Photo: Alamy
Los Angeles County officials voted to declare a state of emergency over U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids that are seeking to deport illegal aliens who broke federal immigration laws.
BREAKING: Los Angeles County officials vote to declare a state of emergency that gives them power to provide assistance for residents they say have suffered financially from ongoing federal immigration raids. – KABCpic.twitter.com/2T1Bvxn6FN
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) October 15, 2025
In a 4-1 vote, local officials claim that immigrants are suffering due to federal agents’ enforcement of federal law, according to the Associated Press. This means that the county can now access funding to provide “free” taxpayer-funded “rent relief” to the illegal aliens who remain in the country unlawfully.
The New York Post reported that the proclamation gives the county permission to “mobilize resources, expedite contracting and procurement, coordinate interagency response, and request state and federal assistance to protect and stabilize impacted communities.” Board Chairman Kathryn Barger was the sole opponent due to the legal consequences that the declaration is likely to bring. “The federal government has sole authority to enforce federal immigration law, and local governments cannot impede that authority,” she stated. “We should instead advocate for meaningful immigration reform that is fair, pragmatic, and creates legal pathways for those who contribute to our communities.”
According to a 2022 Office of Homeland Security Statistics report that recorded estimates for illegal alien populations in the U.S., California is the leading state housing populations of illegal immigrants, with nearly 11 million people in the state residing there unlawfully, based on data compiled between 2018 and 2022.
ICE responded to the Los Angeles County leadership’s decision to declare a state of emergency over federal ICE raids in a statement to Fox News, via spokeswoman Emily Covington. She noted that the “only state of emergency is the one the residents of Los Angeles face after electing officials who give a middle finger to the law.”
“Perhaps the board should ‘supervise’ funds to support law-abiding fire victims who still haven’t recovered, instead of criminal illegal aliens seeking refuge in their sanctuary city,” she added. “While they publicly fear-monger, I would be shocked if they didn’t agree with ICE removing a child rapist from their neighborhood.”