About The Network

The San Francisco Immigrant Legal & Education Network (SFILEN) represents a unique and groundbreaking collaboration of fourteen organizations, including some of the region’s pioneering immigrant service providers and some of the city’s leading legal advocacy organizations – each with decades of experience providing immigration legal services to low income immigrants.

We provide free legal immigration assistance and community education to low-income immigrants in San Francisco. We represent immigrants from African, Arab, Asian and Latino communities. Collectively the Network provides services in Spanish, Cantonese, Mandarin, Toisanese, Vietnamese, Tagalog, French and other languages.

SFILEN is made up of the following organizations:

Legal Organizations

	AIRRC ||| African Immigrant & Refugee Resource Center 1290 Fillmore St. # 104 >> 415.433.7300
	AROC ||| Arab Resource & Organizing Center 522 Valencia St. >> 415.861.7444
	ALC ||| Asian Law Caucus 939 Market St. # 201 >> 415.896.1701
	APILO ||| Asian Pacific Islander Legal Outreach 1188 Franklin St. #202 >> 415.567.6255
	CARECEN ||| Central American Resource Center 1245 Alabama St. >> 415.642.4400
	LRCL ||| La Raza Centro Legal 474 Valencia St. #295 >> 415.575.3500
	LRCRC ||| La Raza Community Resource Center 474 Valencia St. #100 >> 415.863.0764

Community Organizations

	CAA ||| Chinese for Affirmative Action 17 Walter U. Lum >> 415.274.6760
	DSCS ||| Dolores Street Community Services 938 Valencia St. >> 415.282.6209
	FCC ||| Filipino Community Center 35 San Juan Ave. >> 415.333.6267
	MUA ||| Mujeres Unidas y Activas 3543 18th St. #23 >> 415.621.8140
	PODER ||| People Organized to Demand Environmental & Economic Rights 474 Valencia St. #125 >> 415.431.4210
	SPHC ||| St. Peter’s Housing Committee 474 Valencia St. #155 >> 415.487.9203

History

The San Francisco Immigrant Legal & Education Network was formed to address the daunting legal challenges confronting immigrants today. According to Census data, in 2000, more than one-third of the City’s residents were foreign-born (36%). By any estimation, the number of immigrants has continued to grow since the last census – and much of this growth has been amongst persons without documented status. Recent legislation, including the Patriot Act and the Real ID Act, has substantially eroded the rights of these new Americans, whether documented or undocumented. Pending legislation could even further negatively impact the rights and status of immigrants.