Posted on 02/10/2025
ONE BIG THING: PROTECTING IMMIGRANT ANGELENOS
What Happened?
We introduced major legislation this week to address the renewed threats of mass deportations, worksite raids, and attacks against immigrant Angelenos. Here are the five motions we introduced:
✅ Immigration Support at LAX – Directing LAX to create designated spaces for non-profit legal service providers, ensuring immediate assistance for travelers impacted by a potential travel bans, like the 2017 Muslim Ban.
✅ Notification of ICE Enforcement – Exploring policies that would have businesses to notify the City of ICE enforcement actions, helping workers get legal support and know their rights.
✅ Know Your Rights Campaign – Launching a citywide public education effort to inform immigrants about their rights, nondiscrimination protections, and LA’s Sanctuary City policies.
✅ Support for State Legislation – Urging the State of California to increase funding for deportation defense.
✅ Funding for Legal Services – Investigating the City can support maintaining immigration legal services that have been frozen by the Trump Administration.
Why it Matters
The Trump Administration already indicated that they’d begin conducting deportations at schools and churches, and Trump issued 15 Executive Orders targeting immigrants in his first day in office.
These motions are about building off our successful efforts to make Los Angeles a “Sanctuary City” by bolstering legal support, educating residents about their rights, and opening up new avenues for the city to track federal immigration enforcement. With more than one in three Angelenos being immigrants, we need to do everything we can to prepare for attacks against our undocumented and immigrant residents.
What’s Next?
Our motions will now go to different City Council committees before coming to the full City Council for a vote. Most of our motions are set for discussion on Friday, February 21 at the next meeting of the Civil Rights & Immigration Committee, so stay tuned for updates!
ANOTHER BIG THING: THE FUTURE OF HEALTH CARE FOR TRANS KIDS
What Happened?
This week, Children’s Hospital LA stopped providing health care to new trans youth patients in response to Trump administration executive orders.
This decision isn’t just irresponsible, it’s likely unlawful. Attorney General Rob Bonta already wrote to Children’s Hospital LA to tell them that their actions could violate state law.
Cutting federal funding, as Trump has threatened, would be catastrophic for Children’s Hospital LA. Millions of low income families would have nowhere to go to get treatment for their children. But the answer isn’t to give in. We need to fight.
Why it Matters
Children’s Hospital LA has been a lifeline for trans youth – offering critical care to kids from across the country fleeing persecution from Republican legislatures.
Caving to Trump’s illegal threats is exactly what he wants. He’s counting on renowned institutions like Children’s Hospital LA to surrender, setting a harmful precedent for others to follow. That way, even when his executive orders are struck down in court, his hateful policies will still spread.
What’s Next?
We spoke to Children's Hospital LA leadership, urging them to reverse this decision and asking them what resources they need to reinstate this critical care.
At the same time, we’re looking at all legal options available to the city, including working with Attorney General Rob Bonta to challenge this decision and ensure that trans youth in Los Angeles continue to receive the care they deserve.
Instead of giving in to hate and fear, we need to come together as a city and mobilize resources to ensure that every child gets the care they need.
Two More Quick Hits!
1. Volunteers Needed for Homeless Count on Tuesday 2/18
The annual Homeless Count is just 10 days away, and numerous sites in our district are still in dire need of volunteers.
It’s absolutely crucial to have community involvement in this process, because an accurate homeless count will allow us to receive the funding we need to address this crisis.
2. Get Involved in Local Immigration Support and Response
Are you interested in joining the policy and organizing efforts around immigration in our district?
Sign up here so we can plug you into our ongoing organizing efforts, including the Rapid Response Network to report and document ICE activity in LA.