LONG BEACH, CA – The Long Beach Values Act, started in 2018, protects immigrants by limiting how the city works with federal immigration agents. On January 7, 2025, the city strengthened it, adding rules like training city workers to block Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from non-public city areas and punishing workers who don’t follow the rules.
The Act says Long Beach Police won’t help ICE unless there’s a court order. It also stops the city from sharing personal info, like immigration status, with ICE. New changes include “No Entry” signs on city property and a program for businesses to become “Safe Places” for immigrants. The city added $200,000 to the Long Beach Justice Fund to help pay for lawyers for people facing deportation.
Some question if the Act breaks federal law. The Trump Administration called Long Beach a “sanctuary city” in May 2025, saying it might face penalties for not helping ICE. Federal law says cities can’t block immigration enforcement, but California’s Values Act (SB 54) supports Long Beach’s rules by limiting state and local police from working with ICE. A federal judge once ruled against punishing cities like Long Beach for this. Still, some worry the city could lose federal money, like the $315 million it got last year, if the Trump Administration challenges it.
Critics, like local group ÓRALE, say the Act still allows some cooperation with ICE for serious crimes. They also want people to be able to sue the city if it doesn’t follow the Act, but officials say this could lead to costly lawsuits. The city will review the Act again in six months.
“We need to continue to place a focus on why we’re in this situation is because of the federal government,” Mayor Rex Richardson said. “ This is a situation that was brought upon us, not something that we welcome.”
The City of Long Beach has allocated specific funds to support the Long Beach Values Act and related initiatives, particularly through the Long Beach Justice Fund and broader budget plans…