As Los Angeles rebuilds from a devastating wildfire that destroyed parts of the Pacific Palisades, the city's access to federal money could be hurt by one of President Trump's first day immigration measures targeting “sanctuary cities.”
An executive order signed Monday, shortly after Trump took office, directs federal officials to take steps to ensure that so-called 'sanctuary' jurisdictions seek to interfere with the legal process of federal law enforcement actions. Access to Federal Funds.”
The orderTitled “Protecting the American People Against Invasion,” it is one of several the president has issued to crack down on immigration, including another order to end birthright citizenship for the children of immigrants who came to the country temporarily or without authorization. Many states, Including CaliforniaHe filed an immediate legal challenge on the grounds that birthright citizenship for any child born in the United States is protected by the Constitution.
In November, the Los Angeles City Council Adopted a sanctuary city law This prevents city staff and resources from being involved in federal immigration enforcement. It was Signed into law By Mayor Karen Bass last month.
“Mayor Bass will work with anyone to bring federal resources to our city and will stand against any policy that harms LA families,” Bass spokesman Zach Seidl said in an email. “Now, his focus is on working with our federal partners to lead the most important recovery effort in history.”
Nick Barnes-Bautista, a spokesman for City Council member Hugo Soto-Martinez, said in an email that the city will not lose funding under Trump's executive order.
L.A.'s sanctuary city law, which Soto-Martinez proposed with two colleagues, “does not interfere with federal law enforcement activities; Instead, it ensures that city resources and staff are not used to cooperate with immigration authorities,” Barnes-Bautista said. “Simply put, the City of Los Angeles does not prevent or assist federal immigration enforcement.”
The Sanctuary Cities Act, first proposed in 2023, codified existing policies to protect immigrants and their families established under the orders of former Mayor Eric Garcetti.
The law states that city employees and property may not be used to “investigate, cite, arrest, detain, transfer or detain any person” for the purpose of immigration enforcement.
Immigrant rights groups in LA and other cities have pushed for sanctuary city policies that limit cooperation with federal authorities in immigration enforcement. Aimed at building trust between immigrant communities, police and other government agencies, it helps undocumented people report crimes and access essential services without fear of deportation.
Trump said immigrants “Poisoning the blood of our countryHe promised “the largest deportation operation in American history,” used the military to carry it out, and asked Congress to pass legislation to outlaw sanctuary cities across the country.
So has Trump Threatened to cut off firefighting aid to California If its leaders do not fulfill his political agenda. House Speaker Mike Johnson and congressional Republicans have said they want to place conditions on federal aid to victims of the California wildfires, while Trump has suggested. Using Los Angeles Fire Relief as a bargaining chip to gain Democratic support for his policy and budget priorities.
During a news conference on Tuesday, Trump said, “Los Angeles is simplified in some ways because they're going to need a lot of money, and generally speaking, I think you're seeing a lot of Democrats go. Ask for help.”
“Look, we're going to take care of Los Angeles,” Trump said.
Palisades FireJan. 7, which began in the morning, destroyed more than 6,300 structures and killed 11 people. As of Tuesday, it was 65%. Eaton FireIt erupted near Altadena later that day, destroying more than 9,400 structures and killing 17 people. It is now 89% contained.
Los Angeles officials stressed the importance of coordination with federal authorities as the city undergoes one of the largest disaster recovery efforts in its history.
“Federal disaster assistance is essential — not only to our city's recovery, but to maintaining the stability and resiliency of the entire region,” Councilwoman Katie Yaroslavsky, chair of the Budget and Finance Committee, said in a statement.
Yaroslavsky added, “The federal government has a strong interest in partnering with Los Angeles to ensure the success of this recovery, especially as we prepare to host global events like 2028. [Olympic] Games.”
Trump's actions against immigrants will have a big impact on California, especially the Los Angeles area, as it recovers from the fires.
California has more first-generation immigrants than any other state, and more than 62% of LA County's nearly 10 million residents are foreign-born or have at least one immigrant parent, according to the Pew Research Center. According to the USC Equity Research Institute, about 800,000 people in LA County will be without legal eligibility in 2023.
Times staff writers Colin Shalby and David Janiser contributed to this report.