Los Angeles County directs quick study of economic harm from federal immigration raids

Los Angeles County supervisors on Tuesday voted to ask county agencies to assess and respond to the economic fallout from recent federal immigration enforcement actions, citing rapid drops in worker attendance and customer traffic at immigrant-serving businesses.

The motion, introduced by Supervisor Hilda L. Solis and co-authored by Supervisor Janice Hahn, directs the Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) to analyze short- and medium-term impacts on workers, small businesses and the county economy and to coordinate an immediate response with the Department of Consumer and Business Affairs (DCBA), the Office of Immigrant Affairs and other partners.

The board’s action follows public testimony from union leaders, community groups and businesses reporting sharp declines in foot traffic and worker availability after recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations. Solis opened the item by saying, “These raids have targeted our immigrant neighbors, including parking lots, Home Depot, grocery stores, car washes, swap meets, churches and other places of work,” and urged a rapid county response.

Why it matters: County officials cited preliminary indicators that enforcement has already produced local harms. Solis told the board there are more than 330 known detentions linked to the recent operations and estimated the county’s immigrant population at roughly 3,500,000 with an aggregate spending power she cited as about $79.7 billion. The motion asks DEO to quantify business interruptions, workforce absences and service gaps and to recommend immediate interventions.

What the board directed: The motion asks DEO to work with DCBA’s Office of Immigrant Affairs and the Office of Labor Equity to: - Produce an expedited assessment of economic impacts and workforce disruptions across the county; - Deploy a rapid-response network to connect affected workers and businesses with legal services, rental and business interruption aid, mental-health supports and employment programs; - Coordinate with philanthropy and the Center for Strategic Partnerships on funding for emergency relief and small-business grants; and - Report back to the board on a short timeline (the board directed an expedited turnaround in the meeting).

County staff and outside partners described resources already being mobilized. Kelly Lobianco, director of DEO, said the department will “activate our current infrastructure and partners” — including job centers and small-business technical assistance — and can stand up targeted funds quickly, citing past rapid rollouts during the pandemic and recent wildfires. Steven Chung of the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC) told supervisors that small, locally owned businesses operate on thin margins and “don’t really have a lot of runway when it comes to disruptions.”

Community input and implementation: Supervisors and speakers emphasized mobile, community-based outreach rather than relying on conventional phone hotlines, noting that fear and lack of trust have already reduced the use of conventional services. Rafael (DCBA) and Rigo (Office of Immigrant Affairs) described expanding multilingual outreach, mobile legal clinics and capacity-building grants to community-based organizations.

Board vote and next steps: The board approved the motion; clerks recorded the item as adopted. The motion includes directions to DEO and partner agencies to deploy immediate supports while preparing a report with recommended relief measures and a plan for coordinating philanthropic and public funds.

The board and speakers signaled the county will combine short-term relief — legal aid, emergency cash and small-business assistance — with a data-driven study to determine longer-term funding and policy responses.