West Hollywood City Council met Monday to address a July 4 ICE raid at Santa Palm Car Wash, where masked agents in unmarked vans detained workers, triggering widespread outrage. The council approved six immediate measures and explored an extensive strategy to support the community and resist federal overreach, reflecting the city’s sanctuary ethos.
Public sentiment was raw and resolute. Alex Paris branded the raid “gestapo-like,” urging the council to “deliver not comfort but protection” with “fire action”, emphasizing constitutional duty. Nick Renteria thanked Mayor Byers and Councilmember Hang for their Instagram condemnation, calling for the city to “push back” against escalating federal boundaries and suggesting a resolution to label ICE a terrorist organization. Lynn Hoopingarner cited a LA Times article, noting agents’ masking creates an “intimidation spectacle”, and proposed a local ordinance banning masked, armed individuals without ID. Steve Martin decried the law’s misuse as a “tool of terror,” highlighting deportations to war-torn South Sudan and hypocritical immigration policies, while suggesting donations to food banks as resistance. Cynthia Blatt, a refugee’s child, urged learning from Pasadena’s community-driven ICE expulsion, and Jennifer Alvarado, a new resident, stressed a legal fund for detained Latinos facing language barriers.
The council adopted six recommendations from City Manager David Wilson’s memo: partnering with the Chamber of Commerce for virtual “know your rights” workshops, promoting food delivery and legal aid to business employees, updating weho.org/wehoresponds for donations (a program active since 2005 for disasters like Hurricane Katrina, creating a multilingual “Know Your Rights” site with existing multilingual materials, coordinating with social service providers for immediate aid, and authorizing the City Attorney to join lawsuits, leveraging past amicus brief experience. An additional letter to federal representatives seeks ICE removal and SB54 reaffirmation.
Councilmembers expanded the plan. Meister proposed mandatory business signs with QR codes, a support network with unions and the Social Justice Advisory Board, and using license plate readers to flag unmarked vehicles due to trafficking risks, plus a mask/gun/ID ban. Heilman suggested mailers, posters, a GoFundMe for detained workers, rental assistance, and direct legal representation over referrals. Hang, sharing his refugee background, pushed for a legal defense fund and cited Huntington Park’s credential-check ordinance. Mayor Chelsea Byers proposed a text alert system despite fear concerns, reviewed license plate contract risks, and promoted a LA Labor Federation training (July 11, 5-8 PM, LA Convention Center) to empower community resistance, encouraging neighborly networks. She also noted state support via SB 627 and SB 805 for mask and ID visibility.
The motion passed unanimously, with staff to explore drones for emergencies and the “ICE Block” app for sightings. This holistic response forms the foundation of West Hollywood’s defiance.
Newsweek is reporting that the highest support for these mass deportations comes from the Hispanic community. Every group supports it by far more than half, but the lowest support (although still more than half) is from white people; white bleeding heart liberals, like the WeHo city council!
Means nothing. Federal law will be enforced. West Hollywood cannot pick and choose which laws they want to follow.
WH is so lost. Of course this clown show doesn’t support law enforcement. But it turns out the country does. Tough luck.
Yes West Hollyweird. Shake your fist at the sun….