LA Mayor Karen Bass Now Directing Cash Assistance to Illegal Immigrants Hiding from ICE
Bass insists the cash is not from taxpayers but donors. However, one of the donor groups received nearly $34 million in government grants, mostly from the state of California.
One really has to wonder how many illegal immigrants vote as well as work in Los Angeles.
Recall that Mayor Karen Bass was warned of high wind and historic wildfire danger in January, before Greater Los Angeles burned because of a lethal combination of wind conditions and bureaucratic incompetence.
Bass, however, continued on her way to Africa for cocktails and political networking.
But when President Donald Trump kept his pledge to unchain the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency from Biden’s Bindings, she began shrieking demands and encouraging protests that have been…fiery.
Her passion for illegal immigrants is noticeably lacking for those in Pacific Palisades. I have to think illegal immigrants make up a good portion of her base. But, I digress.
The mayor’s concern is such that she proudly announced that Los Angeles will be dishing out cash assistance to illegal immigrants who are being targeted for deportation, due to the fact they violated U.S. immigration laws.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass signed an executive order Friday to bolster protocols and support immigrant neighborhoods, including offering cash assistance, in response to raids by the Trump administration targeting those living in the United States illegally.
The order is intended to help protect the city’s workforce and residents from the federal government during immigration enforcement operations.
It also demands that federal agencies provide records of the raids, who was detained and for what reason and the cost to taxpayers, which will be part of a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request.
“There is a need for me to have an executive directive to help our city understand how to protect itself from our federal government,” Bass said at a press conference.
LA Mayor Bass provides cash payments to illegals, issues order to thwart immigration enforcement
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass signed an executive order to bolster protocols and support immigrant neighborhoods, including offering cash assistance, in response to raids by the Trump… pic.twitter.com/AetoIZEgiR
— Steve Gruber (@stevegrubershow) July 11, 2025
Now, here is where Bass is getting “cute.” She insists the cash is not from taxpayers, but supposedly from philanthropists.
It was not immediately clear what qualifications will be needed to receive the cards.
The mayor emphasized that the money will not come from city coffers but from philanthropic partners. The cards will be distributed by immigrants rights groups such as the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles.
The city will coordinate between philanthropists and organizations distributing the cards, according to the mayor’s office.
The mayor compared the program to “Angeleno Cards,” created by Mayor Eric Garcetti in 2020 to give financial assistance to people struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (CHIRLA) is known to have received significant funding from government grants as well as private donations.
The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA) — which received tens of millions of dollars in government grants during the Biden administration — staged a rally last week to denounce Immigration and Customs Enforcement arresting illegal migrants across the city, including those convicted of heinous crimes.
…According to financial records obtained by DataRepublican, CHIRLA received nearly $34 million in government grants, mostly from the state of California, in the fiscal year ending June 2023, a jump from the $12 million it received the previous year.
The radical group also received around $450,000 in grants for “citizenship education and training” between October 2021 and September 2024 from the DHS — the very agency the group was protesting last week. The federal agency cut ties with the group and terminated any further funding in March, including clawing back nearly $101,000 that had yet to be paid out.
What do you think about Mayor Karen Bass distributing cash cards for illegals who are too afraid to go to work because of ICE?
CHIRLA (Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights) is a non-profit that may have had an “alleged role in financially and materially supporting” protests and… pic.twitter.com/JyFKicBQET
— SaveCalifornia.com (@savecalifornia) July 12, 2025
The organization is also part of the “Summer of Resistance” the leftist agitators are trying to initiate — which is proving more difficult with the far more responsive enforcement actions being conducted under Trump 2.0.
The 30-day campaign centers on non-violent tactics, including fasting, prayer, art, and know-your-rights training sessions.
“The campaign is rooted in tactics from the civil rights to the farm worker movement, and that’s why we’re here as a united front,” said Vladimir Carrasco with the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles.
In conclusion, Bass is obfuscating the source of the “cash assistance” as well as the reasons for it. Hopefully, her time as mayor will be limited by legal and motivated voters.
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Comments
This is not taxation with representation.
In the absence of tea, dump Karen Bass in the harbor so she can swim amongst her namesake.
Another Democrat mayor standing against the Federal government. Under Bass, LA stands for Lower Alabama about 1860 or 1960 or…..
