good morning. Welcome to LA on the Record, City Hall's newsletter. Directed by Dakota Smith, with assistance from David Zahnizer.

In early 2023, three Los Angeles City Council members gathered outside City Hall and introduced a motion calling for a new law that would prohibit the use of city staff and resources for federal immigration enforcement.

LA’s “Sanctuary City” Law — Submitted by City Council Members Nitya Raman, Hugo Soto Martinez and Eunice Hernandez — modeled after what passed through San Francisco. In June 2023, the City Council voted to have the city attorney draft the bill.

Now, the November election is approaching. former president playing cards The vice president has vowed to carry out the largest mass deportation of immigrants in U.S. history if he wins. kamala harris The immigration record has critics from the left and right.

The Sanctuary City Act has not returned to the City Council for a vote, perplexing some advocates who have been working with the city to craft the motion for months.

“As we get closer to November, there's a lot of anxiety about what's going to happen,” he said. xiumin chiaDeputy Director of Immigration and Racial Justice at the California Immigration Policy Center.

Jana WorleyThe supervising attorney for Public Counsel's Immigrant Rights Project pointed to the intense rhetoric surrounding immigration in this year's election. Whaley said the city's legislation “certainly isn't on the books yet in the way it needs to be.”

City council members have not explained the current status of the ordinance. Representatives for Raman and Sotomartinez declined to comment for this article. Hernandez spokesperson chelsea rattenberg He told the Times: “Hernandez is [the ordinance] Through. “

Representative of Sitiati. heidi feldstein soto's office sent a confidential report on the legislation to Congress in June 2023, stating that the ordinance would be returned to Congress.

Representatives from the City Attorney's Office declined to comment on the situation.

For some advocates, the postponement means a new chapter in L.A. City Hall's intermittent efforts to declare itself a sanctuary city.

In 1985, a divided City Council adopted a resolution declaring Los Angeles a sanctuary city for immigrants fleeing political persecution and violence, particularly refugees from El Salvador and Guatemala. The City Council watered down the resolution and removed the word “sanctuary” after a council member threatened a ballot measure to overturn the resolution.

After President Trump's election in 2016, Los Angeles City Council members introduced a resolution declaring Los Angeles a “sanctuary city.” But it took two years for the city to vote on it. By then, immigration advocates said, the declaration had lost its meaning.

In 2017, then-Mayor Eric Garcetti Issued an executive order prohibiting all city employees from using public facilities or resources to assist or cooperate with federal civil immigration enforcement. However, this directive has no legal effect.

State-level leaders, including then-Sen. kevin de leon and others promoted policies to protect immigrants in the wake of the crackdown promised by President Trump. Ultimately, these policies resulted in fewer deportations in California compared to the Trump era. president obamasaid chris newmanLegal Director and General Counsel of the National Day Labor Organization Network.

Last year, a motion filed by three councilors and submitted by M.P. current price and heather hat It would codify Mr. Garcetti's executive order. Among other things, it would prohibit federal immigration authorities and other entities involved in immigration enforcement from accessing city databases and personal data held by the city.

The language of the law is unclear, and it is not clear how the law intersects with Los Angeles Police Department policy.

The proposal was criticized last year by representatives of the Federation for American Immigration Reform, who argued that the proposal would attract more immigrants to Los Angeles, burden Los Angeles' education and health care systems, and ultimately cost taxpayers. did.

Some immigration advocates suggested this week that the presidential election results would spur the council's deliberations.

“If Trump wins, this ordinance will move at lightning speed,” Newman said.

State of play

— siren, siren: The city's financial woes are getting worse, city commissioner. Kenneth Mejia warned city leaders in a letter Thursday.. Revenues are down, expenses are up, and the city withdrew nearly half of its general fund reserve for emergencies last year to cover a budget deficit, Mejia wrote.

— Marathon meeting: The Times' Liam Dillon followed Thursday's marathon planning committee meeting. the commissioner stepped forward Plan to bring hundreds of thousands of homes to Los Angeles The commission supported staff's recommendation to keep the zoning. neighborhood of single-family homes.

— Hot Seat: Sexual assault at Los Angeles County's notoriously troubled juvenile detention center was the topic of a U.S. Senate Judiciary subcommittee hearing Wednesday. senator cory booker (D-N.J.), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Criminal Justice and Counterterrorism.

— Speaking of hot: Los Angeles County is suing a foundation set up to benefit Los Angeles County firefighters, accusing it of using donated funds as a personal “slush fund.” Foundation representatives deny any wrongdoing and accuse the county of wasting taxpayer funds.

— Metroviolence: This is the second metro bus hijacking in the past six months and at least the fifth subway bus hijacking this year, and the state of buses and trains has come under increased scrutiny.

— Firefighters weigh in: Los Angeles Fire Departments Local 112 supports City Council member's re-election campaign kevin de leon This week, he said he has “consistently demonstrated his dedication” to the city's firefighters by advocating for them to receive the resources they need. De Leon's opponent is a tenant rights lawyer. Isabel Juradohas its own labor support hubs, including the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor and United Teachers Los Angeles.

— Apply for a fundraiser: Meanwhile, De Leon reported this week that he had raised $376,907 for the Nov. 5 runoff election. Mr. Jurado, an attorney, raised $252,739. She raised $217,000 in matching funds compared to his $137,557.

In the eastern San Fernando Valley, former state legislator Adolin Nazarian City Council member reported raising $346,260 in bids for vacant City Council seat Paul Krekorianaccording to the filing, which covers the period ending Sept. 21. Jillian Burgoshis opponent raised $106,038. She also received $166,107 in city matching funds compared to Nazarian's $108,794.

lawyer grace yua person who is challenging for a city council member heather hat The group has raised $181,182 to date, compared to Hutt's $173,437, in an area that stretches from South Los Angeles to Koreatown. Mr. Yu has $115,388 in matching funds, but Mr. Hutt has not yet announced the funds.

quick hit

• Where is Inside Safe? The mayor's signature program to address homelessness was implemented this week at two locations: James M. Wood Boulevard under the 110 Freeway in Downtown Los Angeles and Beverly Boulevard at Parkview Street in Historic Filipinotown. Ta. The first place is represented by a city council member kevin de leon and Eunice Hernandezthe second member is represented by a council member Hugo Soto Martinez.
• On next week's calendar: The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday received a report from the Jail Closure Implementation Team on progress toward closing the Men's Central Jail.