ONE BIG THING: LISTENING TO THE FAMILIES LEFT BEHIND
What Happened?
This week at City Council, we heard from two mothers in our district whose lives were upended by the Trump administration's separation of their hardworking families.
- Maria, a mother of three, told us how her husband was taken by federal agents on his way to work – no warning, no explanation. Since that day, she’s been fighting to hold her family together, working multiple jobs while her kids help pay rent. She spoke through tears about the freezing conditions her husband endured in detention — and the heartbreak of trying to comfort their children every night without any answers.
- Magda told us how her daughter was taken by ICE agents in June while selling food outside the Home Depot in Hollywood. Magda described the inhumane conditions at the Adelanto Detention Center, where her daughter’s health deteriorated before she was deported to Guatemala, where she continues to struggle with health issues made worse by the federal government’s neglect and cruelty.
These aren’t just stories. They’re not just statistics. They’re our neighbors.
Click here to view Maria and Magda’s full testimony at LA City Council
Why It Matters
We need to recognize the real impact of these raids. Families like Maria’s and Magda’s often suffer in silence because they’re afraid to speak out — afraid of retaliation, deportation, or being forgotten.
It’s easy for the military deployments and fascist rhetoric to dominate the headlines — and for good reason. But at the same time, we can’t lose sight of the immense harm these policies are already causing right here in our communities.
What’s Next
It shouldn’t be lost on us that Maria and Magda used their time in Council not just to share their pain, but to fight for what families like theirs need. They stood before the city and called for expanded legal assistance, rental relief, and stronger support for immigrant families. Now, it’s the city’s turn to show courage.
Our office fought to secure funding for RepresentLA legal defense in this year’s budget — and we’re pushing to expand that support so more families can access attorneys as we see unprecedented demand for legal support.
We’re also working to expand rental and food assistance for impacted families, and to curb rent hikes on rent-stabilized units — because staying housed should be the last thing these families have to worry about as they deal with this trauma.
Two More Quick Hits
- Construction Worker Minimum Wage Report Passes Committee
This week, the Economic Development & Committee advanced our motion directing a report on creating a living wage for construction workers, along with a credit so they can afford healthcare.
Construction is one of the most dangerous and underpaid industries in Los Angeles. With roughly 40% of the workforce undocumented, far too many workers face wage theft and unsafe conditions.
If we’re serious about solving the housing crisis, we have to support a workforce that can afford to live here, and this report is the first step toward setting higher standards across the industry and ensuring every worker who homes in LA can afford to live in LA.
- Foster Youth Shadow Day
We participated in Mayor Bass’s “LA Shadow Day” in partnership with the National Foster Youth Institute. The event connects young people with city leaders to explore what local government looks like from the inside.
We had the honor of hosting Gigi and Maya — two remarkable students with big dreams and even more determination. Gigi, a former foster youth and first-generation college student, is studying Psychology at Cal State LA and hopes to pursue a Master’s in Social Work to help kids like her. Maya is earning a degree in Business and dreams of launching her own company one day.
Both spent the day shadowing our team, visiting the LA Law Library, and learning how city government can make a difference in people’s lives. Their stories remind us why mentorship and opportunity matter. When young people are given a real chance, we can uplift entire communities.