Doesn’t matter where the money came from when the give-away is conducted by government employees.
No, it isn’t. It’s conducted by this dodgy CHIRLA group.
Crawford may be indirectly correct. Did CHIRLA directly or indirectly benefit from the billions upon billions the Biden admin began doling out to NGOs as soon as Kamala Harris lost?
No, he is not correct, directly or indirectly.
First of all, it doesn’t matter who has funded CHIRLA; the money that it will (perhaps) be handing out will not be coming from that funding; why would it? If you were CHIRLA, with all this money you’d been given, would you voluntarily give it away?!
But second, even if these were true altruists who would give away the money they’d been granted for other purposes, that money didn’t come from city taxpayers, and that is the entire point. Grants from the federal government or the state government are irrelevant; since Bass is neither the president nor the governor. She is not giving away money belonging to the city’s taxpayers.
Can you please explain to me how this ISN’T a large conspiracy to obstruct Federal law enforcement?
The fact that the State of KKKalifornia has laundered the money through this group means that it’s not only the City of L-effin’-A, but also state officials who are involved in the conspiracy. Heck, even just discussing doing this would be the formation of a conspiracy, but actually doing it is proof.
Because nothing is being obstructed. ICE remains completely free to operate anywhere in California. No government employee or official is obstructing them; and anyone who does obstruct them is subject to immediate arrest, regardless of who he works for, assuming he does work.
free to operate
vs
operate efficiently
THAT she is impeding >>obstructing
Imagine citizens giving money and other support (e.g. food & shelter) to known criminals, on the lam from LE, helping to keep them afloat and maybe even hidden.
Wouldn’t said support make them accessories to the crimes of those they are assisting? How about harboring fugitives from justice? Giving assistance to criminals, helping them evade LE, is considered a crime in most jurisdictions, is it not? If it depends on personal knowledge that there are warrants for the arrest of the persons being assisted, ICE could publish the warrants online to make the information public. That way nobody can say, “I didn’t know I was assisting criminals.” Public notice would have been given.
Giving someone food, or money to buy food, is not “harboring”. Hiding them in your attic is harboring, but no one is offering to do that.
They don’t have a right to operate “efficiently”. It’s a fundamental principle of our republic that Washington cannot compel states to assist it in enforcing its laws. If it lacks the means to enforce them itself, that’s its problem, not theirs.
If government resources weren’t involved, she wouldn’t have needed to sign an executive order.
She didn’t. Have you read the order? There is not one word in it about any financial assistance. Not one word. The giveaway program has nothing to do with the order.
She is very cagily distancing herself from direct support to criminals by allowing others to do so. Now why would she want that distance?
It doesn’t matter why she wants it. The fact is that that distance is there. She is not breaking any law, she is not obstructing anything, she is not giving the city’s money away. She’s doing all she can to express support for the illegal aliens without getting herself or the city in legal trouble.
While Karen Bass doesn’t have any time to issue construction permits to the people of Malibu & the Pacific Palisades, she does have time to give the tax money they paid to people in the country illegally. What’s really frustrating is despite her historic levels of incompetence, she is going to easily win reelection.
Well Abe, if you were an illegal living illegally in the United States and somebody wanted to give you everything, food, clothing, housing, cash, who would you vote for?
Please don’t tell me illegals don’t vote.
Didnt she have to take an oath, something about obeying the laws of the land or something like that?
There ‘s something wrong with the drinking water in Los Angeles.
She is obeying the laws of the land. Nothing she’s doing is illegal.
Arguably this program is in violation of 8 USC 1324 specifically 1. A (iv): Amy person who:
encourages or induces an alien to come to, enter or reside in the USA.
The only stated exception is for a religious organization to an unpaid alien bona fide missionary performing volunteer religious services and the compensation seems primarily limited to in kind benefits of room and board.
IMO offering funds to illegal aliens to replace the wages they were illegally hustling while ongoing ICE operations deter their participation in the labor force (aka the alien is scared they’ll be arrested and deported by ICE if they go to work).
At face value this sure seems like the program Mayor Bass promoted is providing an ‘inducement’ to illegal aliens to continue to reside in the USA.
First of all, residing in the USA without legal authority is not itself an offense; it’s a civil matter. The USA is entitled to deport the person, but they’re not committing an offense simply by being here, so the requirement that “such coming to, entry, or residence is or will be in violation of law” is not applicable.
