In an unprecedented humanitarian measure that continues into 2025, the City of Los Angeles remains committed to assisting undocumented immigrants affected by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids. This program provides debit cards preloaded with direct financial assistance, without requiring legal immigration status.
Mayor Karen Bass, in coordination with community organizations such as CHIRLA (Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles), confirmed that this effort seeks to alleviate the financial instability generated by the intensification of raids in Latino communities.
How do the help cards work?
The financial assistance cards, which are still active in 2025, are loaded with amounts ranging from $250 to $500, depending on each applicant’s situation.
The initiative does not use state or federal government funds, which avoids legal complications with the current administration.
All funds come from private donations, collected through solidarity campaigns led by pro-immigrant organizations and local businesses.
This allows financial assistance to reach people quickly without relying on official bureaucracy.
Who can apply and where?
To be eligible, applicants must:
Not have lawful immigration status in the U.S.
Have been directly or indirectly affected by ICE raids in 2024 or 2025
Currently reside in the greater Los Angeles area
La iniciativa no utiliza fondos del gobierno estatal ni federal
CHIRLA and other local organizations continue to receive applications.
No proof of citizenship or Social Security number is required.
Applications are processed confidentially to protect the identity of the beneficiaries.
Those interested should go directly to CHIRLA-affiliated community centers or contact by phone or official website, where trained volunteers evaluate each case on an individual basis.
Reactions and political context
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This economic aid policy has generated political divisions.
Activists celebrate it as a community resilience tool, while conservative critics argue that it could encourage undocumented immigration.
The city of Los Angeles, however, maintains its position as a sanctuary city and refuses to collaborate with mass deportations.
Since Donald Trump’s return to the presidency in 2025, the increase in raids has provoked fear and economic crisis in many Latino communities.
Against this backdrop, the economic assistance cards not only provide financial relief, but also a clear message of solidarity and humanitarian resistance to restrictive immigration policies.
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