LOS ANGELES — The negative impact of federal immigration enforcement operations on local businesses and workers will be the focus of a comprehensive 15-day economic analysis ordered June 17 by county officials.
The study will assess economic losses to small businesses from workforce removal, property damage from enforcement activities and financial impact from curfews imposed in Downtown Los Angeles. Supervisors Hilda Solis and Janice Hahn ordered the analysis in a June 17 motion responding to federal raids that began June 6.
The analysis will identify the most affected areas and business types in Los Angeles County, focusing on operations that began June 6 when federal agents targeted car washes, Home Depot parking lots, public streets and other workplaces throughout the region.
Officials must also determine which industrial sectors suffered the greatest impact by connecting with labor unions and other organizations, then continue providing monthly reports through December on the same data points.
The county authorized contracts up to $150,000 with the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation to conduct the assessment, with requirements that all data be protected and exclude identifiable information that could endanger individuals or organizations.
“The federal government’s escalation has also resulted in a curfew in Downtown Los Angeles, impacting local businesses,” the motion states. “For many Downtown businesses still recovering from the pandemic, the local economic impact could be significant.”
The Department of Economic Opportunity will collaborate with the Office of Immigrant Affairs, Small Business Commission and Los Angeles County Workforce Development Board to convene listening sessions with affected departments and community stakeholders.
County data shows immigrants comprise approximately one-third of Los Angeles County’s 10.1 million residents, with more than 80 percent having lived locally for at least a decade. In 2019, immigrants contributed about $115 billion to the regional economy through taxes and spending power, including $11.4 billion to Social Security and $3 billion to Medicare, New American Economy reported.
The analysis comes as Los Angeles County’s gross domestic product exceeds $960 billion, ranking as the 19th largest economy globally if it were a standalone nation.
Beyond the economic assessment, supervisors directed the development of a rapid-response communication strategy to help affected businesses and workers access legal aid, rental assistance and mental health resources. The strategy includes live webinars about resources and “Know Your Rights” information, ensuring anonymity and interpretation services in multiple languages.
Officials will produce video webinars covering the same information in English and languages spoken by affected business owners, distributed on platforms offering online privacy tools. The county will also create printable toolkits for small businesses and workers, including modules specifically designed for street vendors.
The motion expands the Youth@Work program from 150 to 400 hours to support youth who became primary income earners after family members were removed during enforcement operations. The expanded program will include “Know Your Rights” information in its curriculum.
County officials will partner with the Los Angeles County Office of Education, Los Angeles Unified School District and Los Angeles Community Colleges to distribute resource information to students, parents and caregivers.
Supervisors also directed efforts to establish a business interruption fund for small businesses affected by workforce losses and curfews, while seeking philanthropic funding for cash assistance programs supporting impacted workers and youth who became heads of household.
The Chief Executive Office’s Legislative Affairs branch will advocate for state-level measures supporting affected businesses and workers.
Officials must report back within 30 and 60 days on implementation of communication strategies, funding partnerships and expanded youth employment programs, while continuing monthly economic impact assessments through the end of the year.
