Archives: FAQs

Why do we need the immigration defense fund?

People in immigration proceedings do not have the right to government-funded counsel. They must navigate complicated and ever-changing immigration laws alone against a trained government attorney, without the help of a lawyer.

Who will be providing the services?

Immigration Defenders Law Center (ImmDef) is the legal service provider for the City of Santa Ana’s immigration services. ImmDef, one of California’s leading nonprofit deportation defense organizations, focuses on assisting immigrants who are facing some of the most complex legal challenges. This covers representation for individuals with mental health issues, children and teens who came … Continued

Who is funding the Immigration Legal defense fund?

On June 15, 2021, the City of Santa Ana City Council authorized an additional $100,000 for the fund as part of its approval of the City’s budget. This additional funding brought the total fund amount to $300,000. The City Council also made the defense fund a recurring item on the agenda for each year’s annual … Continued

2023

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Who qualifies?

To qualify, you must: 1. Earn 200 percent or less of federal poverty guidelines; 2. Be unrepresented by counsel; and 3. Be a resident of Santa Ana immediately prior to detention by ICE (priority will be given to residents who are detained).

I own a business entity that rents out a Santa Ana commercial property to a separate business entity owed/controlled by me, which operates from the premises it, rents. Are the rents my property owing entity receives from my business operating entity considered to be a business separate business? Do I have to have two separate business licenses?

Yes, a separate business license must be obtained when two separate legal entities are engaged in ongoing business activity. Each entity is a separate legal “person” under the Business License Tax Code and even where the underlying identify of the ownership of both businesses is the same, a requirement for each “person” doing business in … Continued

I am renting a Santa Ana commercial property to a master leaseholder who in turn rents out units to various business tenants. Is my receipt of rents during the term of the master lease still considered to be a business? Do I have to get a business license?

As an owner-lessor who retains ownership of the commercial property at the conclusion of the master lease term, you do need to obtain a Santa Ana business license and report the gross receipts (gross rents) derived from the master lease. The leaseholder-lessor who is renting out units of your commercial rental property pursuant to the … Continued

How is the Santa Ana commercial real estate rental business license tax assessed?

The business license tax for the rental of commercial real estate is assessed per property, based on the leasehold/ownership of the property. A separate business license is required for each separate commercial rental property location. The business license tax assessment is made on a gross receipts (gross rents) basis per property. A reduced basic tax … Continued

What does Santa Ana consider a “commercial real estate rental business”?

Municipal Code Section 21-3 defines the business of rental of commercial real estate as including every person, whether as an owner-lessor or leaseholder-lessor, engaged in the business of leasing, renting, subleasing, subletting, providing, exchanging or trading without loss of ownership or leasehold any real property, dwelling, building, structure, premises or portion thereof for industrial, commercial, … Continued

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