At Healing Los Angeles Together (HLAT), we stand firmly on the belief that dignity is a universal human right, regardless of a person’s country of origin or immigration status. The Mercy Seat Immigration & Advocacy program is a dedicated safe haven for undocumented individuals, asylum seekers, and mixed-status families living in Inglewood and South LA.
We operate under a strict, unyielding “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy. We do not ask for your status, and we fiercely protect your privacy. Our mission is not to judge or document, but to equip, empower, and protect. Through community-led advocacy, confidential crisis support, and grassroots leadership development, we are building a Los Angeles where immigrant families no longer have to live in the shadows.
Standing With Immigrant Families Facing Crisis in LA
While Los Angeles is proudly known as a sanctuary city, the reality on the ground for many immigrant families is vastly different. Severe “sanctuary gaps” leave thousands of our neighbors vulnerable to exploitation, systemic neglect, and the paralyzing, everyday fear of deportation.
For undocumented families in South LA and Inglewood, navigating daily life often means carrying an invisible, crushing weight. The constant vigilance required to simply exist takes a devastating toll on mental health. Parents live in quiet terror of family separation, while individuals fleeing violence struggle to navigate a deeply broken, overwhelmingly complex asylum system.
When fear dictates whether a family seeks medical care, reports a crime, or asks for basic help, the entire community suffers. Isolation becomes a weapon used against the vulnerable. Mercy Seat Immigration & Advocacy was created to break that isolation. We understand the profound psychological impact of living in the margins. We know that top-down Los Angeles nonprofits often fail to reach those who are too afraid to walk through a clinic door. That is why our approach is rooted in profound cultural humility, absolute confidentiality, and community-led trust. We are here to stand with you in the crisis and walk beside you into empowerment.
Know Your Rights — Immigration Resources for LA County Families
Knowledge is the ultimate shield against exploitation. When you know your constitutional rights, you strip away the power of intimidation. Mercy Seat curates highly vetted, accessible educational resources to ensure every family in LA County knows how to protect themselves.
Please note: HLAT provides educational advocacy and resource connections, not direct legal representation.
Know Your Rights (Red Cards): Download and print multi-lingual guides detailing exactly what to do and say if approached by immigration enforcement at home, at work, or on the street.
Trusted Legal Aid Clinics: Access our heavily vetted directory of pro-bono and low-cost immigration attorneys in Los Angeles who specialize in asylum, family separation, and deportation defense.
Local Sanctuary Policies: Understand your protections under Los Angeles city ordinances and California state law, and learn how to safely contact designated city officials regarding community concerns.
The true impact of Mercy Seat Immigration & Advocacy cannot simply be measured on a spreadsheet. Due to our strict commitment to privacy, we do not publish participant counts. Instead, our success is measured in the profound, qualitative transformations we witness every single day in South LA.
Our impact is seen in the mother who once refused to leave her apartment out of fear, who now stands confidently at the front of a room teaching others how to assert their constitutional rights. It is measured in the young asylum seeker who arrived in Los Angeles completely isolated, but who now organizes neighborhood resource drives.
Through Mercy Seat, vulnerability is transformed into undeniable civic strength. Skills are gained, critical resources are accessed, and fundamental rights are learned. We are shifting the narrative from victimhood to victorious, community-led advocacy. When you support Mercy Seat, you are investing directly in the unbreakable resilience of the immigrant spirit.
Twice-Monthly Community Meetings in Inglewood
You are invited to take your seat at the table. Our community meetings are designed to be accessible, safe, and deeply empowering. We provide a space where you can breathe, learn, and organize alongside neighbors who share your journey.
Location: Secure, private community hall in Inglewood, CA (Exact address provided upon confidential RSVP to protect participant safety).
Schedule: Every 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month.
Format: We offer a hybrid model. You can join us safely in person, or participate via a secure, encrypted virtual link.
Language: Meetings are fully bilingual (English and Spanish), ensuring everyone can participate in their preferred language.
We welcome you exactly as you are. No judgment, no questions asked, just community.
You Are Not Alone — Reach Out for Confidential Support
(No estás solo — Contáctanos para recibir apoyo confidencial)
We know that the system is designed to make you feel isolated and powerless. But you are not alone, and you do not have to carry this burden in silence. Healing Los Angeles Together is your community, and we are fiercely committed to your safety and your dignity.
Whether you need emergency guidance, want to learn your rights, or simply need to speak with someone who understands exactly what you are going through, our team is ready to listen.
Nuestra promesa: Nunca le preguntaremos sobre su estatus migratorio. Toda conversación es 100% confidencial, segura y sin prejuicios. (Our promise: We will never ask about your immigration status. Every conversation is 100% confidential, secure, and judgment-free.)
Healing Los Angeles Together is a local NGO focused on community-led homeless services across LA County. We turn lived experience into life-saving action through food justice, SUD counseling, and immigration advocacy.
