LOS ANGELES (TNND) — Mayor Karen Bass announced a new initiative Friday to provide cash assistance to families impacted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids.
The program aims to support “immigrant” communities by offering financial relief to those who have lost income or are unable to work due to fear of arrest and deportation.
During a press conference, Bass unveiled an executive order directing all city departments to refrain from cooperating with federal immigration enforcement efforts. She highlighted the program’s inspiration from former Mayor Eric Garcetti’s “Angelino cards,” which distributed cash during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The initiative will be funded through philanthropic contributions, not city funds, and will be coordinated with immigrant rights groups like the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (CHIRLA). The mayor’s office stated that the city will facilitate coordination between philanthropists and organizations distributing the cards.
The Los Angeles Times reported that the program could provide a few hundred dollars per card, although specific qualifications for recipients have not been disclosed. Despite the city’s current $1 billion deficit, Bass emphasized the importance of supporting vulnerable communities through this philanthropic effort.