ONE BIG THING: CITY COUNCIL ADVANCES NEW IMMIGRANT PROTECTIONS
What Happened?
City Council voted on Wednesday to approve three key pieces of immigration legislation we introduced last month:
- If ICE is operating in our city deporting our residents and tearing families apart, we need to know what neighborhoods they’re in, which industries they’re targeting, and what business they’re talking to.
Our first motion explores different policies to have businesses report all ICE activity to the City so we can inform businesses and workers of their rights ahead of potential ICE raids.
Our next motion begins a comprehensive citywide Know Your Rights Campaign. We want to plaster our constitutionally-protected rights across the entire city in every library, rec center, bus stop, and more.
The Trump administration itself admitted that these efforts are making it harder for them to carry out their legally dubious deportations, so we need to double down here in LA to make sure all of our residents know their legal rights.
- Finally, we’re coordinating with officials at the state level, and this week we passed a resolution urging the State of California to increase funding for deportation defense.
Why it Matters
The Trump administration has made it clear that their mass deportation agenda is not about criminals - it’s about separating families, attacking our neighbors, and instilling fear in our communities.
About 10% of our region's population is undocumented, and they disproportionately work in essential industries like child care, health care, and construction. Trump’s plans aren’t just inhumane – they will devastate our local economy.
We won’t give in to this bullying. We’re fighting back to protect our residents and make sure they know that LA is for Everyone.
What’s Next?
City departments will begin the Know Your Rights campaign framework and report about how we can work with businesses to get advanced notice of ICE raids so we can inform everyone of their rights.
Additionally, two more motions are also working their way through the legislative process. On Tuesday, the Trade, Travel, and Tourism Committee advanced a motion requesting that LAX create designated spaces and resources for non-profit legal service providers, ensuring immediate assistance for travelers impacted by potential federal immigration or travel bans.
Another motion looking for funding to support undocumented children who had legal support cut off by the Trump administration was referred to the Budget and Finance Committee. Both of these motions are expected to come to the full City Council for a vote in the coming weeks.
Trump will keep trying to bully us into caving to his demands, but we won’t let that happen. We’re fighting back.
Three More Quick Hits
- Fast Food Workers Deserve Respect
88% of fast food workers in LA don’t know their basic workplace rights, allowing corporations to commit wage theft so broadly that 1 in 4 fast food workers is currently being paid below minimum wage.
Our motion aiming to provide predictable schedules, guaranteed time off, and know your rights trainings for fast food workers has been scheduled for Wednesday's council meeting.
To make your voice heard by giving a virtual public comment, visit bit.ly/fastfoodcomment.
- City Services Website + App Upgrade
Free city services are now available on a newly designed MyLA311 website and app that features useful improvements like:
- Estimated Time for Service Completion: Get a better idea of when your request will be addressed.
- Real-Time Staff Updates: City staff will have new tools to provide you with real-time updates on your requests.
- Subscribe to Existing Requests: Stay informed by subscribing to service requests already reported by others.
Visit myla311.lacity.gov to check it out and download the new MyLA311 app today!
- Early Morning Trash Pick-Up with LA Sanitation
Early Thursday morning, we joined some of our City’s sanitation workers and Board of Public Works President Vahid Khorsand for a ride-along in East Hollywood to get a firsthand look at the daily hard work of a Refuse Collections Truck Operator (RCTO).
Our sanitation workers tackle increasing workloads with limited resources, yet they show up before dawn to keep our streets clean and our neighborhoods livable. Their dedication often goes unnoticed, but it’s vital to the fabric of our city.
Special thanks to Ivan Duarte, who showed us the ropes and was a wizard operating the collection claw while zipping seamlessly through our City streets!