Second, they’re not inducing anyone to remain here; they’re going to remain here regardless, unless and until they’re caught. The assistance just helps them not starve while they do so.
Third, the bit about missionaries isn’t about this at all, but about allowing churches to “employ” illegal aliens as unpaid volunteers.
The statute criminalizes actions of individuals or groups which ‘encourages or induces an alien to come to, enter or reside in the USA’..
Let’s let a jury decide the question of whether giving cash assistance to illegal aliens to stay home and hide from ICE to avoid deportation is an ‘inducement’ to aliens to continue to reside in the USA.
IMO Mayor Bass own PR statements to sell the program seem to back the view that absent this support (inducement) the aliens would either self deport b/c they couldn’t pay rent/food/bills or they’d have to go to work and get arrested/deported by ICE.
When claiming illegal entry is a civil matter, you may be thinking of this:
https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/8/1325
However, 8 USC makes it clear that illegal entry is a crime and refers specifically to Title 18 and that prison time that may be imposed.
“Any alien who (1) enters or attempts to enter the United States at any time or place other than as designated by immigration officers, or (2) eludes examination or inspection by immigration officers, or (3) attempts to enter or obtains entry to the United States by a willfully false or misleading representation or the willful concealment of a material fact, shall, for the first commission of any such offense, be fined under title 18 or imprisoned not more than 6 months, or both, and, for a subsequent commission of any such offense, be fined under title 18, or imprisoned not more than 2 years, or both.”
“Civil penalties under this subsection are in addition to, and not in lieu of, any criminal or other civil penalties that may be imposed.”
Here’s the AI overview, which specifically mentions (bolded) that Title 8 alone can be used to impose a prison sentence, a fairly clear indication illegal entry is a crime and not merely a civil matter:
Title 18 of the U.S. Code doesn’t directly criminalize illegal entry into the U.S. Instead, Title 8, specifically 8 U.S.C. § 1325 (Improper entry by an alien) and 8 U.S.C. § 1326 (Reentry of removed aliens), outlines the criminal offenses related to unlawful entry and reentry into the United States.
Elaboration:
8 U.S.C. § 1325: addresses the initial unlawful entry of an alien into the United States, including entering at a time or place other than designated by immigration officers. It also covers actions like eluding examination or inspection by immigration officers, and making false representations to enter the U.S.
8 U.S.C. § 1326: focuses on the reentry of aliens who have previously been removed or deported from the U.S. It makes it a crime for an individual who has been deported or removed to enter, attempt to enter, or be found in the United States without authorization.
While Title 18 doesn’t directly address illegal entry, it does play a role in immigration-related offenses through 18 U.S.C. § 1546, which covers fraud and misuse of visas, permits, and other documents.
The penalties for violating 8 U.S.C. § 1325 and § 1326 can include fines and imprisonment, with subsequent offenses often carrying harsher penalties.
The Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRIRA) has further impacted these sections, particularly regarding the penalties and procedures for handling unauthorized entry and reentry.
Huh? I never claimed that! Illegal entry is clearly a criminal offense; why would you imagine I would ever say otherwise? Seriously, what’s up with you?
Perhaps Dave was confused by this statement of yours:
“First of all, residing in the USA without legal authority is not itself an offense; it’s a civil matter.”
Perhaps there is a difference between “residing in the USA without legal authority” and “illegal entry”.
What do you mean, “perhaps”? Of course there is. Residing and entering are two completely different things.
SOMETHING she’s doing is illegal… and we both know it.
Something you and I are doing is illegal, not that either of us are aware of it.
Yes. Remember, we live in a ham sandwich nation.
Kinda seems like she’s trying to obstruct federal immigration agents. I thought that was, what’s the word for it?…oh yeah, illegal.
No, she’s not obstructing them. They remain completely free to operate anywhere in LA. All she did was yell at them and demand to speak to the manager.
Paying them to hide is obstruction.
sorry meant to upgrade you.
No, it isn’t. It’s a free country and anyone’s entitled to aid anyone they think is in need of it.
Now if someone was hiding them in an attic or something, that would be an offense
Support of any kind, and not just providing shelter, could be an offense. Certainly food and clothing are every bit as necessary as shelter. Why would giving food, clothing, or money be any different from providing shelter? They all can be used to assist and encourage persons here illegally to remain rather than go home.
