Wednesday, June 21, 2017
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Supervisors Authorize $3 Million Agreement for Legal Defense of Illegal Aliens
By a MetNews Staff Writer
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, on a 4-1 vote, yesterday authorized a $3 million agreement with the California Community Foundation, a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt charitable corporation, which will administer funds to provide for the legal defense of illegal immigrants facing deportation.
Supervisor Hilda Solis released a statement saying that the fund “will be able to help those individuals who have simply been trying to make a better life for themselves and their families.”
Supervisor Kathryn Barger cast the negative vote. She declared:
“Our federal immigration system is broken. It is the federal government’s responsibility to support states and counties in their efforts to address the costs of illegal immigration.
“Consistent with my position on this issue on Dec. 20, 2016, county taxpayers should not be forced to bear the cost to provide free legal representation for those facing deportation.”
On that date, the board passed a motion, by a 4-1 vote with Barger dissenting, to create the Los Angeles Justice Fund, with $1 million in county funds going to it in in Fiscal Year 2016-2017 and as much as to $2 million in Fiscal Year 2017-18. The fund is to be used to provide legal representation in an effort to block deportations.
The City of Los Angeles has committed to donating $2 million to the fund and private contributions are expected to amount to $5 million.
Under rules of the fund, moneys would not be spent in an effort to oppose the deportation of a person convicted of a violent felony, as defined in Penal Code §667.5(c).
Meanwhile, the state budget, which has gone to Gov. Jerry Brown, would provide roughly $15 million for the defense of illegal aliens facing deportations.
Copyright 2017, Metropolitan News Company