Because every family deserves to feel prepared—not afraid.
Across Los Angeles, increased immigration enforcement has left many immigrant families living with uncertainty and fear. The ALMA App was created to change that—putting simple, powerful safety tools directly into the hands of the people most impacted.
Developed by the Salvadoran American Leadership and Education Fund (SALEF) in partnership with long-standing immigrants’ rights leaders, ALMA helps families plan ahead, stay connected, and get help fast during enforcement actions.
Introducing the ALMA APP
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Key Features
1. Family Safety Planning Tools
ALMA walks users through critical preparation steps, including:
Identifying who will care for children if a parent is detained
Listing emergency contacts and legal support
Saving important family information in an organized way
Everything is presented in clear, step-by-step guidance so families are not left guessing during a stressful moment.
2. One-Tap Enforcement Alert Button
In a moment of panic, every second matters.
With one tap, ALMA’s alert button:
Notifies trusted contacts selected by the user
Shares the user’s current GPS location
Helps family, friends, and community responders know something is wrong and where to go.
This feature is designed for situations where someone believes they are witnessing, or are at risk of, an immigration enforcement action.
3. Community-Driven Information & Resources
ALMA connects families with:
Information created by community organizations
Guidance on rights, safety planning, and support
Pathways to connect with local partners and advocates
The app is one part of a larger ecosystem of support, not a replacement for legal assistance or community organizing.
What is the ALMA App?
ALMA is an immigrant emergency support app designed to provide protection, guidance, and rapid assistance for immigrant communities. Meaning “soul” in Spanish, ALMA stands for Apoyo Legal, Migrante y Alerta—reflecting the app’s mission to provide safety, solidarity, and hope when families need it most.
Built as a “One Tap” Family Safety Planning & Enforcement Alert App, ALMA equips immigrant families across Los Angeles with the tools to prepare, respond, and stay connected during immigration enforcement actions. The app offers step-by-step family safety planning, a secure place to store important information, and the ability to identify trusted emergency contacts in advance.
With ALMA, users can:
Create a family safety plan step-by-step
Store important information in one place
Identify and save trusted emergency contacts
Use a unique one-tap alert button that:
Sends an instant message to pre-selected contacts
Shares the user’s GPS location so loved ones know where they are
ALMA is more than a tech tool—it’s a community-led response to real fears and real risks.
Why We Built ALMA
Rising enforcement, rising fear
Federal immigration enforcement actions continue to impact immigrant communities in Los Angeles and across the country. Families need tools that are practical, fast, and easy to use in moments of crisis.Designed with community, for community
SALEF and partner organizations have spent decades standing with immigrants, students, and working families. ALMA builds on that history, bringing together community leadership and modern technology.Centering lived experience
From student survivors of family separation to community leaders and advocates, people directly impacted by enforcement have helped shape ALMA’s purpose and features.