ICE banned from city properties in Los Angeles

Bass signs directive restricting federal agents

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass signed Executive Directive 17 on Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2026, banning federal immigration agents from using city-owned or city-controlled property for operations.

The order blocks agents from using city spaces as staging areas, processing locations, or bases of operation.

City agencies now have 15 days to identify properties federal agents could use and create plans to block access. Bass also directed crews to lock gates and doors to keep agents out of spaces like parking lots.

She signed the order at a City Hall news conference with several City Council members present.

LAPD ordered to record ICE activity

The directive requires LAPD officers to turn on body-worn cameras whenever they respond to an immigration enforcement scene. Officers must preserve all video and evidence tied to those encounters.

They also must record the name and badge number of the supervising federal agent on the scene. If someone gets injured during an enforcement action, officers must call emergency personnel.

The order also tasks officers with writing reports on any alleged misconduct by federal agents they witness.

Police union says cameras already roll

The Los Angeles Police Protective League, which represents about 8,700 sworn officers, said its members already follow body camera policies that match the new directive.

Under existing LAPD policy, officers are supposed to activate cameras when responding to a call for service or when another agency requests help.

The union called the directive a positive step in showing the public what standards LAPD already upholds.

Bass’s office did not respond to questions about whether officers had turned off cameras during past immigration-related incidents.

Private property owners could face fees

The directive calls for a new ordinance that would charge fees to private property owners who let federal agents use their sites for immigration enforcement.

It also requires city contractors to disclose in writing whether they have agreements with the Department of Homeland Security. Contractors would need to share the nature of the work and the terms of payment.

The private property fee proposal could face legal challenges, as it tests new legal ground that no other city has tried.

Federal government pushes back hard

The Trump administration wasted no time responding. A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson called Bass’s directive “legally illiterate.”

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem’s office said federal agents would continue enforcement across greater Los Angeles. The administration maintained that immigration enforcement targets criminals.

First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said on social media that local governments cannot target and exclude federal agents from public spaces. The pushback signals a likely legal fight ahead.

State mask ban adds to dispute

Bass also called on the Board of Police Commissioners to comply with California Senate Bills 627 and 805, which address masks and visible identification for law enforcement.

A federal judge blocked enforcement of SB 627 on Feb. 9, ruling it unfairly singles out federal officers because it does not apply to state police.

The judge upheld SB 805, which requires officers to display a name or badge number. Bass said the LAPD will enforce the mask law once courts resolve the matter.

Bass and police chief at odds

LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell has said the department will not cooperate with mass deportations, pointing to its longstanding Special Order 40 policy.

But McDonnell previously said he would not enforce the state mask ban, calling armed confrontations over a misdemeanor impractical. That stance drew criticism from city officials and immigrant advocates.

Bass said McDonnell is fully aware of the new directive.

Some immigrant rights advocates have questioned whether the LAPD is the right agency to monitor another armed agency, given its own history of excessive force complaints.

Sanctuary policy dates back to 1979

Los Angeles has restricted police involvement in immigration enforcement for decades. In 1979, LAPD Chief Daryl Gates issued Special Order 40, which barred officers from asking about immigration status.

The policy aimed to encourage immigrants to report crimes without fear of deportation.

In December 2024, the city passed an ordinance banning the use of any city resources, personnel, property, or data to support federal immigration enforcement.

Executive Directive 17 builds on Executive Directive 12, which Bass signed on July 11, 2025.

Summer 2025 raids set the stage

Federal immigration raids escalated across Los Angeles starting in June 2025.

One raid at MacArthur Park drew national attention after federal agents in militarized vehicles arrived while a children’s summer camp was underway. Bass condemned that operation as a display of force.

Executive Directive 12 required city departments to submit preparedness plans and placed immigration affairs liaisons in each department.

Bass’s office said it raised $1.7 million in relief for families affected by the raids.

Other cities follow a similar path

Los Angeles is not acting alone. Chicago passed an executive order banning ICE from city-owned property in October 2025.

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu signed a similar order in February 2026, joined by leaders in Cambridge, Somerville, Lynn, Newton, and Chelsea.

In California, San Jose, Berkeley, Santa Clara County, and Alameda County have all passed property bans. Sacramento is considering a similar measure.

Philadelphia’s City Council introduced legislation restricting ICE activity on city property.

Protests spread across Southern California

Demonstrations and student walkouts have taken place across Los Angeles and Orange counties in recent weeks.

The protests followed high-profile ICE raids in Minneapolis that drew national attention in late January and early February 2026.

Those raids prompted cities across the country to revisit their sanctuary policies and property rules. Bass has described ICE operations in Los Angeles as a “campaign of terror” against city residents.

Enforcement remains an open question

How the city will enforce the property ban if federal agents enter city-owned spaces remains unclear.

Legal experts note that cities can control how their property gets used, but cannot stop federal agents from operating on public streets. Similar orders in other cities have not deterred ICE operations.

Courts have struck down some sanctuary-style restrictions while upholding others, creating legal uncertainty. The directive may face federal legal challenges, particularly the proposed fees on private property owners.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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