Congressional hearing in LA over ICE raids
Mayor Karen Bass and faith leaders are leading a public procession to demand accountability for the recent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity in Los Angeles.
LOS ANGELES – Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and religious leaders are spearheading a public demonstration and congressional investigation into recent federal immigration raids in Los Angeles.
Timeline:
In September, the Supreme Court lifted a lower court’s restraining order, allowing federal agents to resume sweeping immigration operations in Los Angeles.
On Oct. 20, Mayor Bass and Congressman Robert Garcia called for a congressional investigation into alleged abuse of U.S. citizens and immigrants by federal agents without warrants or probable cause.
SUGGESTED: Trump administration sues California over giving in-state tuition to immigrants in US illegally
Last week, the LA County Board of Supervisors declared a state of emergency due to the fear and business shutdowns caused by the operations.
Later Monday morning, Mayor Bass will join Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Long Beach), the ranking member of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, to convene a joint City-Congressional Field Hearing.
The backstory:
Federal immigration raids began this summer, with many of the operations targeting local car washes, leading to the detention of some Los Angeles workers.Â
The renewed federal activity follows the supreme court ruling in September that allowed the sweeps to resume.Â
SUGGESTED: California revokes 17,000 commercial driver’s licenses for immigrants
Mayor Bass and leaders are demanding accountability for the “unlawful detention” of people, including U.S. citizens, following these raids.
What they’re saying:
The mayor’s office stated that the field hearing will bring together city leaders, immigration advocates, and federal officials, and will feature testimony from people impacted by the federal immigration enforcement actions, including U.S. citizens who have allegedly been wrongfully detained.
SUGGESTED: ICE agent pulls gun on woman in Santa Ana; Cop jumps in and realizes armed man was federal agent
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) posted a statement on social media following the supreme court ruling that allowed raids to resume.
“This decision is a victory for the safety of Americans in California and for the rule of law. DHS will continue to arrest and remove the criminal illegal aliens that @mayorofla is protecting,” the DHS said in a statement.
“It’s just so inhumane the way they’re being treated, being hurt physically emotionally, said Ortencia Ramirez, a leader with One LA-IAF who is testifying at Monday’s field hearing. “Business is down, some of the businesses are having to close, and it’s not just affecting one place that they’re raiding but all the businesses around them.”
The Source: This report is based on information directly from primary political and governmental sources, including official statements and announcements from the Mayor’s Office regarding the joint City-Congressional Field Hearing. The details of the congressional investigation are confirmed via the October 20 call by Mayor Karen Bass and Congressman Robert Garcia, while the opposing viewpoint is sourced directly from a statement posted on social media by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The context of the operations is further supported by the action taken by the LA County Board of Supervisors.