be able to help. They also provide general information and fact sheets online about civil rights protections for the public. The Civil Rights Department has other resources for immigrant families.

A mom hold a toddler girl (both Asian) outside. The mom holds a toy airplane.
A mixed family with a mom, dad, and 3 kids smile at each other in front of a house.
A woman with brown hair smiles at an older woman with white hair.