The Los Angeles County board of supervisors moved forward Tuesday with plans for an ordinance that would create “ICE-Free zones” in LA County.
According to the county, this could possibly help in preventing federal immigration agents from using county-owned property as staging areas, processing locations, or operation bases.
It would also require clear signage. stating the area is owned and operated by LA County and cannot be used for immigration enforcement. It would not restrict or interfere with lawful judicial warrants.
Tuesday’s unanimous vote in support of the plan instructs county counsel to prepare and place the ordinance on the board’s agenda for introduction and consideration. The ordinance would be returned in 30 day for a board vote before a second reading and vote, likely becoming effective at the end of March, if backed by the board.
NBCLA received a statement from the Department of Homeland Security Tuesday afternoon.
“This is illegally illiterate. Enforcing federal immigration laws is a clear federal responsibility under Article I, Article II and the Supremacy Clause,” Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said in the statement. “”While Los Angeles sanctuary politicians continue to release pedophiles, rapists, gang members, and murderers onto the city’s streets, our brave law enforcement will continue to risk their lives to arrest these heinous criminals and make Los Angeles safe again.
“How does this serve the people of Los Angeles? The biggest losers these politicians were elected to serve.”
Supervisors Lindsey Horvath and Hilda Solis said the move is modeled after an October executive order by Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson. That order was designed to prohibit immigration authorities from using city-owned property during their operations in the city.
In a reply to Horvath on X, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said, “Stop misleading the public. Local jurisdictions cannot target and exclude federal agents from public spaces. Your county counsel should have explained that to you. We will use any public spaces necessary to enforce federal law.
“Anyone who attempts to impede our agents will be arrested and charged, including county employees. We have already charged more than 100 individuals for similar conduct.
“Instead of making these meaningless motions, you should cooperate with federal law enforcement to help us target and remove criminal illegal immigrants. As a public official, you have a moral obligation to place the safety of American citizens ahead of your political interest in importing illegal immigrants.”
The county’s move comes after several immigration operations happened recently in the LA area.
According to councilmembers Eunisses Hernandez and Ysabel Jurado, there have been reports of immigration-related operations in areas like Glassell Park, Cypress Park, Highland Park and Eagle Rock.
These operations happened on the same day that students at the Los Angeles Unified School District returned to school after winter break.
“Our schools are protected spaces. Our workforce is following rigid protocols that did not allow any federal agent to come into our schools and take any type of action without a judicial warrant,” Superintendent Alberto Carvalho said.
“Secondly, we have partnerships with community-based organizations and legal entities to provide support to our parents and our students. Thirdly, to make the journey easier, considering the level of fear in our community. We have added bus routes to provide convenient transportation for students whose parents are afraid of walking them to school.”
Those protocols were also in place last semester.
NBCLA has reached out to the Department of Homeland Security for a comment and will update this article with a response.
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