UW Seattle students who need legal support for immigration-related issues will be able to receive assistance from free of charge in the coming academic year, thanks to legislation passed by ASUW in spring 2026.
The ASUW bill, approved on April 23, 2026, allocates $5,000 to SLS beginning July 1 鈥渋n solidarity and support for its immigration program.鈥� The funding will allow SLS to waive the current $20 per hour fee it currently charges for ongoing legal support.
鈥淲e are extremely thankful for this generous donation from ASUW,鈥� said Amanda Reynoso-Palley, attorney and director of SLS. 鈥淲e appreciate that they recognize the challenges facing students who aren鈥檛 U.S. citizens.鈥�
Making immigration support more accessible
SLS assists UW students with a variety of immigration-related matters, including DACA renewals and advance parole, change of status applications, naturalization, family-based adjustment of status with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, and more. All students are eligible for a free 40-minute consultation; the $20 per hour fee is charged to students who need ongoing representation.
Because the cost of certain immigration cases can be significant 鈥� Reynoso-Palley said between $400-$500 is typical 鈥� the ASUW funding will provide much-needed assistance.
鈥淭hough our fee is quite low (compared to off-campus legal services), certain immigration cases can get expensive because of the complexity and the time required,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hese funds will relieve some of that pressure for students.鈥�
There is no per-student cap on the funds 鈥� they are available on a first-come, first-served basis until they are exhausted.* SLS expects the funds to last for about one year. Fee waivers will continue to be available for students working with SLS on other types of legal matters who are experiencing financial hardship.
Addressing a ‘critical need’
The bill was sponsored by Erick Jacobsen, ASUW senate speaker in AY2025-26. In an in May, Jacobsen said the idea for the bill stemmed from conversations within ASUW on how to use its reserve funds to support student needs.
In the bill, ASUW cited increased immigration activity from the Trump administration 鈥� and particularly efforts that have impacted UW students 鈥� as one of the reasons they wanted to provide this funding.
SLS has seen a noticeable uptick in requests for both consultations and ongoing support since January 2025, Reynoso-Palley said. From fiscal year 2024 to fiscal year 2025, immigration consultations rose by 16%, while ongoing immigration cases increased by 23%; in the fiscal year that just ended, SLS saw an additional 16% increase in ongoing immigration matters.
鈥淲e鈥檝e seen an increase in consultation requests that directly reflect the uncertainty non-U.S. citizen students face due to shifting immigration policies and enforcement priorities. Students want to know what the changes mean and how changes will affect them,鈥� she said. 鈥淭his funding addresses a critical need, and we hope that it can provide support for students navigating stressful situations.鈥�
*SLS takes cases based on staff capacity and practice area. In the event SLS is unable to assist a student, they will help the student find outside representation.