LA Mayor Karen Bass to Give Cash and Food to Help Illegal Aliens Hide From ICE to “Protect People From the Federal Government”

Wait until Tom Homan sees this.

A day after protesters threw rocks and a gunman fired on ICE agents during a raid on a marijuana farm in Ventura County, California where exploited illegal alien children were found to be working, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass (D-Cuba) announced the city will be arranging cash and food assistance to illegal aliens who are hiding from the federal government.

Bass expressed concern that illegal aliens are not able to work to pay the rent and feed their families because of the ongoing immigration enforcement actions in Southern California by the Trump administration.

Bass also said she was worried about two-income illegal immigration families who have lost one income because a member has been detained for deportation.

Mayor Bass: “…In terms of uh, the first part of the question that you asked, what are the resources? Well, in our community development programs, there’s resources there in our family resource centers. But we also are going to have uh, reinstitution of the Angelino card, something that Mayor Garcetti started during COVID that will actually provide cash assistance to people because, you know, you have people who don’t want to leave their homes uh, who are not going to work and uh, and they are in need of cash. You know, I, I have met with family members who they needed two incomes in order to make the rent. Well, one income was lost in a raid when someone was detained. And this woman with her children now is concerned that she might face being evicted and being homeless. And so, it’s that type of emergency assistance. And we’re fortunate that there’s a lot of philanthropic partners who have uh, contributed and many more uh, I hope that will um join in and contribute. We’re organizing uh food deliveries. I mean there’s all sorts of things that we are having to do now to protect people from the federal government…” (Corrected transcript excerpt via YouTube.)

Video cued to about 25 minute mark:

Bass later said the cash would be several hundred dollars, but wasn’t sure on the exact amount, and should be available in about a week. Bass also said in response to a reporter that the money would be coming from philanthropic organizations that would give the cash to community groups for dispersal to illegal alien families the groups are familiar with, noting that she wished she could use taxpayer money, “I wish we had general fund money for that. No. So, it’s all one hundred percent (philanthropic.)”

The Angelino Card is a city run program, so it is not clear how funds non-governmental funds could be added and dispersed through the city.

The effort to help illegal aliens hide from ICE is part of an Executive Directive announced Friday by Bass to “protect” immigrants and the city from the federal government:

EXECUTIVE DIRECTIVE NO. 12

Issue Date: July 11, 2025

Subject: Standing United – A Proud City of Immigrants

INTRODUCTION

The City of Los Angeles remains steadfast in its commitment to uphold the dignity, safety and constitutional rights of all City of Los Angeles residents, regardless of their immigration status. In 1979, the Los Angeles Police Department issued Special Order 40, which prohibits officers from initiating police action solely to determine someone’s immigration status. This policy is still in effect today as embodied in the LAPD Police Manual. In December 2024, the City further codified protections for the immigrant community by passing Ordinance 188441, which prohibits the use of any City resources, personnel, property and data to support federal immigration enforcement. This ordinance, entitled “Prohibition of the Use of City Resources for Federal Immigration Enforcement”, is codified at Los Angeles Administrative Code (LAAC) Section 19.190 et seq. (the “City’s Ordinance”). In February 2025, guidance was given to all City departments regarding adherence to the City’s Ordinance in advance of any potential United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) enforcement activities. The City’s Ordinance complies with and complements California’s Fair Values Act.

Last month, ICE initiated large-scale immigration enforcement operations across Los Angeles. These operations have heightened fears, torn apart families, disrupted the immigrant community, and interfered with businesses and day to day life across the city. These enforcement actions have deterred City residents from attending school and church, seeking city services, accessing healthcare, and going to work. The City has a responsibility to ensure the safety of all residents, and City departments play a critical role in providing services to support residents and their needs.

To that end, I hereby direct all City Departments to:

Develop and implement a preparedness plan, including Department-specific protocols and training, to ensure that all City employees know how to abide by the City’s Ordinance and know how to respond to federal immigration enforcement activities on City properties or facilities based on guidance from the City Attorney’s Office.
Work with City contractors to ensure their employees working on City properties or in City facilities know how to abide by the City’s Ordinance and respond to federal enforcement activities.
Under Executive Directive 20 (Garcetti, March 21, 2017) each General Manager or Head of Department was required to designate an Immigrant Affairs Liaison. The Immigrant Affairs Liaison for each department is hereby directed to report any federal immigration enforcement activity on City properties or facilities.
Recommend services or programs that can support families impacted by federal immigrant enforcement actions. These recommendations should be informed by a thorough review of existing City services and programs and how they can be leveraged to increase the safety of Angelenos harmed by federal immigrant enforcement actions.
Disseminate information on City services and assistance programs for families impacted by federal enforcement actions through Spanish and other language media.
Submit the above information and plan within 2 weeks after the issuance of this Executive Directive to the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs.
Furthermore, I hereby direct my Office to transmit a federal Freedom of Information Act request to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in order to obtain records regarding the dates and locations of all enforcement activities in Los Angeles, the identities of individuals and reason(s) they were arrested or detained, and policies governing both federal officers’ use of badges and other forms of identification as well as masks and other methods that obscure identification.

Furthermore, I hereby direct the Information Technology Agency to provide 311 with Know Your Rights information covering the basic legal rights of individuals regardless of status and ways to connect residents with City Departments that offer services, information or training.

Furthermore, I hereby establish a working group, to be led by the Los Angeles Police Department, in collaboration with the Police Commission and Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, to work with immigrant rights organizations and community leaders to solicit feedback on federal enforcement actions and the City’s response. Additionally, I hereby request the Police Commission, in collaboration with the Chief of Police, to incorporate, where appropriate, the community feedback and provide additional guidance to police officers on how to respond to situations involving federal immigration enforcement. While the LAPD Police Manual provides guidance on how police officers should respond to immigration enforcement activities, and the Chief of Police recently issued a notice to officers with additional guidance, ongoing comprehensive review and guidance is critical in light of the federal government’s unprecedented tactics used to conduct enforcement.

Executed this 11th day of July, 2025

_____________________________

KAREN BASS

Mayor