Beginning in January 2025, federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have significantly increased military-style roving patrols and detentions. In California, ICE has detained more than 10,000 and arrested over 33,000 people, which include families, parents, children, breadwinners, and caregivers. Early this year, DHS leased several more locations in the state, indicating that the footprint of raids and detention will only grow.

Immigration enforcement has overwhelmingly destabilized families and local economies. In Los Angeles, a report revealed the following impacts on workforce and economy:

• 33% of employees were afraid to come to work, and 28% reduced productivity due to worker anxiety.

• 82% of surveyed businesses reported negative impacts from federal immigration enforcement. Over half experienced reduced daily sales or revenue.

The scale of the costs facing immigrant workers is undeniable and has grown on multiple fronts – from California’s cuts to Medi-Cal and food assistance to the legal expenses associated with protecting and recovering their loved ones.

In Los Angeles, the average weekly earnings of immigrant renters fell 62%, with 95% of immigrant renters experiencing rent burden following the raids. Since the raids, renters reported spending an average of 91% of their income on rent, forcing them to make impossible choices between food, healthcare, and staying housed. One in seven households received an eviction notice for nonpayment of rent.

Our vision of immigrant safety must include housing security. SB 1243 will protect immigrant families by establishing tenant protections for renter households who are negatively impacted by federal immigration raids. Specifically, the bill will create an affirmative defense and a temporary stay on unlawful detainer actions for impacted tenants and families.

Join AAPI FORCE and Californians across our state to protect immigrant families from losing their housing! No family should have to choose between keeping a roof over their heads and risking being kidnapped by ICE. Immigrants and refugees are being punished triple by the detention of our loved ones, cuts to our basic needs, and depressed local economies and neighborhoods. California must act now to ensure that immigrant families have a home to return to.

Will you commit to keeping immigrant families housed by signing our pledge today?

Bill Co-Sponsors:

• Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California
• Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders for Civic Empowerment
• Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights
• Western Center on Law and Poverty

Learn more at aapiforce.org/policies