County Votes to Take Action in Response to Immigration Raids
LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors June 10 approved a motion by Chair Pro Tem and First District Supervisor Hilda L. Solis and Fourth District Supervisor Janice Hahn in response to a series of federal immigration enforcement actions that began June 6, and have continued into the new week.
The enforcement actions have resulted in the detention of several individuals at multiple locations across the County. Federal agents have conducted operations at various Home Depot stores and at Ambiance Apparel, a clothing wholesaler, where flash-bang grenades and pepper spray were reportedly used against protesters. David Huerta, president of the Service Employees International Union–United Service Workers West, was among those taken into custody. Protests and demonstrations have continued in response.
Despite vocal opposition from California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, President Donald Trump federalized 2,000 California National Guard troops to support ongoing enforcement efforts. This unlawful act has unnecessarily escalated tensions between protestors and law enforcement. In response, Gov. Newsom filed a lawsuit on June 10 in opposition to the federal administration’s encroachment. The federal administration has stated its intent to continue mass deportation operations nationwide.
The motion directs the Los Angeles County Office of Immigrant Affairs or OIA to immediately consult with community-based organizations, faith groups and directly impacted individuals to assess gaps in the county’s rapid response network and recommend solutions. It also calls for OIA to work with county departments to connect affected residents with critical services, including mental health care, public benefits and workforce support.
The motion further directs the development of multilingual resource guides to be made available online and at County facilities, exploration of text-based outreach to immigrant communities, and a review of publicly accessible County-owned properties to help prevent their use by immigration enforcement agencies. Lastly, the motion authorizes County Counsel to support the State of California’s case opposing the federalization of the California National Guard.
A report back on these directives is expected within 30 days.
Residents who have been impacted by the enforcement actions are encouraged to contact the office of immigrant affairs through the Department of Consumer and Business Affairs for support and assistance.
Supervisors Orders New CCTV Monitoring Policy for Probation Youth Facilities
LOS ANGELES —The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors June 10 directed the Probation Department to report back to the board with a comprehensive Closed-Circuit Television or CCTV monitoring policy to increase accountability and protect young people in juvenile detention facilities.
The action comes shortly after the board approved a $2.7 million settlement for a youth who was repeatedly assaulted while incarcerated at Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall while. This egregious act of abuse was caught on CCTV camera, but because no one was monitoring the footage at the time, it took weeks before the footage was discovered. The CCTV footage has led to the indictment of multiple probation officers by the California Attorney General.
The motion, authored by Supervisor Janice Hahn and co-authored by Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, instructs the chief probation officer to report back to the board in writing within 30 days with a CCTV review protocol which the department will submit to the California Department of Justice or DOJ. The plan must:
- Establish a protocol for 24/7 CCTV monitoring
- Incorporate best practices from other jurisdictions related to CCTV use in juvenile facilities
- Include a system of internal random audits of footage to ensure accurate documentation of incidents, such as use-of-force events
- Require review of footage after any injury sustained by youth, staff, or service providers, to ensure procedures were properly followed and documented
- Provide a timeline and implementation plan, including employee training once the protocol is approved by the DOJ