The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors declared a local state of emergency due to the ICE raids.
“Declaring a local emergency allows us to move faster to meet that responsibility, and this proclamation is about action and speed,” stated Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath. “We are listening, we are acting, and we will continue to stand with you, not just today but for as long as it takes.”
The board justified the move by claiming the raids have caused a “climate of fear,” which has led to widespread disruption in daily life and adverse impacts to our regional economy due to decreased attendance at workplaces, the temporary or permanent closure of businesses and restaurants, and increased strain on our local institutions such as schools, hospitals, and places of worship.”
According to the declaration, the raids have hampered the county’s economy, especially…construction and agriculture.
How about those companies hire legal people?
I mean, that’s the easiest way to avoid these troubles. Don’t hire illegal aliens.
This is an unusual move since states of emergencies are meant for natural disasters: “caused by conditions such as air pollution, fire, flood, storm, epidemic, riot, drought, cyberterrorism, sudden and severe energy shortage, deenergization event . . . plant or animal infestation or disease . . . or an earthquake, or other conditions . . .”
Instead of using resources properly, the declaration “allows the county to mobilize resources, expedite contracting and procurement, coordinate interagency response, and request state and federal assistance to protect and stabilize communities that have been impacted by federal immigration raids.”
Let’s hope an earthquake or another fire doesn’t hit the county. They obviously didn’t learn anything from the mistakes that caused the January fires, especially the Palisades Fire, to burn out of control.
Supervisor Kathryn Barger voted against the declaration for those reasons.
“Emergency powers exist for crises that pose life and death consequences like wildfires — not as a shortcut for complex policy issues,” said Barger, according to LAist. “Stretching emergency powers for federal immigration actions undermines their purpose, invites legal challenges and circumvents the public process.”
Barger also pointed out that “[T]he federal government has sole authority to enforce federal immigration law, and local government cannot impede that authority.”
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