IMMIGRANTS’ RIGHTS

OVERVIEW

Recently our immigrant neighbors have come under attack. Since June 6, 2025, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), along with masked, armed federal agents, have been conducting military-style immigration raids and arrests, resulting in unconstitutional taking of residents without due process. The climate of fear among immigrants, even those residing legally, has prevented them from dropping their children off school, going to work, attending faith services, seeking medical or emergency services, or shopping for essential needs. With HR1, ICE  is now the largest law enforcement agency in the U.S, and it becomes apparent that the Trump Administration does not intend to stop.


CD 11 has a thriving immigrant community, with 12% Asian, and 18% Hispanic/Latino individuals calling the westside home. They bring languages, traditions, art, faith, and culture that make our city come alive, and embody the resilience that reminds us our city is a place where people come to build better futures.  Moreover, immigrant communities contribute to our local economy in numerous ways.  In 2023, for instance, undocumented immigrants in Los Angeles County contributed $2.04 billion dollars in state and local taxes, and had a spending power of $20.2 billion.  More than 46 percent of Fortune 500 companies in 2025 (231 out of 500) were founded by immigrants or their children, which generated $8.6 trillion in revenue. In office I will do what it takes to protect our immigrant residents. 

EXPAND, ENFORCE, AND DEFEND OUR SANCTUARY CITY STATUS 

Advocates and community groups have reported dozens of coordinated ICE raids occurring at workplaces, including the HomeDepot and local car washes, where individuals are arrested without warrant. A recent Los Angeles Times analysis found that of the 722 individuals arrested by ICE in the region between June 1 to 10, 69% had no criminal convictions and 58% had never been charged with a crime. It’s evident that ICE frequently acts in legally questionable ways, and critical that we do not make enforcement easier or less accountable.

  • City-Owned Buildings as Safe Zones.

    I will designate ALL city-owned buildings, including libraries, recreation centers and community centers, as sanctuary zones, or “safe zones” and bar them from being used in immigration enforcement without an appropriate judicial warrant. Other cities, including Chicago, have taken similar steps through executive orders after officials were seen using city-owned lots for immigration enforcement. 

  • Training and Protections for city employees.

    I will ensure city employees receive clear training on how to respond to ICE interactions, and are confident that choosing not to cooperate with ICE will not put their jobs at risk. Additionally, whenever city staff are involved in or witness unauthorized federal immigration actions, those incidents should be documented and reported to the City Council so we can actively uphold and strengthen our commitment as a Sanctuary City

  • Prevent LAPD cooperation with ICE.

    I will work to explicitly prevent the LAPD from cooperating with ICE requests, and instead ensure that LAPD remains committed and focused on public safety.

  • Protect everyone’s sensitive data.

    I will conduct a comprehensive risk analysis of our data assets to ensure our residents’ sensitive data is protected. Given concerns about the collection of information about Angelenos through Automated License Plate Readers, databases operated by companies such as Palantir, and other surveillance systems, I will advocate that the City end contracts with private and public companies that collect and share people’s immigration-related data, and bar future contracts with such companies. Information is a local resource and must be protected as diligently as city-owned buildings and physical infrastructure.

  • Sentencing reform to prevent deportation triggers.

    I will also work with the City Attorney to pursue local sentencing reform to ensure that minor arrests do not evolve into deportation proceedings. Modeled after reform pursued in other major cities our reform would focus on capping jail sentences at 364 days or less, expanding diversion and dismissal options for low-level offenses,  using probation and time-served sentences that do not trigger immigration consequences, and offering immigration-safe plea agreements and alternatives to incarceration.

LEGAL REPRESENTATION FOR IMMIGRANTS

The past few months have shown the importance of community preparation for raids and the critical role that attorneys play in representing people who have been arrested and placed in deportation proceedings. RepresentLA is a landmark program that has provided critical legal services to immigrant LA residents and their families since its creation in 2021. RepresentLA has made significant strides in its mission, serving 5,075 individuals since its launch, including 593 in removal defense and 462 in affirmative immigration representation. The program has also provided vital limited-scope legal services to over 4,000 individuals, assisting many with employment authorization. This unique legal aid program not only navigates complex immigration laws but also ensures fair representation and safeguards the rights of immigrants. In a recent estimate, the County has indicated $7.5–$9.4 million would be needed to maintain and expand RepresentLA services.

