Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Immigration And Tenant Protections topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Long Beach council adopts resolution calling for federal immigration accountability as public commenters demand eviction moratoriums and investment screening
Summary
The council voted to adopt a resolution urging federal accountability for immigration enforcement and removal of top DHS leadership while dozens of public speakers pressed for a 150‑day eviction moratorium, an end to "substantial‑remodel" evictions and a civil and human rights investment screening policy.
Mayor Rex Richardson introduced and the council adopted a resolution calling for federal immigration accountability and urging removal or impeachment of the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, citing recent federal enforcement actions that council members said have harmed immigrant communities.
“Long Beach stands with our immigrant communities,” Mayor Rex Richardson said while presenting the item. The resolution directs the city to publicly call for accountability at the highest levels of DHS and asks other cities to join the effort.
The vote followed an extended public‑comment period in which tenants, organizers and residents demanded concrete local protections. Maria, a District 1 resident and organizer with the Long Beach Tenants Union, told the council her family had been directly affected and called for a 150‑day moratorium on nonpayment and substantial‑remodel evictions. “It is imperative that you meet all these demands and practice active listening of what community needs, not what you want for us,” Maria said.
Adam Hejazi, who urged adoption of a civil and human rights investment screening policy, told the council the screening would prevent city funds from supporting entities complicit in severe human rights violations and would align investments with Long Beach values. “This is not a radical or reckless idea. It is a responsible one,” Hejazi said.
Other speakers connected local developments — including the planned Anduril facility in North Long Beach — to concerns about increased surveillance and ICE cooperation. Amy, a District 2 resident, described Anduril as a weapons and surveillance manufacturer and urged the council to weigh jobs promises against public‑safety risks.
Council members and staff framed the resolution as a statement of the city's values while acknowledging limits on local authority over federal enforcement. Several council members thanked residents for the public testimony and committed to follow‑up meetings; Mayor Richardson offered to meet with a small group to discuss next steps.
The council record shows the resolution was adopted after public comment. The council did not adopt an immediate local eviction moratorium at this meeting; multiple speakers and tenant organizers urged the council to take that additional step in the coming weeks.
