(The Center Square) – One week into anti-deportation protests in Los Angeles, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials are preparing for a “large scale” immigration enforcement action in the city, according to documents leaked to the Los Angeles Times.
City officials have said one in 10 residents are in the country illegally, meaning mass deportations could have a significant effect on the local economy.
The ongoing protests, where many protestors carry Mexican flags, started on Feb. 2, shutting down freeways and resulting in police injuries.
On Friday, when students across the city walked out of classrooms to join the protests, a Hispanic teenager allegedly stabbed an unidentified 17-year old protester who is currently in critical condition.
“Violence of any kind will not be tolerated. LAPD has responded and is working to keep Angelenos in the area safe,” said Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass in a statement on the stabbing. “The City of Los Angeles supports free speech and the right to peacefully protest — but those who commit crimes will be held accountable.”
The City of Los Angeles has declared itself a sanctuary city, meaning city resources cannot be used for immigration enforcement, and city staff cannot cooperate with federal authorities engaged in immigration enforcement. The sanctuary city ordinance also bans the direct and indirect sharing of data with federal immigration authorities.
In support of the sanctuary city ordinance, Los Angeles City Council member Hugo Soto-Martinez said one in 10 residents are illegal immigrants.
Should the city lose one in 10 residents, costs for labor could rise significantly, as illegal immigrants are paid an average of $13 per hour in cash, which is below the state minimum wage of $16.50 per hour and excludes both taxes and worker protections.
Higher wages could have a major impact on local small businesses that rely on migrant labor to remain competitive with large corporate competitors that can afford to invest in automation. Losses in demand for services, from both higher wage prices passed on to consumers and a loss in population, could somewhat offset major labor cost increases, while rents for most housing could go down due to less demand for the city’s more affordable homes.
