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Immigrant-defense groups press council for $1 million in budget to defend residents from deportation
Summary
Immigration advocates and legal-service providers urged the council to include $1 million in the budget to fund legal defense for immigrants and to sustain programs that assist families facing deportation.
Immigration attorneys and advocates asked the Los Angeles City Council during public comment on May 21 to designate $1 million in the city budget for legal-defense services for immigrants facing deportation and civil immigration actions.
An immigration attorney who identified herself as working in asylum and immigration clinics told the council the funding has enabled representation for tens of thousands of cases and urged continued support. She said the program had helped roughly 57,500 immigrants in Los Angeles (as stated in testimony) and asked council members not to cut the designated funding. "That funding has impacted and saved or defended almost more than 57,500 immigrants here in Los Angeles," she said in Spanish during testimony.
Speakers emphasized that recent federal enforcement actions and reductions in other sources of legal assistance have increased demand for city-funded programs. Jennifer Macías, who identified herself with Esperanza and immigrant-rights work, also asked the council to preserve funding and described the programs as critical infrastructure for affected families.
Ending: Advocates asked council members to protect or designate $1 million for immigrant legal defense as the council finalizes the mayor’s budget.
