The L.A. Justice Fund, a public-private partnership created to assist people who are facing deportation and cannot afford legal assistance, can now help children and parents who have been separated and are currently residing or detained in the L.A. area, following a unanimous vote by the Los Angeles City Council.

Thousands of protesters throughout the Los Angeles area have called for separated families to be reunited. (photo by Luke Harold)

Mayor Eric Garcetti worked closely with the City Council to expand eligibility for the program, with a motion that permits use of funds for the legal defense of families separated under the Trump Administration’s “zero tolerance policy” and are now in Los Angeles.

“No child should endure the trauma of being separated from their parents or the terror of not knowing if they will ever see their families again,” Garcetti said. “I am grateful for the City Council’s partnership and swift action, because we must do everything possible to reunify these families now. Los Angeles is answering cruelty with compassion – by giving hope and assistance to people in desperate need.”

“When we created the L.A. Justice Fund we looked to help provide legal representation for people whose only crime was looking to create a better life for their family,” Councilwoman Nury Martinez, 6th District, said. “No one could have imagined we would need it to defend children separated from their families. As a mother and an elected representative for this city, I can think of no better purpose than to use this Justice Fund to reunite families separated by this abhorrent policy.”

The L.A. Justice Fund was created by Garcetti, the L.A. County Board of Supervisors, the California Community Foundation and the Weingart Foundation. To date, the fund has awarded $7.4 million to 17 L.A.-based nonprofit legal service providers.

“When the federal government callously rips apart families and traumatizes innocent and defenseless children, who will speak up for them? Who will be on their side?” Councilman Mike Bonin, 11th District, said. “With this action, Los Angeles will be.”