Protect Immigrant Children in CA: Tell State Leaders to Fully Fund CHIRP Now
Call your State Senator.
Call ONE of the Assemblymembers. Note: only one of these Assemblymembers represents you. Find out which one here.
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Call Script
Hi, this is [name] calling from [zip code]. I am a member of Indivisible SF, and I’m calling as your constituent to ask you to fully fund the Children’s Holistic Immigration Representation Program, or CHIRP, in this year’s state budget.
Unaccompanied children in immigration court should never have to stand alone without a lawyer or social services support. CHIRP provides trauma‑informed legal representation, plus help with school enrollment, health care, and basic needs, so kids can be safe and stable as they navigate their cases.
I’m asking the Assemblymember/Senator to:
Support ongoing, multi‑year funding for CHIRP at or near $33 million in the state budget, not just one‑time money.
Communicate this as a clear priority to the Budget Committee leadership and the Governor’s office.
Publicly stand with unaccompanied children and the organizations that serve them.
Can I count on the Assemblymember/Senator to champion full, stable funding for CHIRP this year?
Thank you for your time and for protecting immigrant children in our community.
Background
Unaccompanied immigrant children in California are still being asked to face immigration court alone—often in a language they don’t speak, after surviving trauma and long journeys. The Children’s Holistic Immigration Representation Program (CHIRP) pairs these kids with attorneys and social‑service providers who help them enroll in school, access health care and food, and navigate complex legal systems with dignity and safety.
CHIRP’s current funding is temporary and at risk. Advocates are calling on state leaders to include stable, multi‑year funding (around $33 million) for CHIRP in the upcoming California budget so children are not left without critical support.
