SANTA MONICA—On May 9, Santa Monica Mayor, Lana Negrete and the Santa Monica Police Department (SMPD) Chief, Ramon Batista have each made statements that are posted on their prospective websites reaffirming that they will not be assisting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in immigration raids.
“…In 2016, the Santa Monica City Council adopted a resolution reaffirming our commitment to protecting all residents, regardless of immigration status. We reaffirmed this in December 2024 and remain steadfast in our position.
Santa Monica does not and will not assist federal immigration authorities in enforcing immigration laws. The city follows California State Law SB54 / The California Values Act (2017) and will only cooperate with federal immigration enforcement when an individual has been arrested for criminal activity.
Since the beginning of this year, the city has been actively working with partners including the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District, civil rights organizations, legal aid attorneys, and immigration advocates to support our most vulnerable residents.
We encourage everyone to know their rights. You can find information and resources on LA County’s Office of Immigrant Affairs page or links to other local and federal resources on our Safe at Home page….”— Mayor Lana Negrete, City of Santa Monica
Chief Ramon Batista posted his statement on his X social media page, a copy of which may be found here.
SMPD Chief Ramon Batista
California Governor Gavin Newsom has filed an emergency motion in an attempt to block the Commander in Chief from deploying the U.S. military to assist federal agents in crowd control as they execute search warrants, and arrest/detain those who have committed crimes, are in the country illegally, or are harboring criminal aliens on their property.
“The federal government is now turning the military against American citizens. Sending trained warfighters onto the streets is unprecedented and threatens the very core of our democracy. Donald Trump is behaving like a tyrant, not a President. We ask the court to immediately block these unlawful actions.”
“The President is looking for any pretense to place military forces on American streets to intimidate and quiet those who disagree with him. It’s not just immoral — It’s illegal and dangerous. Local law enforcement, not the military, enforces the law within our borders. The President continues to inflame tensions and antagonize communities. We’re asking the court to immediately block the Trump Administration from ordering the military or federalized national guard from patrolling our communities or otherwise engaging in general law enforcement activities beyond federal property.”—Governor Gavin Newsom
California Attorney General, Rob Bonta made the following statements accompanied by a live stream video which is posted on the AG’s X social media page.
“We’re asking for a court order to halt the Trump Admin from using the military and the federalized National guard to patrol our communities.
The President is looking for any pretense to place military forces on American streets to intimidate those who disagree with him. It’s illegal and dangerous. We’re fighting to stop him.”
AG Bonta continued. @CAGovernor and I are suing to put a stop to President Trump’s unlawful, unprecedented order calling federalized National Guard forces into Los Angeles.
The President is trying to manufacture chaos and crisis on the ground for his own political ends. This is an abuse of power and not one to be taken lightly. —AG Bonta
It was on June 7, that cinder rocks and fireworks were thrown at ICE Agents while executing warrants on non-citizens who have committed crimes on U.S. soil. The FBI has offered a $50,000 reward for information that leads to the perpetrators arrest.
According to the most recent statistics (2019-2023) Migration Policy Institute Los Angeles County led the state with 3,285,200 immigrants. 7.1 percent of all immigrants worldwide come through LA County.
In addition the North American Community Hub lists LA County as the Second only to New York City, New York for the highest homeless rate in the United States.
By Sharon