L.A. approves new legislation to protect immigrant Angelenos

In a unanimous vote, the Los Angeles City Council approved a package of motions aimed to protect and empower the immigrant and undocumented community of L.A. 

As previously reported by CALÒ News, councilmember Hugo Soto-Martínez (CD-13) introduced the legislative package nearly two months ago in response to President Donald Trump's immigration policies and the recent ICE raids in cities like Los Angeles and communities throughout Southern California. 

“These motions are important because we have to use every single tool to fight back. We cannot normalize these human rights issues,” Soto-Martínez said at Wednesday's City Council meeting. “Right now there are innocent people being sent to El Salvador, a country they have never been to before, without a hearing…. We cannot play nice with this administration.” 

The package, made up of five motions, hopes to address the threats of mass deportation, worksite raids and targeted enforcement actions that have loomed over the immigrant communities. Most importantly, the council touted that these motions will solidify the commitment of L.A. as a sanctuary city, an ordinance that was passed last November. 

A city-wide “Know Your Rights” campaign, worksite enforcement notification of ICE, immigration support in Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and an appeal for more state funding for deportation defense funds and immigration legal services are just some of the items that are part of the different motions that were approved at the city level.  

One of the motions directs various city departments, including the Economic and Workforce Development Department, the Community Investment for Families Department, the Bureau of Contract Administration and the City Attorney's Office, to explore and report on how the city can provide employers and employees with information regarding workplace immigration enforcement. The motion also calls for the exploration of policies to mandate that businesses report all CE activity to the city and inform workers of their rights ahead of potential raids.

"At a time when immigrant families across the country are being attacked, persecuted and disregarded, it is important for the City of Los Angeles to stand up for our community and send a clear and resounding message that immigrants belong in this city, this county, and this country,” said Angelica Salas, executive director for the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA).

A second motion formally initiates and establishes a "Know Your Rights Campaign," which would resemble a citywide public education effort to inform immigrants about their rights, nondiscrimination protections and L.A.’s sanctuary city policies, leveraging city facilities, multilingual materials and community partnerships. 

A third motion further emphasizes the city's dedication to immigrant protection by urging the State of California to enhance funding for deportation defense. It also requests that the city formally endorse and sponsor any state legislation that would increase funding for deportation defense in California, the state with more immigrants than any other in the U.S. 

The last two motions are expected to come to the full City Council for a vote in the coming weeks.

One of these motions would mandate the city to locate funding to help maintain immigration legal services. It directs city officials to identify $500,000 of funding for immigration legal service providers whose federal support has been frozen by the Trump administration. 

These legal service providers and immigrant rights organizations, like CHIRLA, CARECEN, ACLU SoCal, and the National Day Laborer Organizing Network, among others, would help immigrants receive pro bono immigration assistance, increase legal representation and expand resources to the immigrant community living in isolated or rural areas. That motion has now been referred to the Budget and Finance Committee.

The fifth and final motion, which seeks to provide nonprofit legal services at Los Angeles International Airport in preparation for a potential travel ban, was unanimously approved by the council's Trade, Travel and Tourism Committee on Tuesday and will be heard by the full city council in the near future. 

The motion will also direct LAX to create designated spaces for non-profit legal services providers to assist and offer resources to travelers who might be impacted by potential federal immigration or travel bans, like that in 2018 when Trump's travel ban barred nearly all travelers from five mainly Muslim countries as well as North Korea and Venezuela.

“It is important for all Angelenos to understand that as a city and as a community we are experiencing extremely difficult times from the federal government,” said Bamby Salcedo, CEO of The TransLatin@ Coalition. “I am so grateful to live in a city that understands their responsibility and stands with the beautiful and diverse community that makes our city.”

Click here to view copies of the motions.