Mayor Bass issues executive order aimed at supporting migrants amid federal immigration raids
LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Mayor Karen Bass on Friday signed an executive directive aiming to bolster the city's response to ongoing U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement activity -- and called for records from the Trump administration on all ICE operations since they started in June.
The mayor emphasized that the city will file a Freedom of Information Act request with the federal government. Through the request, she aims to secure information about the whereabouts of detained individuals, reasons for detainment and the associated costs of the ICE activity
"We are a proud city of immigrants, and with the Trump administration signaling that they will ratchet up their chaotic approach, I'm making sure we deploy every resource and tool available within the city to ensure that we are supporting immigrant communities," Bass said in a statement.
Under the directive, all city departments will be required to ensure they are in compliance with Los Angeles' "sanctuary city ordinance," which prohibits the use of city resources and personnel in federal immigration enforcement. It also mandates that each department deliver preparedness plans within two weeks to ensure no immigration activity occurs on city property.
Departments are expected to add so-called immigrant affairs liaison positions to better support immigrant families.
"We will continue pursuing legal relief through the courts, and I am issuing orders to all General Managers to bolster their response and support for immigrant communities. I will never accept these unlawful and chaotic raids and will continue to do all that I can to defend the rights of the people of Los Angeles," she added.
The directive also establishes a working group with the Los Angeles Police Department, the mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs, immigrant rights organizations and community leaders to provide guidance for police officers when responding to immigration enforcement activities.
On Friday morning, immigrant rights supporters held a rally at downtown L.A.'s Olvera Street, where they announced that a citywide demonstration will be held on Aug. 12.
"We are all gathered here to say to our community: Your are not alone. We are going to fight shoulder to shoulder with you," Angelica Salas, executive director of Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights L.A., told the crowd of activists. "We are here with you today, and we will be here every day until ICE leaves Los Angeles."
Earlier this week several cities, and the county of Los Angeles, announced they would join a proposed class-action lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union against the federal government on behalf of people who allege they were unlawfully stopped or detained by federal agents.
The lawsuit alleges federal agencies, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, have engaged in unconstitutional and unlawful immigration enforcement raids by targeting Angelenos based on their perceived race and ethnicity and also denying detainees constitutionally mandated due process.
City News Service contributed to this report.
