LA approves 'Sanctuary City' ordinance protecting undocumented immigrants

LOS ANGELES - On Tuesday, the Los Angeles City Council voted 13-0 to adopt a "Sanctuary City" ordinance that officially prohibits any city resources or personnel from being used to help federal enforcement of immigration laws.

The ordinance codifies what was an executive order by former LA Mayor Eric Garcetti and the LAPD's practice, under Special Order 40, for local resources, especially law enforcement agencies, to cooperate with federal immigration authorities.

Now, that does not mean federal agencies can't perform duties in LA. ICE can raid a location, but they can't ask the LAPD or sheriff's department to hand over undocumented immigrants jailed for minor offenses, for example.

The ordinance was passed with an emergency designation, meaning it can go into effect immediately.

The hope is that city residents will not fear calling the police or fire department, for the fear that they would be handed over to ICE. 

Last week, City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto, in partnership with Mayor Karen Bass, released a draft of the ordinance, making it public for the first time after it was called for more than a year ago.

Council members Hugo Soto-Martinez and Monica Rodriguez, who chair the council's Civil Rights and Public Safety committees, respectively, waived the matter from their jurisdictions, expediting a vote on the issue by the full council.

Tuesday's vote came two weeks to the day after Donald Trump's victory in the presidential election following a campaign in which he stressed border security and promised to deport people who are in the U.S. illegally.

The council's approval will likely set up a battle with the incoming Trump administration.

Trump representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

With Trump set to take office on Jan. 20, L.A.'s immigrant communities are bracing for his promised crackdown on undocumented migrants. While the city of Los Angeles has prohibited the use of its resources from assisting federal immigration authorities in past years, a sanctuary ordinance would formally codify such a policy.

Former Mayor Eric Garcetti issued an executive directive in 2019 that offered protection to immigrants. Additionally, the Los Angeles Police Department mandates that its officers not inquire about immigration status or make arrests related to a migrant's legal status, as outlined under Special Order 40.

In part, the proposed sanctuary ordinance would enshrine such protections in the city's books.

The ordinance prohibits "any city resources, property or personnel from being utilized for any federal immigration enforcement," as well as city cooperation with federal immigration authorities in "execution of their duties" as it pertains to immigration enforcement.

Newly appointed Los Angeles Police Department Chief Jim McDonnell has said the department would not engage in immigration enforcement. He has remained steadfast in that position.

At McDonnell's recent swearing-in ceremony, the new chief said, "We're not in that business. We will not be doing any of the things that people are worried about recently. And we'll work forward with an open dialogue with ... concerns. We want to hear them and we want to address them quickly so the rumors don't get started, we don't see panic in some of our communities. That's the last thing we want and need."

Last week, Tom Homan, who has been tapped to be Trump's new "border czar," said during an appearance on "Fox & Friends" that "Nothing will stop us from deporting migrant criminals."

Homan addressed sanctuary jurisdictions, using New York City as an example and noting that, "If we can't get assistance from New York City, we may have to double the number of agents we send to New York City. Because we're going to the job with you or without you."

He also suggested that the president withhold federal funding to sanctuary jurisdictions.

While Trump representatives did not immediately comment on the prospect of Los Angeles passing a sanctuary ordinance, Roxanne Hoge, communications director for the L.A. County Republican Party, last week criticized the concept of sanctuary cities and states.

"A country without secure borders isn't a country at all," Hoge said in a statement. "The protections they offer aren't for abuelas (grandmothers) getting ice cream, they're for people who've entered the country illegally and committed additional crimes.

"Whether drunk driving, robbery, sexual violence, assault or murder, none of those should go unpunished," she added. "Perpetrators should definitely not be protected by the largesse taken from hard-working taxpayers."