By JOSE HERRERA
Following meetings with immigrant rights groups over the weekend, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto worked to expedite the release of a proposed sanctuary city ordinance to the City Council, her office announced on Tuesday, Nov. 12.
With President-elect Donald Trump set to take office in January, L.A.s immigrant communities are bracing for his promised crack down on undocumented migrants. While the city of Los Angeles has prohibited the use of its resources from assisting federal immigration authorities in past years, a sanctuary ordinance would formally codify such policies.
Especially in the face of growing threats to the immigrant communities here in Los Angeles, I stand with the people of this city, Bass said in a statement. This moment demands urgency.
The mayor added that immigrant protections make our communities stronger and our city better. She also thanked Feldstein Soto for her work and said she is looking forward to working with Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson and Council members Nithya Raman, Hugo Soto-Martinez, Eunisses Hernandez and others to enact protections for the citys immigrant communities.
Solidarity is an action, not rhetoric. Los Angeles stands together, Bass said in her statement.
Former Mayor Eric Garcetti issued an executive directive in 2019 that offered protections to the immigrant community. Additionally, the Los Angeles Police Department mandates its officers not to inquire about immigration status or make arrests related to a migrants legal status, which is outlined under Special Order 40.
In part, the proposed sanctuary ordinance would enshrine such protections in the citys books.
The ordinance would also prohibit any city resources, property or personnel from being utilized for any federal immigration enforcement, as well as city cooperation with federal immigration authorities in execution of their duties as it pertains to immigration enforcement.
The City Council in June 2023 instructed the city attorney to prepare a draft ordinance.
On Monday, Trumps new border czar Tom Homan said during an appearance on Fox & Friends: Nothing will stop us from deporting migrant criminals.
He also addressed sanctuary jurisdictions, noting that If we cant get assistance from New York City, we may have to double the number of agents we send to New York City. Because were going to the job with you or without you.
He also suggested that the president withhold federal funding to sanctuary jurisdictions.
Homan was the former acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the first Trump administration.
Pedro Trujillo, director of organizing for the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, told City News Service that L.A.s proposed ordinance is something that his group has always supported, and now is working to expedite with Trump returning to the White House.
Trujillo noted that when Trump first entered office in 2017 he made some administrative changes that impacted immigrants, and CHIRLA expects similar actions this time around.
Thats why its important that the city adopt the sanctuary ordinance, and they truly codify it into law, Trujillo told CNS.
On Homans remarks, Trujillo said they were not new. He highlighted that the concern is how withholding federal funding will impact U.S. citizens as well.
These are not a small amount of funds, and taxpayers are all contributing to — which include undocumented immigrants, Trujillo told CNS. Its something thats obviously alarming, but its also something everyone should be concerned.
He said the citys passage of a sanctuary ordinance would serve as another layer of protection for immigrants.
We need the county of LA and the Board of Supervisors to also review what they have and see what layers of protection they can provide, Trujillo added. And same goes for the state.