Immigrant advocates call for LA County Board of Supervisors to increase rent protections amid immigration crackdown

Local immigrant advocates are asking for the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors to consider housing stability for immigrant community members ahead of Tuesday's meeting, as the board is scheduled to discuss an increase in the county's tenant eviction threshold.

The motion under review notes that the county continues to face a "profound housing affordability crisis," with immigrant communities especially hard hit as they face the Trump administration's stepped-up federal immigration enforcement operation.

"Heightened enforcement activity has led to job loss, reduced work hours, family separation, and widespread fear among tenants, undermining household income stability, and increasing the risk of sudden rent nonpayment and displacement," the motion reads.

The motion calls for the county to increase the eviction threshold under the county's Rent Stabilization and Tenant Protections Ordinance from one month of fair market rent to two months of fair market rent.

"Across Los Angeles County, immigrant and refugee families are facing rising rents, rampant discriminatory immigration enforcement and growing economic and housing instability," Hussam Ayloush, CAIR-LA, IRLA co-chair, said ahead of Tuesday's board meeting.

He said families are being pushed towards eviction, not because they are unwilling to pay rent, but because of enforcement, because of job instability and fear of even going to work.

The county has declared a local emergency related to federal immigration actions and preventing evictions, in what it says is a critical homelessness-prevention strategy.

Ahead of Tuesday's meeting, immigrant advocates also called attention to senior immigrants, noting that many of them have worked in the community for decades and have paid taxes, but are not eligible for social security and other "safety net" programs.

"We are calling on Los Angeles County to create a guaranteed basic income pilot program so immigrant seniors can age with dignity, stability and choice," Ayloush said.  "This is not a handout; this is a recognition of their many contributions."

If approved, the increase of the Los Angeles County tenant eviction threshold motion would be taken up by the board for another vote within 30 days.