The Los Angeles City Council on Tuesday formally declared the city a “sanctuary” for immigrants, banning the use of city resources and personnel to support federal immigration enforcement.
Council members passed the ordinance unanimously 13-0, strengthening previous policy by explicitly prohibiting direct or indirect data sharing with federal immigration authorities. The vote follows President-elect Donald Trump’s recent pledge to use the U.S. military to carry out mass deportations of illegal immigrants.
“Immigrants make up the very backbone of Los Angeles, and no matter who is in power, they deserve to feel safe and protected in the city they call home,” said City Councilmember Nithya Raman. spoke. She immigrated to Los Angeles with her family from India. 6 years old.
City Councilor Eunice Hernandez said, “I am who I am today because of immigrants. I owe it to my parents, my extended family, and the people in the community that raised me.” “The same is true of Los Angeles, a city built on the dreams and hard work of generations of immigrants. “Today, we proclaim to the people that Los Angeles thrives because of immigrants and that we are better because of their work and contributions.”
On Tuesday, November 19, 2024, members of an immigrant advocacy group call on the City Council to pass an ordinance making Los Angeles a sanctuary city. (AP Photo/Damien Dovarganes)
Los Angeles, the second largest city in the United States, is home to more than 1.35 million immigrants, making up more than 34% of the population.
Concurrent with the City Council vote, the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education also voted unanimously on Monday to adopt a “sanctuary city” resolution. The resolution calls for LAUSD faculty and staff to receive training on how to respond if contacted by federal immigration officials.
President-elect Trump on Monday recirculated social media posts suggesting his administration would declare illegal immigration a national emergency and commit military resources to deport those in the country illegally.
President Trump responded to this claim with one word: “It’s true!!!”
During his presidential campaign, Trump promised to deport people under the 18th-century Alien Enemy Act, a law that allows for the immediate detention and deportation of foreigners over the age of 14 from countries at war with the United States. .
This is a developing story. Stay tuned to KTLA 5 News for the latest information.
