Los Angeles, CA –Today, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved a motion authored by Supervisor Hilda L. Solis and co-authored by Supervisor Janice Hahn, to offer support to Los Angeles County immigrants. The motion reaffirms the County’s prohibition on the use of any local resources for immigration enforcement purposes absent a judicial warrant and establishes a task force to track and respond to changes in immigration policy and their impacts to Los Angeles County residents. The motion also reaffirms the County’s commitment to the Represent LA program and commits funding to keep the program operating and provide legal defense for the immigrant community in the coming years. 

Los Angeles County is home to 3.5 million immigrants who are crucial to our economy, workforce, and cultural diversity, contributing significantly to sectors such as agriculture, construction, hospitality, and healthcare, all while paying an estimated $8.5 billion annually in state and local taxes. According to a study led by the University of Southern California’s Equity Research Institute (USC-ERI), as of 2021, about 55 percent of the immigrant population in the County identified as Latino, 28 percent as Asian American, 14 percent as white, and two percent as Black. Nearly 60 percent of children born in the County have at least one parent who is an immigrant.

The recent presidential election has raised concerns that shifts in federal immigration policy could severely impact the lives of immigrant communities, including undocumented immigrants, in the County and across the nation. The incoming presidential administration has promised mass deportations eliciting a deep sense of fear and instability among our immigrant communities. Mass deportations would separate families and uproot individuals from communities they have been a part of for years and would devastate households in which the undocumented residents are the primary support for children who are U.S. citizens. This could, and historically has, led to significant emotional and psychological trauma, as well as a possible increase in the number of children in the custody of the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS).

Los Angeles County is also home to Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients, Temporary Protected Status (TPS) holders, and asylum seekers, each of which are at risk of losing their temporary legal status under this new administration.

In response to the immigration policies of the Trump Administration in 2017, the Board of Supervisors created the Office of immigrant Affairs (OIA) within the Department of Consumer and Business Affairs (DCBA) to support the County’s immigrant communities. In addition, the County enacted Section 3.175 County Code, which prohibits the County workforce from cooperating with immigration officials, or enforcing immigration laws in County sensitive locations that serve the public. OIA has provided critical resources, including programs like Represent LA, which provides immigration legal representation services, linkage to support services, among other support services.

“When we say LA County is a safety net for our most vulnerable residents, we don’t discriminate based on citizenship status. Undocumented immigrants are treasured, productive members of families and communities across LA County. So the County family is going to take the steps necessary to protect them as best we can,” said Supervisor Hahn.

“Representing the largest population of immigrants in the County, I firmly stand in support of our immigrant community here in Los Angeles County,” said Supervisor Solis. “It is our responsibility as the County to ensure that those in our immigrant communities, regardless of their status, have access to critical services to help them navigate adverse immigration reality.”

The approved motion, also directs the development of a proposal to support Los Angeles County residents who have temporary status and work authorization, including DACA and TPS, directs OIA to coordinate with the Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE) and the Los Angeles Community College District to support students in need of immigration services, as well as develop and implement a “Know Your Rights” campaign and partner with community-based organizations, labor, and impacted stakeholders to disseminate information on County resources.

To read the full motion, click here.