When the government of Los Angeles County declared an “immigration emergency” this week, many Americans shook their heads in disbelief. This wasn’t about a natural disaster or a public health crisis. No, this was a political stunt aimed at stopping our federal government from doing its job—enforcing the law.
Four members of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted to declare an emergency over federal immigration raids. Their resolution claimed that these lawful actions by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, also called ICE, created a “climate of fear.” They said people were too scared to go to work or use public transportation. But let’s be clear: those who are scared are here illegally. They broke our laws by entering or staying in this country without permission.
ICE responded to this political move in strong terms. Spokeswoman Emily Covington said it best: “The only state of emergency is the one the residents of Los Angeles face after electing officials who give a middle finger to the law.” She’s right. These officials are not standing for the Constitution or for legal American citizens. They are choosing to protect those who have broken our immigration laws.
Let’s not forget what laws are for. The Constitution gives Congress the authority to create immigration laws, and the President the duty to enforce them. President Trump is doing just that. He’s returning us to a nation of law and order. If cities like Los Angeles don’t like the laws, they should work through Congress to change them—not try to block enforcement and call it an “emergency.”
This is not just foolish. It’s dangerous. By declaring this fake “emergency,” Los Angeles is trying to get state and federal resources—taxpayer dollars—to shield people who are in the country illegally. That means less help for fire victims, the homeless, and others who are here legally and need real assistance. Americans should not have to compete with illegal aliens for help from their own government.
Supervisor Janice Hahn even compared immigration enforcement to a natural disaster like an earthquake. That kind of talk is reckless. The federal government is not causing a disaster—it’s enforcing the law. The real disaster is when elected officials refuse to carry out their duty to protect the legal residents and citizens of their communities.
This move by Los Angeles is also a slap in the face to the men and women of ICE who risk their lives every day to keep our country safe. These officers are enforcing laws passed by Congress and signed by past presidents. They are not the enemy. The real threat is from those who try to tear down our system of law for political gain.
President Trump has shown patience and strength in continuing these enforcement actions. Though some have called for him to use the Insurrection Act to deal with violent protests against ICE, he has not done so—yet. But if local leaders continue to block federal action while also encouraging lawlessness, the President may have no choice but to act more forcefully.
This is a time for courage and clarity. The Constitution is not a suggestion. It is the supreme law of the land. Cities and states do not get to pick and choose which federal laws they want to follow. That’s not how our republic works.
The people of Los Angeles—and all across America—deserve leaders who will uphold the rule of law, not bend it for political theater. This country was built on legal immigration, personal responsibility, and faith in the Constitution. We must not let open-border radicals turn it into a sanctuary for lawbreakers.
It’s time to return to first principles. Law must mean something again. And those who enforce it deserve our thanks—not political attacks.
