LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles City Council Wednesday instructed staff to develop a public awareness campaign using its trash truck fleet to inform residents of their rights amid an ongoing federal crackdown on illegal immigration.
In a 13-0 vote, council members instructed the Community Investment for Families Department to partner with nonprofit organizations such as the Salvadoran American Leadership and Educational Fund, Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, and the Central American Resource Center, among others, for the campaign.
Together, the group is expected to make informational stickers and posters that can be attached on the sides of garbage trucks with “Know Your Rights” messaging.
Council members called for the campaign to run for about three months, and requested a report on the associated cost.
In a separate but similar vote, the council asked the Civil Rights Department to report in 30 days on the feasibility of establishing an online intake system to collect personal testimony, written or recorded, from impacted individuals or witnesses of federal immigration enforcement actions in Los Angeles. City officials aim to use information gathered in court proceedings related to alleged violations of civil and constitutional rights and temporary restraining orders.
Council members Ysabel Jurado and Curren Price were absent during Wednesday’s meeting.
Wednesday’s votes were the latest efforts taken by the city and Los Angeles County to provide some aid to immigrants, residents and businesses impacted by federal immigration enforcement activities.
On Tuesday, the L.A. County Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 to declare a local state of emergency in response to federal operations, alleging that the Trump administration’s actions are preventing many people from going to work and forcing some businesses to close.
Board of Supervisors Chair Kathryn Barger was the lone no vote against the proclamation. She said she believed the move would lead to legal action by the federal government.
“Potential legal challenges will also put an additional fiscal burden on Los Angeles County’s budget — a budget that’s already stretched thin,” Barger said in a statement. “We need real solutions, not symbolic gestures. I’ll continue to support targeted, community-centered programs like legal aid and rental assistance that provide meaningful help to vulnerable families while respecting legal limits, protecting county resources, and preserving public trust.”
The proclamation approved by the board states that the raids that began around June 6 “have caused residents to be fearful of leaving their homes, to go to work, take public transportation, access county services including medical services, access open public programs and resources and attend appointments with immigration lawyers and legal service providers.”
County officials said they will expedite contracting, procurement and hiring; request additional financial assistance and mutual aid; and take all necessary emergency actions to support and stabilize impacted communities.
