Los Angeles Council Passes Ordinance to Designate City as ‘Sanctuary’ for Undocumented Immigrants
The action comes in response to President-elect Donald Trump’s announcement regarding plans for mass deportations.
On December 4, the Los Angeles City Council officially passed a “sanctuary city” ordinance aimed at preventing the use of city resources or personnel to aid in federal immigration law enforcement.
The ordinance was approved with a 12–0 vote and includes an urgency clause, allowing it to take effect within 10 days of Mayor Karen Bass’s signature.
This decision follows statements from President-elect Donald Trump, who has signaled his readiness to declare a national emergency to facilitate mass deportations.
On November 19, the council unanimously agreed to proceed with the proposed ordinance, but due to changes in the text, it required a second vote.
Significantly, the council made adjustments to the ordinance to ensure alignment with California’s “sanctuary state” law, Senate Bill 54, known as the California Values Act of 2017.
An exception was also established, allowing the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) to collaborate with federal immigration officers in cases related to serious offenses.
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For instance, LAPD may collaborate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement when an undocumented individual has a history of violent felony convictions, was deported, and subsequently re-entered the U.S. This practice is already part of LAPD operations and has been executed twice since 2018, according to city officials.
City leaders hailed the new ordinance as a formalization of protections for undocumented immigrants, emphasizing the prohibition on sharing any data—whether directly or indirectly—with federal immigration authorities.
The mayor has expressed her support for the ordinance.
The ordinance formalizes several policies established by former Mayor Eric Garcetti during Trump’s first presidency.
“We’ve been a pro-immigrant city for many years, and we recognize that there is a target on our back from this president-elect. What we are doing is fortifying our defenses,” Councilman Bob Blumenfield noted during the November 19 discussion about the ordinance.
“We are codifying our vital policies aimed at protecting immigrants.”
A man speaks in support of a proposed “sanctuary city” ordinance during a meeting at City Hall in Los Angeles on Nov. 19, 2024. Etienne Laurent/AFP via Getty Images
The city initially voted to approve the ordinance just two weeks after Trump won the 2024 presidential election, on a platform that emphasized border security and the deportation of undocumented individuals.
“We are sending a clear message that the city of Los Angeles will not cooperate with ICE in any capacity,” Councilman Hugo Soto-Martinez stated regarding Immigration and Customs Enforcement. “We want residents to feel safe and maintain trust in their government, allowing victims of domestic violence and crime to come forward.”
The Los Angeles County Republican Party criticized the sanctuary city ordinance, asserting that “A country without secure borders isn’t a country at all.”
Additionally, the city’s new police chief, Jim McDonnell, has committed to refraining from participating in deportations or assessing individuals’ immigration status.
The Associated Press and City News Service contributed to this report.
