The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to declare a local state of emergency in response to federal immigration raids that have shaken immigrant communities and caused economic hardship.
The declaration passed by a 4 to 1 vote, with Supervisor Kathryn Barger opposing.
The emergency status gives the board authority to offer rent relief and other assistance to residents who have lost income due to the raids. Many families have avoided public spaces out of fear. Others have lost income after family members were detained at bus stops, job sites, and other locations.
Supervisor Janice Hahn said her office has received calls from residents who still don’t know where their family members are.
“We have residents afraid to leave their homes, we have constituents contacting my office because their family members never came home and they don’t know if they’ve been taken by ICE or where they’ve been taken,” Hahn said. “We have entire families who are destitute because their fathers or mothers have been taken from their workplaces and they have no way to pay their rent or put food on their table.”
Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, who co-authored the motion, said the raids have disrupted neighborhoods and small businesses across the county. In August, more than 5,000 arrests were made in Los Angeles as part of an ongoing federal crackdown. About one-third of LA County’s 10 million residents are foreign-born.
Some cities canceled Fourth of July events and movie nights this summer as attendance dropped due to safety concerns.
According to Horvath’s office, rent relief will be distributed through an online portal expected to launch within two months. The declaration also allows the county to seek state funding for legal aid and support services. While this move does not enact an eviction moratorium, it could lead to one with separate action from the board.
Supervisor Barger voted no. She said the raids do not meet the legal definition of an emergency and raised concerns about the impact on landlords.
“I’m sure we’re going to be challenged legally,” Barger said, referencing lawsuits from the COVID-19 eviction moratorium.
During public comment, several speakers said they oppose another eviction freeze. Daniel Yukelson, CEO of the Apartment Association of Greater Los Angeles, said landlords are still recovering from billions of dollars in unpaid rent and lost income during the pandemic.
“If local jurisdictions once again allow rent payments to be deferred due to ICE enforcement activities, this will lead to the further deterioration and loss of affordable housing in our community,” Yukelson said.
“Housing providers are sympathetic to tenants and their family members affected by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement activities,” he said, “but the association isn’t aware of anyone unable to pay rent because of immigration enforcement.”
The emergency declaration comes after weeks of protests and reports of National Guard and Marine deployments to assist with enforcement. Residents and advocates say it has caused widespread fear and financial instability in communities across Los Angeles County.
