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Board adopts ordinance banning unauthorized immigration enforcement on county property
Summary
The Board approved a motion to prohibit unauthorized civil immigration enforcement activities (staging, processing or operations) on county‑owned or -controlled property without a judicial warrant, extending protections for sensitive locations and giving county counsel authority to seek enforcement if needed.
The Board of Supervisors voted unanimously on Jan. 13 to adopt an ordinance that forbids unauthorized civil immigration enforcement on county‑owned or controlled property in the absence of a judicial warrant or court order.
Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, the motion’s author, framed the change as necessary to protect residents and county staff following recent incidents nationally — including the killing of Renee Nicole Good during an ICE operation — and locally. The ordinance expands on existing board policies (including the county’s sensitive‑locations guidance) by applying to non‑county actors and by prohibiting county property being used as staging, processing or operations centers for federal civil immigration enforcement.
County counsel and several supervisors discussed legal contours and noted the policy is likely to be tested in court; supervisors said they were prepared for litigation and urged municipalities to consider similar protections. The ordinance passed 5‑0.
What it does: The text adopted limits activities by federal civil immigration enforcement on county property (parks, parking lots, clinics and other county facilities) unless agents present a valid judicial warrant or court order. The board directed county departments to implement the policy and advised county counsel to prepare for legal challenges.
Why it matters: The adopted ordinance makes clear that county assets should not be used for unauthorized federal enforcement activity, establishing a local rule intended to preserve access to public services and reduce fear among immigrant communities.
Representative quote: Supervisor Horvath told the board, “Los Angeles County will not allow its property to be used as a staging ground for violence caused by the Trump administration.”
