LA to give cash cards to illegal immigrants who stop going to work over fear of ICE raids

On Friday, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass announced that the city would be providing pre-loaded cash cards to illegal immigrants who have been afraid to go to work out of fear they could be picked up by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). She said migrants will receive a "couple hundred" dollars, and that the financial aid would be available in about a week.

"You have people who don't want to leave their homes, who are not going to work, and they are in need of cash," Mayor Bass said at a news conference, the LA Times reported.

The mayor emphasized that the city plans to coordinate between philanthropists and organizations to distribute the cards, and claimed that the money will not come from city coffers. The cards will be distributed by the immigrant rights groups, said Bass.

She did not explain what the qualifications would be for those who wish to receive the cards. However, she did detail an alleged story about a mother struggling to provide basic needs after her husband, an illegal migrant, was detained by ICE at work.

Mayor Bass made the announcement at a news conference regarding an executive order she signed on Friday that requires all city departments to provide training on how to adhere to the city's sanctuary policy, which prohibits the use of city personnel and property to "investigate, cite, arrest, hold, transfer, or detain any person" for immigration enforcement matters.

Additionally, the executive order creates a group that will examine the LAPD's policy on immigration enforcement. This is despite the police agency having not assisted with federal immigration enforcement since 1979, per the LA Times. It also includes a directive to file FOIA requests for ICE to submit all records regarding raids since June 6, when the anti-ICE riots kicked off, and the identities of detained individuals.

Last month, the Trump administration sued Los Angeles over its sanctuary policies.