Dem immigration emergency declaration ‘slap in the face’ to Americans, LA leader says
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Los Angeles County GOP chair Roxanne Hoge criticized the county’s Democratic leaders for being “shameless” and declaring a state of emergency over federal immigration enforcement operations, calling it a “slap in the face” to Americans.
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 on Tuesday to declare a local state of emergency for the county. The board’s declaration, in response to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations, provides rental assistance and legal assistance to residents affected by the raids.
County departments were also ordered to “take immediate action necessary to protect and stabilize communities affected by federal immigration actions.”
“Living in California, especially living in Los Angeles, is like playing a constant game of whack-a-mole with outlandish policies and statements,” Hoge said in an interview with Fox News Digital.
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A demonstrator waves an American and Mexican flag during a protest after federal immigration officials conducted operations on Saturday, June 7, 2025, in Compton, California. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)
He said the progressive-dominated L.A. County Board of Supervisors “have no shame about the lengths they will go to” to disrupt citizens’ lives and prioritize illegals over citizens.
“They just keep finding more and more different ways to spend taxpayer money and deny us the services that a local government should be giving you — public safety, crime protection, clean streets — none of that exists in Los Angeles,” Hoge said.
“You’d think an emergency would be an entire community burning to the ground and running out of water in the taps. You’d think an emergency would be criminal cartels taking over our streets, but no.”
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Demonstrators gathered outside Dodger Stadium to protest the presence of ICE and Border Patrol agents in Los Angeles. (Image alliance via Zin Chiang/Getty Images)
Addressing the county board directly, Hoge said, “I would say to the ladies who run the most powerful county board of supervisors in the country, they would do well to take a moment to pay attention to the needs of Californians living in Los Angeles.”
“Meanwhile, going back and giving money to people who don’t have to prove they’re here legally or illegally or that they’re going to use the money for rent is a slap in the face to every hard-working person who calls Los Angeles their home,” she continued, “Do your jobs, ladies. Please protect Americans living in Los Angeles.”
In the announcement dated October 9, it was stated that it would remain in effect until terminated by the supervisory board.
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Protesters gather at the U.S. Department of Justice’s Federal Bureau of Prisons following an operation by federal immigration officials in Los Angeles on Friday, June 6, 2025. (Jae C. Hong/AP Photo)
County officials claimed the raids “created a climate of fear, led to widespread disruption of daily life, and resulted in negative impacts on our regional economy, including reduced workplace attendance, temporary or permanent business closures, and increased pressure on schools, hospitals, and houses of worship.”
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In response to Fox News Digital’s request for comment, a spokesperson for the L.A. County Board of Supervisors clarified that the statement “does not provide any funding at this time.”
A spokesperson for board chair Kathryn Barger, who cast the lone vote against the declaration, said in a statement to Fox News Digital that “declaring a local emergency is not the appropriate or responsible way to respond” to federal immigration enforcement operations.
“I want to be clear: My opposition to this motion is about good governance, not immigration status,” Barger said. he said. “Emergency powers exist for crises with life-or-death consequences, such as wildfires, not as a shortcut for complex policy problems. Expanding emergency powers for federal immigration actions undermines the purpose of these powers, invites legal challenges, and circumvents the public process.”
Barger added that “families in the Los Angeles area are afraid, and that fear is real,” but said, “We need real solutions, not symbolic gestures.”
Fox News Digital’s Emma Bussey contributed to this report