  • Increase the city’s investment in legal representation.

    I will advocate to increase funding for RepresentLA by increasing the city's current contribution of 1 million to 4 million covering the differential.

  • Ensure communities know their rights.

    I will work to proactively ensure that immigrant communities are aware of their right to legal counsel by making Know-Your-Rights cards and city-and county level resources available in languages and by modalities accessible to these communities 

STRONGER SAFETY NET FOR IMMIGRANTS 

The Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation is analyzing the economic impacts of federal immigration raids in LA County, and while the revenue loss is yet to be quantified, their preliminary analysis demonstrates that employment amongst immigrants covers a wide range of industries. Certain sectors, including construction trades, cleaning and maintenance operations, food preparation and serving, and transportation and material moving, however, employ a large share of undocumented workers. In these sectors, labor is often invisibilized. These jobs are often evening roles, contract-based, and make workers especially vulnerable to enforcement fear. Consequently, workers have responded to the raids by not showing up, changing schedules, or leaving jobs entirely. Moreover, undocumented workers are disproportionately self-employed, contributing to our city’s informal economy. This means the raids have abruptly shut down entire microbusinesses, causing local economic shock. We need policies to support individuals impacted by these costs. 

  • Eviction protections, coupled with rent relief,

    for immigrants and family members directly affected by ICE raids.

  • Emergency relief for households facing economic loss.

    I will establish a Rapid Response Grant, in CD11, to provide direct monetary relief to immigrant families who have suffered economic loss due to immigration activity or have had a loved one detained by immigration. This grant would cover the equivalent of 1-3 months of rent for impacted households, or the cost of necessities such as food and transportation, and will be administered by the city in partnership with trusted organizations.

  • Establish pathways for sustained economic inclusion.

    In the long term, I will invest in policies that stabilize immigrant-driven sectors and protect immigrant workers, including simplifying street vending so vendors can operate legally, cracking down on wage theft that disproportionately harms immigrant and undocumented workers, and creating pathways for people to become protected participants in the local economy. I will collaborate closely with local worker centers and community-based organizations to ensure they have the support and resources needed to provide outreach, education, and partnerships the community needs.

  • Reintroduce the Family Source Center and Day Laborer Program.

    Under the current leadership, we have lost the Family Source Center that once provided critical resources like job training, housing support, and financial assistance to families in need. I will push for the return of the Family Source Center to CD 11 to restore these essential services, ensuring that all our residents, especially immigrant and mixed-status families, have the support they need to thrive. I will work to ensure the Day Laborer Program is available in CD 11 to offer fair wages and employment to those who have lost their jobs due to immigration enforcement or economic displacement.

EXPAND IMMIGRANT CIVIC PARTICIPATION

While a significant portion of LA’s immigrant community is eligible for naturalization, several barriers remain to actualization. According to USC’s State of Immigrants report naturalization rates vary by income and ethnicity. As of 2017-2021, the rate of naturalization for those above 150% federal poverty level (FPL) was 75%, compared to 65% for immigrants below 150% FPL. Of immigrants who are eligible to naturalize, Latino immigrants have the lowest rate of naturalization when compared to other groups at 64%. I will work to assert and strengthen our commitment to immigrant inclusion.

  • Introduce Municipal IDs,

    which allow residents to provide identity and residency as the first step towards accessing city programs and services, without the fear of enforcement that comes from I.D that are tied to immigration status.

  • Expand access to citizenship information and assistance.

    Working closely with the Human Resource Commission to understand the immigrant community’s needs, and offer our residents free citizenship days, or office hours, that share information on citizenship requirements, eligibility, and procedures in an accessible manner. My priority will be bringing education and services to CD11 so it is easily accessible to CD11 low-income immigrant residents, who may otherwise need to travel across the county to get welfare or legal services. 

  • Provide support through the naturalization process.

    I will reduce barriers to completing Form N-400: Application for Naturalization by providing support to cover application fees, language services for comprehension, and access to legal services when required, working with networks known and trusted by immigrants themselves to offer and expand these services

  • Ensure access to civic participation.

    For individuals that are naturalized, I will help prepare them to participate in the civic decisions that will impact their lives, including and extending beyond presidential elections.