Dear Friends,
Beginning Friday morning, immigration raids swept through neighborhoods across the city and region, including at work sites, street corners, and homes in a manner unprecedented in recent history. Dressed in full military garb, ICE and other federal law enforcement targeted workers and families, and children have been detained. People are not being offered due process, and lawyers have been unable to access detention centers. Individuals are being detained in basements, and have not been offered adequate medical and other care. These actions have made our city less safe.
Over the weekend, the federal government further escalated tensions by federalizing and deploying 2,000 National Guard members. On Monday, they announced their intention to deploy an additional 2,000 National Guard members and 700 Marines.
This is an extraordinarily painful moment for the city. Los Angeles is a city built by immigrants – and the federal administration’s actions to sow fear and discord have struck at the core of what this city represents to so many of its residents: a place that welcomes people to build a better life here.
The fear that we are feeling right now is real, but we must not let fear divide us.
Be sure to know your rights as an individual and for all who are in the workplace. Stay informed and continue to take care of yourselves and one another. If you choose to protest, it is more important than ever that you do so peacefully, and that you know your rights.
In November 2024, when Council unanimously voted to establish the City of Los Angeles as a Sanctuary City, it was borne out of a fear my colleagues and I had that this day would come. Now that it is here, we remain steadfast about our commitment to prohibiting the use of city resources for immigration enforcement. Today, Council will hear a report on the events of the last few days, and I will be seeking to understand how our response followed through on the City’s commitment to sanctuary that was enshrined into law.
I am immensely grateful to the non-profits, mutual aid groups, fellow elected representatives of the Greater LA region, union organizers, clergy and everyday Angelenos who are banding together to stand in support of our communities under duress and to stand up for what truly makes America great. It is each of you who inspires my work and makes this the City of Angels worth fighting for.
Stay safe,
.png "Beginning Friday morning, immigration raids swept through neighborhoods across the city and region, including at work sites, street corners, and homes in a manner unprecedented in recent history.")
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