Mayor Karen Bass Signs New Executive Directive Aimed at Better Protecting Immigrants During ICE Raids
Elizabeth Ahern LA Magazine
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. (photo: Mario Tama/Getty)
ALSO SEE: Tensions Are Rising in Southern California Over Immigration Raids. Here’s What We Know
In response to recent incidents involving federal immigration enforcement, Mayor Karen Bass has signed a new executive directive
Bass mentioned recent incidents at MacArthur Park and in Ventura County during a news conference, stating, “We saw MacArthur Park earlier this week, which I think, now after all assessments, is viewed as just a display of force.”
At MacArthur Park, children were attending a summer camp when militarized federal vehicles arrived to enact a sweep.
The new directive requires all city departments to submit preparedness plans within two weeks. Said plans would include protocols and training for each respective department, detailing how city employees should respond if approached by federal immigration agents on city property. Bass asserted that all departments should report ICE activity to the mayor's office and have an immigrant affairs liaison.
Bass claimed the directive is necessary to make sure that city workers and residents know their rights and can access city services.
“We want to disseminate information on city services and assistance programs for families that are impacted by federal enforcement actions,” Bass stated. “Even people that contract with the city- we want them to understand what their rights are.”
The directive came days after Bass declared legal action against the Trump administration as a result of immigration raids that she deems reckless and unconstitutional.
“We are a proud city of immigrants,” she stated. “And with the Trump administration signaling that they will ratchet up their chaotic approach, I’m making sure we deploy every resource and tool available within the city.”
The directive reinforces existing city policies, such as a 2024 ordinance that prohibits the use of city resources to assist federal immigration enforcement, and LAPD Special Order 40, which forbids police from taking action only to ascertain an individual's immigration status.
The directive also establishes a working group with LAPD, the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, immigrant rights organizations and community leaders to establish additional guidelines for how officers should respond to immigration enforcement.
To acquire records related to immigration raids, such as dates, locations, arrest reasons and the use of identifiers, Bass ordered the submission of a Freedom of Information Act request to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Bass concluded her statement by emphasizing the irony of needing to protect the city from its own federal government.
“I just want to repeat the irony that I am going to sign an executive directive to help the city family understand how to protect the workforce and Angelenos from our federal government,” she stated.
