Officials in Los Angeles are contemplating the establishment of “ICE-free zones,” which would restrict federal immigration agents from utilizing county-owned or managed properties as bases for activities like staging, processing, or civil immigration enforcement without obtaining a permit first.
The proposal, put forward by L.A. County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, is set to be reviewed by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. As reported by FOX 11 Los Angeles, this initiative would require drafting an ordinance to be presented to the board within a 30-day timeframe.
Part of the proposed ordinance involves installing physical barriers and signage on all county properties. These signs would declare: “This property is owned and controlled by the County of Los Angeles. It may not be used for unauthorized civil law enforcement, including civil immigration enforcement, as a Staging Area, Processing Location, or Operations Base,” as the report outlines.
The proposal acknowledges the possibility of federal legal challenges, with over $1 billion in federal funding annually on the line.
Protesters in Los Angeles, on January 10, 2026, carried signs against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) following the tragic shooting of Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis. (Image credit: Etienne Laurent/AFP via Getty Images)
Although federal laws take precedence over local regulations, local authorities have jurisdiction over their properties and are not obligated to assist or enforce federal laws. This principle has been foundational for past “sanctuary” policies.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson in October established “ICE-free zones” during Operation Midway Blitz, restricting the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)’s use of public spaces for staging.
In response, Republican lawmakers in December introduced the Safeguarding Homeland Immigration Enforcement from Local Detention (SHIELD) Act, which would prohibit local police from arresting federal agents.
Residents surround federal and Border Patrol agents who plan their escape after an immigrant raid on Atlantic Blvd. in Bell, California, on June 19, 2025. California last year passed a law banning authorities from wearing masks. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
A single act of arresting, detaining, prosecuting or obstructing a federal immigration agent would trigger the loss of all federal assistance for the remainder of the fiscal year, with funding restored only if the municipality stops the action and certifies compliance in writing, Fox News Digital previously reported.
The Los Angeles County proposal comes amid a surge of anti-ICE protests across the nation, triggered by the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good during an immigration enforcement operation last week in Minneapolis.
A protester holding a placard participates in a protest against ICE in Pasadena, California, on Jan. 10, 2026. (Xinhua via Getty Images)
One day after Good’s death, a Border Patrol agent was accused of shooting and wounding an illegal immigrant couple in Portland after DHS said they tried to ram their car into federal officers during a targeted traffic stop.
