Supervisor Kathryn Barger was the lone “no” vote on a Board of Supervisors 4-1 policy decision to make Los Angeles County buildings serve as “sensitive locations” for people in the country illegally.
Barger voted against it in light of fiscal concern, anticipating that Los Angeles County may lose federal funding for making these locations off limits to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement, her office said.
She also voted against the establishment of a task force to develop an “immigrant protection and advancement strategy” in the county.
“Creating a task force and hiding illegal immigrants from federal enforcement only institutionalizes their illegal status and forces them further into the shadows,” Barger said in a statement.
The supervisor of the 5th district said these actions are counterproductive in helping immigrants gain citizenship or legal status.
“Rather than moving toward becoming a sanctuary state and county in violation of federal law, both the state and the county should be leading the effort to initiate congressional action to enact comprehensive immigration reform,” she said.
Sensitive locations will include municipal offices, courthouses, hospitals, schools and other county buildings.
County lawyers will report back to the supervisors in 45 days with the developed policy.
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