Under the expansion, the program would offer up to $5,000 in rent or mortgage relief.
Late afternoon, the board voted 3-2 to delay approval for two weeks, when the board will address emergency rent relief for wildfire survivors along with those affected by the immigration raids.
Immigrant right groups, along with L.A. County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, rallied outside the Hall of Administration building before Tuesday's Board of Supervisors meeting. They urged the board to approve $16.8 million in emergency rent relief for families affected by the recent immigration raids.
"Too many families are still displaced from the wildfires. Too many immigrant households are living in fear - each and every single day since the start of these raids," Horvath said. "They cannot wait. Rent is due, rent cannot wait."
With the Board of Supervisors facing tight budget restrictions because of a multi-billion-dollar settlement in connection with thousands of sexual abuse cases at county-run juvenile facilities, Horvath is urging the other supervisors to vote yes on her proposal.
Immigrant rights groups say immigration raids have put fear in their communities.
"Our call to action is for rent relief. It is a lifeline that prevents families from falling into homelessness," said Flor Melendrez of the Clean Car Wash Workers Center. "Let's stick together now, and let's remind everyone in this building the urgency that we have."