Los Angeles (AP) In preparation for possible mass deportations under President-elect Donald Trump, the Los Angeles City Council on Tuesday approved a so-called sanctuary city ordinance that prohibits the use of city resources for immigration enforcement and city departments from sharing information on individuals without legal status with federal immigration authorities.
The bill was approved by the council unanimously, joining over a dozen other American communities that have comparable laws. Although the terms “sanctuary cities” and “sanctuary states” are not legally defined, they have come to represent a commitment to safeguard and assist immigrant communities and refuse to voluntarily provide information to immigration enforcement. Proponents claim that they are safe havens where immigrants may report crimes without worrying about being deported.
As a formality, the measure will return to the council for a second vote. Despite having the ability to veto it, Mayor Karen Bass has stated that she is in favor of the ordinance.
Immigration groups pushed Los Angeles council members to act quickly after Trump promised a massive immigration crackdown upon his return to the White House in January.
Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martinez stated, “We’re going to send a very clear message that the city of Los Angeles will not cooperate with ICE in any way.” ICE stands for Immigration and Customs Enforcement. We want people to feel safe, trust their government, and be able to report crimes including domestic abuse by women.
According to Soto-Martinez, one of the council members who first proposed the motion last year, many of his constituents and his parents are undocumented immigrants. According to him, they are integrated into the greater community, doing everything from housework and cooking to being nannies.
However, since the city already refuses to assist with federal immigration authorities, it is unclear how much will change as a result of the act.
It is against the Los Angeles Police Department’s policy for officers to conduct arrests based on someone’s legal status or ask about their immigration status. Jim McDonnell, the new police chief, has also promised not to collaborate with federal authorities on immigration enforcement matters or with efforts to deport large numbers of people.
Tuesday’s bill would formalize the safeguards that former Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti provided for immigrants in his 2019 executive directive.
California has comparable safeguards. In 2017, former California Governor Jerry Brown enacted sanctuary state law that forbids police officers from interacting with federal immigration enforcement agencies or inquiring about an individual’s legal status.
In response, then-President Trump tried to stop funding sanctuary cities and give federal cash to communities that agreed to help with immigration enforcement.
Long-standing immigration-supporting policies in cities from New York to San Francisco have come under increasing criticism as the number of migrants increased. Republican governors in Texas and Florida started bussing migrants to Democratic-led sanctuary cities last year, which some have criticized as political stunts, which sparked some of the pushback.
Since then, New York City Mayor Eric Adams has criticized the present city policies that restrict such communication as being harmful to public safety and urged for greater collaboration between local police and federal immigration authorities.
Although in lower numbers, migrants were also transported by bus to Los Angeles.
Ahead of Tuesday’s vote, over 100 people gathered on the steps of city hall to call on the city council to pass the law.
The measure is long overdue, according to Martha Arvalo, executive director of the Central American Resource Center in Los Angeles.
According to Arevalo, this is Trump 2.0, who ran on a platform of hatred, division, family separation, and mass deportations. For the immigrant community, it is traumatizing. There is a great deal of fear and trauma.
Advocates of the sanctuary city policy, many of whom also lack legal status, discussed their own experiences facing deportation threats.
Jesus Carreon, a graduate of the University of Southern California and current Harvard Law School student, asked the council to support the sanctuary policy, saying, “I grew up in the shadows, constantly fearing separation from my loved ones and being sent back to a place we had fought so hard to escape.”
Some expressed worries that it would attract more undocumented migrants to the city and divert funds intended for homelessness relief.
Before the vote, Charles Brister told the city council, “I’m sure there are millions of people who want to come to LA and we can’t be a sanctuary city for everyone.” Americans who are homeless are among the people in this city who need beds.
Recently, Mayor Bass stated that urgency is needed at this time. Protections for immigrants improve our city and strengthen our communities.
The Associated Press, 2024. All rights reserved. All rights reserved. It is prohibited to publish, broadcast, rewrite, or redistribute this content without authorization.
Note: Thank you for visiting our website! We strive to keep you informed with the latest updates based on expected timelines, although please note that we are not affiliated with any official bodies. Our team is committed to ensuring accuracy and transparency in our reporting, verifying all information before publication. We aim to bring you reliable news, and if you have any questions or concerns about our content, feel free to reach out to us via email. We appreciate your trust and support!