Mayor Bass Issues Executive Order to Shield LA’s Immigrants from Federal Raids

Mayor Karen Bass signed Executive Directive No. 12 on Friday to protect immigrant communities across Los Angeles in response to what the city calls “unlawful” federal immigration raids. The directive strengthens citywide training and protocols, expands immigrant-focused services, and seeks records from the federal government related to recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in the city.

Why it matters:

The move follows a wave of ICE enforcement actions in June that left many Los Angeles neighborhoods shaken. Reports suggest these actions disrupted everyday life, caused fear among immigrant families, and deterred people from seeking essential services like healthcare and education.

What’s new:

• The executive directive orders all city departments to implement new protocols and employee training related to immigration enforcement on city property.
• Departments must also work with contractors to ensure compliance with the city’s 2024 immigrant protection ordinance, Ordinance 188441, which prohibits use of city resources in federal immigration enforcement.
• Each department’s Immigrant Affairs Liaison is now required to report all federal immigration activity occurring on city premises.
• The Mayor’s Office will submit a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to ICE demanding detailed records on raid activity, arrests, and officer identification practices.
• An LAPD-led working group will be formed in coordination with the Police Commission and Mayor’s Office to engage immigrant communities and improve LAPD response guidelines.

What they’re saying:

Background:

Los Angeles has long held a “don’t ask” policy on immigration status through its Special Order 40, issued by LAPD in 1979. That policy, reaffirmed multiple times over the decades, bars officers from engaging in police activity solely to determine a person’s immigration status.

In December 2024, the city went further by adopting Ordinance 188441—known as the “Prohibition of the Use of City Resources for Federal Immigration Enforcement”. This law aligns with California’s Fair Values Act and restricts local collaboration with federal immigration operations.

What’s next:

All city departments must submit their compliance plans to the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs within two weeks. The LAPD’s new working group is expected to begin community consultations later this summer, with potential updates to departmental procedures anticipated by fall.

The directive also mandates that 311 services distribute “Know Your Rights” legal information in multiple languages to connect vulnerable residents with city assistance programs.

(With inputs from the City of Los Angeles Executive Directive No. 12)