The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a motion to expand Represent LA, a county‑supported immigration legal defense effort, and asked the county CEO and Office of Immigrant Affairs to pursue funding and partnerships to sustain and scale the program.

The board bifurcated the item at the request of Supervisor Holly Mitchell to allow the body to vote first on directives 1–5 and then on a separate unnumbered directive regarding support for an OIA application to CFCI funds. The first portion passed 5-0; the final directive passed 4-0 with Supervisor Mitchell recorded as abstaining.

Supervisor Janice Hahn, the motion's author, said the program needs immediate resources: "We have to have a very robust fund where we can really, in the moment, get some legal representation to these folks who are being denied their due process," she said. Supervisor Hilda L. Solis, co‑author, noted Represent LA's recent demand: federal data showed thousands of detentions in the region and she described the program as a "lifeline." Public commenters urged a multiyear commitment; community organizations asked for at least $6 million annually to stabilize legal providers.

County staff briefed the board on the CFCI process and existing allocations. The chief executive's office said the board had approved a year‑4 spending plan that allocated roughly $141 million and an additional $28.2 million to the Public Defender, Alternate Public Defender, and veterans services, leaving about $50 million in one‑time funds available for reallocation; the CFCI advisory committee will accept applications and make recommendations in July with written recommendations due to the CEO by July 31 for supplemental budget consideration.

Supporters of the motion included legal services providers and immigrant advocacy groups. Laura Moreno of the Pomona Economic Opportunity Center and Hazel Rios with Centro CSO urged the board to approve the motion and move funding quickly. Several speakers representing immigrant‑service organizations and regional coalitions requested multi‑year funding and broader outreach to suburban and LGBTQ community centers.

Supervisor Mitchell said she supported the expansion but asked that the CFCI advisory process be respected, and asked to bifurcate the motion so she could abstain on the final unnumbered directive; that abstention was recorded when the board voted on the final part. The board directed the CEO to report back during the supplemental budget process with recommendations on funding options and implementation steps.

Votes: directives 1–5 approved 5-0; final unnumbered directive approved 4-0 with one abstention (Mitchell).

The motion instructs the Office of Immigrant Affairs to explore CFCI and other funding, coordinate with providers and community partners, and return with a plan for using one‑time and ongoing resources to expand Represent LA.