L.A. County calls state of emergency over ICE sweeps

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors this week approved a state of emergency that could benefit tenants and others hurt by the Trump administration's immigration crackdown.

- BY SUMMER LIN AND RUBEN VIVES

GREGORY BULL Associated Press LOS ANGELES County has seen raids by federal immigration agents since June.

The action Tuesday is one of the most sweeping efforts by local authorities to push back at raids that have targeted several major American cities since the summer and comes amid weeks of clashes among immigration officers, protesters and others on the streets of Chicago.

The proclamation enables local agencies to expedite hiring to fill government positions needed to assist tenants and sets the stage for a future eviction moratorium for households that have lost income because of the raids.

In June, Los Angeles County became the first area under the current Trump administration to see widespread immigration raids in public, which netted thousands of people, and local officials say they are using those experiences to craft protections.

The raids have prompted some to go underground out of fear of being arrested.

A study from UC Merced calculated that the mass deportation of California's undocumented residents who make up an estimated 8% of California's workforce - would create a $275-billion hole in the state's economy.