LOS ANGELES, Calif. – The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors today approved a motion by Chair Pro Tem and First District Supervisor Hilda L. Solis in support of the Veteran Service Recognition Act, federal legislation introduced by Congressman Mark Takano (CA-39) to protect and support immigrant military veterans facing barriers to citizenship or risk of deportation. 

The motion directs the County’s Chief Executive Office – Legislative Affairs and Intergovernmental Relations branch to formally support H.R. 5535, which was introduced in Congress on September 24, 2025. The bill seeks to create new pathways to citizenship for noncitizen servicemembers and veterans, provide a review process for those in deportation proceedings, and allow certain deported veterans to return to the United States as legal permanent residents. 

“Individuals who have risked their lives in service to our country should not be living in fear of deportation,” said Chair Pro Tem Solis. “This motion reinforces Los Angeles County’s commitment to supporting veterans, regardless of immigration status, through advocacy, legal assistance and expanded outreach.” 

The motion also instructs the County’s Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, in collaboration with the Office of Immigrant Affairs (OIA), housed within the Department of Consumer and Business Affairs (DCBA), to report back within 60 days on the services already being provided to undocumented veterans, those with temporary immigration status, or permanent residents pursuing U.S. citizenship. The report will include an overview of outreach, referrals, and access to legal and social services. It will also provide a plan to expand these efforts, including the use of existing County programs such as RepresentLA and Mobile Immigration Services to connect immigrant veterans with legal support and other essential resources. 

More than 100,000 noncitizen veterans currently reside in the United States, according to estimates from the Congressional Research Service. While federal law provides expedited pathways to citizenship for military members, changes in immigration enforcement in recent years have increased the risk of deportation for veterans and their families.