Individuals detained at Monterey County’s jails will soon get the option to consult with an immigration lawyer, according to a county spokesperson.
Qualified attorneys will provide legal advice on detainees’ rights, options, how the process works and whether they may be eligible for immigration relief. Consultations are aimed at giving individuals the ability to make informed decisions, communicate with family, and make arrangements for their children if necessary.
The purpose of the program is “to ensure that these folks are aware of their rights and ensuring that due process is upheld,” said Chief Assistant Public Defender Tom O’Keefe in a news briefing Wednesday morning.
The consultations will take place for individuals after they have already navigated the court process, according to O’Keefe. They will happen before individuals are transferred to federal immigration authorities.
Federal immigration authorities may request jails to notify U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement of immigrants lacking permanent legal status who have been booked there. Individuals may also be detained beyond when they would normally be released so they can be transferred to ICE.
In 2025, the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office released 21 individuals to ICE custody, out of more than 9,200 people detained in county jails.
The consultation program will be implemented by the county Public Defender’s Office, in collaboration with the Sheriff’s Office. According to county spokesperson Maia Carroll, $125,000 has been earmarked for the program.
In the county’s budget for fiscal year 2027, $348,653 was also approved to restore a full-time immigration attorney position at the Public Defender’s Office.
Individuals will not be able to have an immigration attorney in court with them as part of the program.
“The funding isn’t there for that,” said O’Keefe. “This is really kind of to get you started.”
