The University of California Immigrant Legal Services Center was created in 2014 to provide free immigration legal services with the goal of supporting the entire university community by expanding legal equity. The center employs attorneys and other staff who serve every UC campus, excluding Berkeley.
According to Espinoza, the purpose of UCIMM is to provide legal services to students and their families. Shengyu Zhang / Daily Nexus
Yoxira Espinoza, a University of California Immigrant Legal Services Center (UCIMM) staff attorney, has been serving UC Santa Barbara since Oct. 2025.
According to Espinoza, the purpose of UCIMM is to provide legal services to students and their families, allowing them to “find a viable immigration pathway [or] find protections from deportation.” By achieving this, the center hopes to improve student educational outcomes and opportunities for economic advancement.
The services provided by UCIMM include legal consultations and representation in matters that include Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) renewals, as well as applications for permanent residency, naturalization and citizenship, among others. The center also works to provide community education and resources to ensure UC affiliates are informed about changes related to immigration policy.
According to Espinoza, the students who UCIMM typically assist are those impacted by the U.S. immigration system, including those who identify as undocumented, those from mixed-status families, lawful permanent residents, refugees and asylum applicants. In certain circumstances, UCIMM is also able to assist international students.
“Immigration practitioners have different specialties and expertise. Today, we don’t have staff with that expertise in student visas and employment-based visas,” Espinoza said. “However, in some cases, if an international student has fallen out of status and is eligible to pursue relief in which we have expertise, then we can potentially provide assistance in the center.”
Beyond students, UCIMM can provide services to the family members of students. According to Espinoza, the center can “extend services to some UC staff and faculty” depending on the specific situation and the applicability of their expertise.
Espinoza utilizes an online booking process for UCSB students and other eligible individuals to schedule an appointment with her. At an initial appointment, she will typically ask questions about immigration history and family background in order to assess any form of relief they may be eligible for and to find if UCIMM has the capacity to assist them.
Espinoza handles a “wide range” of casework, including green card applications, DACA renewals, applications for naturalization and relief for survivors of crimes and domestic violence. UCIMM is also able to provide eligible individuals with full legal representation.
Additionally, the center can assist in emergency situations — such as if an individual is arrested or detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (I.C.E.) — and serve as a “first point of contact” and update family members on what has occurred.
Due to the federal government’s escalation in immigration enforcement, Espinoza said that there’s a “huge need for information right now.”
“A lot of the students of all statuses are feeling concerned and worried about their safety and well-being as well as their families,” Espinoza said. “At all campuses, we are seeing a demand for consultations more than we have been able to meet.”
According to Espinoza, students across the UC system have been impacted by the federal government’s immigration enforcement policies.
“We’re seeing a growing number of families being impacted by immigration enforcement,” Espinoza said. “In some cases, parents are being detained and in some cases being deported. This is directly affecting the children [which includes] UC students.”
Espinoza calls herself a “product of the UC system,” as she attended UC Riverside as an undergraduate and the UC Davis School of Law. She said she believes her position as an immigration attorney is a way to give back to students and the overall community.
“I really enjoy working with students and giving back to them and in any way [to] alleviate their stress. They have to juggle so many different things like their coursework and internships and everything,” Espinoza said. “If there’s any role that I can play in removing the stress from their families being affected or impacted by immigration — that’s something that I find really rewarding.”
Espinoza expressed that she hopes more students know that UCIMM is a resource available to them and their immediate relatives. She encourages students who have concerns relating to the immigration system to schedule a consultation with her as soon as possible.
“Immigration cases take a very long time, so the earlier that we’re able to help them, I think, is the most beneficial for them,” Espinoza said.
A version of this article appeared on p. 4 of the Jan. 29, 2026 edition of the Daily Nexus.
