Mayor Bass offers support to downtown L.A. businesses
Mayor Karen Bass is moving quickly to shore up small businesses caught in the crossfire of recent federal immigration enforcement actions in L.A.
In a rebuke of what she called the 'chaotic' and 'reckless' federal response, Bass announced today that the city is launching a series of multilingual virtual webinars to connect Downtown L.A. businesses with urgent assistance – from legal aid and funding access to graffiti cleanup and staffing support.
'For a week now, our city has been dealing with the fallout driven by reckless raids of Home Depot parking lots and the activation of federalized troops,' Bass said in a news release. 'They have no plan but chaos – but the city is prepared to deliver for downtown businesses who have been impacted.'
The response comes as L.A. grapples with the aftermath of high-profile immigration raids and rising tensions in immigrant neighborhoods. The Mayor's Office has instituted a nighttime curfew (8 p.m. to 6 a.m.) following vandalism and looting incidents by what Bass described as 'bad actors' exploiting the crisis.
The virtual assistance events begin today – Friday, June 13 – and will be held in English, Spanish, and Korean. The webinars aim to offer practical support for business owners navigating damage, legal confusion, and staffing disruptions caused by ongoing enforcement activity.
Councilmember Ysabel Jurado, who represents the district, emphasized the need to stand strong for both businesses and the immigrant community.
'Our local businesses are the backbone of Downtown L.A.,' Jurado said. 'We will keep showing up for them – and for the people who make Los Angeles vibrant and strong.'
DTLA Business Relief Webinars:
Friday, June 13 | 1-2 PM
Monday, June 16 | 1-2 PM
Wednesday, June 18 | 1-2 PM👉 RSVP here
Businesses can also request help with property restoration, legal rights, funding access, and more.
For info on curfew enforcement and public safety updates, .
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