El Monte panel secures funding from Solis for immigrant support fund, amid crackdown – San Gabriel Valley Tribune

The El Monte City Council’s Immigration Ad Hoc Committee has secured new funding from Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda L. Solis’ office to support residents impacted by recent immigration enforcement activity, according to the city.

Solis has committed $52,000 to the Immigration Defense Fund, adding to the $25,000 already raised through the efforts of the Immigration Ad Hoc Committee, according to City Manager Alma Martinez.

The Immigration Ad Hoc Committee — composed of Councilmember Martin Herrera, Councilmember Cindy Gálvan, and Mayor Pro Tem Viviana Longoria — has been identifying outside resources and partnerships to help support city residents amid the Trump administration’s ongoing crackdown on immigration.

While the administration has said the crackdown has been working to arrest and deport the “worst of the worst” criminal illegal immigrants, roaming patrols of federal agents since last June has created a climate of fear in some communities.

It’s forced some to stay at home out of fear of being detained by federal agents.

The additional funding will help ensure that individuals and families have access to legal assistance and critical support services, Martinez said.

“El Monte is my hometown, and I have seen firsthand how the Trump administration’s cruel and dehumanizing immigration enforcement is impacting our community,” said Hilda L. Solis, Los Angeles County Board Chair and First District Supervisor in a statement provided by the city of El Monte.

Similar actions have come out of Solis’ office, including filing amicus briefs against the Trump administration’s policies, establishing a relief fund for small businesses and creating a Know Your Rights initiative for youth, among many other efforts.

“Our committee has been working with urgency to identify outside resources that can provide real support for residents and families facing fear and uncertainty,” said Mayor Pro Tem Longoria, on behalf of the Immigration Ad Hoc Committee, according to a statement from the city. “This funding is an important step, and we will continue doing everything we can to bring additional resources and support to our community.”

“We appreciate Supervisor Solis’ Office for working with the City to help secure this additional funding, which will help expand support for families across our community,” Martinez said.