Giving shelter is not an offense either. Concealing them is.
Upvote for the manager comment. Well done.
I copied it from someone else here.
And, as if we needed more evidence and as much as I admire Ronaldus Magnus, this demonstrates conclusively that amnesty was a grave error.
The oppressed illegals can use the too-afraid-to-go-to-work money to buy large screen TVs and Lazyboys to watch Catholic masses that they are too afraid to attend.
If they are under $950 can’t they just go steal the large screen TVs – and use the money to buy pot from the marijuana farm they no longer work at to better enjoy the shows?
Petty theft is a criminal offense, even if the local DA is too lazy to prosecute it.
Support for law breakers = lack of support for law keepers.
Progressives are unable to see the right side of the equation.
What organizations will be distributing the cards and how? Working with which philanthropists? How will they determine who is to receive the cards? I need to protect myself against the government of Los Angeles. So Bass you’d better open your big mouth and tell me.
No one knows yet. They’re going to work all this out. Right now it’s just an idea.
then she knows where they are
LEGALLY RAID HER OFFICES FOR THAT INFORMATION
HELLLLLLOOOOOO!!!!!
then charge with harboring aiding and abetting and for just plain being a dumbmutterf’er communist pos ( there might be a law against that )
that wi judge helped an illegal to escape
basshole is not doing anything different that that wi judge
they were willing to lie to get trump
there is no lie,,no made up issues,,etc she is actually doing an illegal act
Bass is doing something very different from that judge. The judge committed a crime. Bass is carefully staying within the law. She hasn’t helped anyone escape from ICE, she hasn’t obstructed ICE at all, she’s just refusing to assist ICE, as is her right. And she’s yelling at them, which is also her right.
Yeah, she’s carefully avoiding criminal activity by outsourcing it to NGOs. She knows exactly what she’s doing.
she is offering her assistance in helping them evade capture
THIS IS FROM A PRO ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION CITE:
What is considered a violation of the harboring law?
To establish a violation of the federal harboring law, the government would need to prove that:
What is considered a violation of the harboring law?
The vulnerable immigrant entered or remained in the U.S. in violation of the law,
you concealed, harbored, transported, or sheltered the immigrant in the U.S.,
you knew or recklessly disregarded the fact that the immigrant was not authorized to be present in the U.S., AND
you took some action that tended to substantially facilitate the immigrant’s remaining in the U.S. in violation of the law
https://legalaidnyc.org/get-help/immigration-deportation/what-you-need-to-know-about-the-federal-harboring-statute/
I am trying to figure out how I can apply.
Lemme see, I.D.?
Address?
Neither?
Well, I couldn’t be denied… that would be racist or something.
O.k., I am not in that State.
I’m a Citizen. Business Owner.
But, I shouldn’t have to prove anything.
How is this going to work?
Or, do they just actually take the money and pump it into the Democrat party? Maybe just spend it on themselves?
Who would be in charge of oversight?
This is just pure insanity.
I do not understand how it could even be done.
Is there some way I could move illegally from MA to CA? I need some of that free cash. Do I have to be “hispanic” too?
No, you just have to identify as one. I’d throw in homosexual and BIPOC just to be sure and let the gravy train begin. Free college, free housing, free phones, free food and now just plain taxpayer cash and no taxes. It’s good to be an illegal alien in California. For American Citizens, not so much.
BIPOC sounds like a mental disorder perhaps related to BIPOLAR.
“Sephardic.”
Yeah that’s the ticket!
Hmmm,, I have to get a tan and grow a stache, I Iook too much like a slav at the moment,
California is giving money to a group that launders it to illegal aliens making her complicit. I’d say arrest her for money laundering and obstructing ICE.
1. She is not California. She is the City of Los Angeles, which is not being reported as having ever funded CHIRLA.
2. There is no laundering going on. The money is to come from private donors.
3. There is no obstruction going on. Anyone who does obstruct ICE, e.g. by throwing rocks at them, is arrested.
Aid and abetting known criminals.
Aiding criminals is not illegal. Aiding them in committing a crime is. But illegally remaining in the USA isn’t a crime, so aiding them to do so can’t be one either. Concealing them from arrest is a crime, and no one is offering to do that.