What does LA’s emergency declaration on the ICE raids mean?

The L.A. County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday declared immigration raids a local state of emergency, saying the county needs to do more to support immigrant families.

The board passed the proclamation four to one, with Supervisor Kathryn Barger opposing the move.

Since June, federal immigration agents have conducted sweeps all across Southern California, including L.A. County. County officials say those actions have created a climate of fear and disrupted daily life.

“Declaring a local emergency allows us to move faster to meet that responsibility, and this proclamation is about action and speed,” Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath, who co-authored the motion, said. “We are listening, we are acting, and we will continue to stand with you, not just today but for as long as it takes.”

Nearly 950,000 undocumented immigrants live in L.A. County, according to recent research from the USC Equity Research Institute. That’s more than 9% of people in the county, but that number nearly doubles if you include people who are undocumented or live with an undocumented family member.

What does this mean? 

An emergency declaration is typically designated to natural disasters such as fires, earthquakes and flooding, as well as crises like homelessness. The move by the Board of Supervisors was the first made in response to federal action, according to Supervisor Janice Hahn.

Tuesday’s vote allows county leaders to seek financial assistance and mutual aid outside of the county to respond to the impacts of the raids. It also means the county can expedite contracting, procurement and hiring to address the crisis.

“This emergency proclamation is not just symbolically important as a message to our immigrant community but critical to how we move forward in our response as this crisis continues,” Hahn, who also co-authored the item, said.

The state of emergency also paves the way for supervisors to invoke an eviction moratorium.

Some residents and business advocates Tuesday voiced concerns the declaration could confuse landlords and create more housing instability if an eviction moratorium is passed as a result of the declaration.

Barger, who opposed the motion, said in a statement that her decision was not about immigration status but about governance.

"Emergency powers exist for crises that pose life and death consequences like wildfires — not as a shortcut for complex policy issues," Barger said. "Stretching emergency powers for federal immigration actions undermines their purpose, invites legal challenges and circumvents the public process."

The local state of emergency remains in effect until the Board of Supervisors votes to end the proclamation.

Impact of the ICE sweeps

“Indiscriminate immigration raids have destabilized entire neighborhoods and reverberate through critical sectors of the economy, leading to long-term harm to workers, families and businesses,” the proclamation states.

Workforce loss could result in a $275 billion loss to the gross domestic product, county officials stated.

“The workforce that we rely on right now is afraid to come out,” Supervisor Hilda Solis said.

USC reports that a majority of undocumented immigrants in L.A. County are of working age and, therefore, have a major role in the local economy. Estimates show that 40% of undocumented workers are in construction and 37% are in cleaning and maintenance.