The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors passed a resolution on Tuesday (October 14) with a 4-1 vote, declaring a local state of emergency in response to the actions of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The declaration of such a local state of emergency, typically used for natural disasters, now allows the Board of Supervisors to approve a temporary eviction moratorium to protect tenants who can demonstrate financial hardship as a result of federal immigration enforcement actions.
According to the temporary eviction moratorium that needs to be separately voted on, tenants affected by ICE actions can temporarily defer rent payments during the moratorium period, but will be required to repay after the measure ends. The county government will also be able to apply for special funding from the state government to provide broader relief to families and individuals impacted by ICE operations.
The Board of Supervisors stated in the resolution that federal enforcement actions such as ICE “create an atmosphere of fear in the community, severely disrupt daily life, and have adverse economic impacts on the local economy.”
Lindsey Horvath, a co-sponsor and Board of Supervisors member, stated before the vote, “We will not stand by as fear and chaos permeate throughout the community. When our immigrant neighbors become targets, all residents of the county will feel the impact, whether in the workplace, schools, or at home.”
The only supervisor who voted against the resolution, Kathryn Barger, pointed out that this action does not meet the legal definition of “emergency” and could potentially lead to legal challenges.
Representing the interests of landlords, groups including the Apartment Association of Greater Los Angeles expressed sympathy for affected families but criticized the eviction moratorium as unfair to landlords, emphasizing that landlords still have to repay mortgages during the deferred rent period.
Daniel Yukelson, the executive director and CEO of the association, stated to the Dajiyuan Times in September that many small landlords are still facing financial pressures caused by eviction moratoriums during the pandemic, and if similar measures are implemented again by the government, it will make it difficult for them to make a living.
Yukelson warned that if authorities continue to enforce such eviction protection policies, landlords will have to adopt stricter tenant screening criteria to prevent future rent bans, potentially worsening the housing crisis in Los Angeles.
In the week leading up to the vote, the Board of Supervisors discussed various controversies, including the difficulties landlords face in repaying mortgages and suggestions to expand rental assistance programs instead of eviction moratoriums. Additionally, legal proceedings could force tenants to disclose their immigration status, increasing their risks of federal enforcement.
Since the beginning of this year, ICE agents have carried out large-scale raids in various locations in Southern California, arresting hundreds of undocumented immigrants in factories, farms, and communities, sparking protests. In September, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled to allow ICE to continue enforcement and rejected appeals alleging racial discrimination during arrests.
Research from the University of California, Merced shows that after the initial sweeps, the state’s employment rate dropped by 3.1%, partially due to undocumented immigrant workers missing work out of fear of being arrested.
Approximately one-third of the population in Los Angeles County are foreign-born immigrants, with an estimated 800,000 to 1 million of them residing unlawfully. In recent months, ICE raids have extended to home improvement stores, car washes, bus stations, and farms, causing many families to avoid going out and even cancel holiday gatherings.
The original article titled “LA County Declares Local Emergency Over ICE Operations” was published in English in the Dajiyuan Times.