As fears of deportation and eviction grow in Richmond, a new fund has launched to provide legal aid to working-class individuals and families facing legal threats. The Richmond Community Legal Fund (RCLF) was announced Monday with a mission to fill gaps in legal aid services.

The fund began raising money in April, but its roots can be traced back to the first Trump administration, according to lawyer and RCLF Board President Charlie Schmidt. For years, he worked as part of a loose coalition of legal experts, activists and others to address crises that emerged during that period, uniting and disbanding as needs were addressed.

After the coalition provided legal support to protesters arrested during the demonstrations following George Floyd’s death in the summer of 2020, Schmidt began considering a more permanent organization.

“In the back of my mind, I was like, ‘We need to have an organization that will have a little bit more structure and continuity, because there’s a lot of legal support and legal need’,” Schidmt said.

The re-election of Donald Trump last fall was a critical point in RCLF’s creation, and led Schimdt and others to formalize the initiative in January. The fund has been recruiting volunteers, early donors and board members in the months since.

Alongside Schmidt, RCLF’s board includes leadership and members from Richmond For All, Virginia Commonwealth University’s chapter of United Campus Workers of Virginia and other legal experts. All bring their own experience, resources and community connections to the initiative.

Though still in its early stages, RCLF already has taken action, recently committing $1,000 to an emergency defense fund for two Richmond fathers arrested and detained by ICE.

Schmidt said duplicating this kind of support in other ways is a short-term goal for the organization. Long-term goals are aimed at building a structure for various aid programs, pro-bono attorney services and training, and supporting attorneys, activists and others working to “bridge the justice gap.”

RCLF’s creation comes at a time of increased surveillance of immigrant communities nationally, and its announcement was followed hours later by news from Gov. Glenn Youngkin of over 500 arrests as part of efforts by the Virginia Homeland Security Task Force.

Evictions and other challenges also remain pressing issues in Richmond. Schmidt hopes RCLF can rise to the occasion and serve as a model for communities elsewhere exploring similar efforts.

“I think this moment in time demonstrates the need for us to do what we can for our Richmond community and help be a conduit for that legal support, when things get bad or get worse than they are now,” Schmidt said.

RCLF will celebrate its official launch with a fundraiser and party on Friday, April 25, at Studio Two Three, 109 W. 15th St. More information is available at richmondlegalfund.com.