Community groups urge council to adopt immigration-defense package; motions would expand "know your rights" outreach and legal support

A coalition of immigrant-rights groups and legal-service providers urged the Los Angeles City Council to pass a set of motions introduced by Councilmember Hugo Soto‑Martinez to bolster legal and informational support for immigrants amid increased federal immigration enforcement.

Several speakers representing nonprofits, legal clinics and advocacy groups described the package as a timely step to protect workers and families and to fill gaps in legal representation. "A citywide know your rights campaign will help prevent exploitation," said Jason Bautista of the Thai Community Development Center. "Increased state funding for removal defense will give immigrants access to legal representation, which can mean the difference between staying with their families or being deported," Bautista added.

What the motions propose: commenters and the sponsor framed the package as including (as described in public comment and council remarks): a city-led Know Your Rights public education campaign; workplace-enforcement protections and guidance for employers and workers during ICE audits or raids; support to secure additional state funding for removal defense; dedicated space at LAX for legal service providers; and funding for clinics that help people who would otherwise represent themselves in immigration proceedings.

Support from legal-service organizations: Gina Amato, director of the Immigrants Rights Project at Public Counsel, said the city must lead Know Your Rights efforts because demand for those services is surging. Rebecca Brown, a Public Counsel staff attorney, and Edgar Ortiz of the California Immigrant Policy Center both urged councilmembers to pass the package, describing the motions as a complement to the recently enacted Sanctuary Ordinance.

Grassroots and community testimony: multiple community groups — including the Thai Community Development Center, the Trans Latina Coalition, the Michelson Center for Public Policy, ACLU SoCal (represented by Andres Quan), Esperanza Immigrant Rights Project, and the National Day Labor Organizing Network — gave on-record support, describing urgent needs for information, legal representation and outreach.

Sponsor and next steps: Councilmember Hugo Soto‑Martinez (who introduced the motions) and supporters at the lectern said the measures build on prior city sanctuary protections; at the time of the public comments the motions were being circulated and public advocates urged prompt passage. The transcript record shows wide public support in the chamber; motions were announced and circulated for council consideration but the record presented in public comment does not show a final recorded vote on the full package during this meeting.