City Council declares LA 'Welcoming City' for refugees at heels of Trump executive order

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- The Los Angeles City Council gathered Friday for a special vote to declare L.A. as a "Welcoming City" for refugees.

The city council unanimously passed the vote which re-commits L.A. to continue resettling refugees and will also press President Donald Trump to increase the admitted number of refugees into the U.S.

The move comes after the president's latest executive order allowing cities the right to reject refugee resettlement.

Several refugee activists and support groups attended the vote at city hall.

Los Angeles is the second largest city in the U.S. and is home to countless refugees who have left their home countries behind to escape persecution.