Assemblywoman Wendy Carrillo presenting a $2 million check to members of the L.A. Welcomes Collective
Assemblywoman Carrillo secures State funding, boosting local efforts in Los Angeles County for shelter and legal services for immigrant individuals.
November 24, 2023 - LOS ANGELES - On Monday, Assemblywoman Wendy Carrillo presented a $2 million check to members of the L.A. Welcomes Collective as a part of state support to create a fund for qualified immigrant rights organizations to design and execute program outreach in Los Angeles County to provide immigrant individuals with consistent, comprehensive support when entering a public shelter.
The L.A. Welcomes Collective is a network of immigrant rights, immigration legal services providers, and faith organizations focused on migrant rapid response and extended welcoming and integration services. The funds will allow immigrant rights community-based organizations (CBOs) to hire additional staff or utilize current staffing models, and design and execute program outreach to Los Angeles County shelters by providing trainings and curricula centered on cultural competency for CBO shelter staff.
“I am proud to have secured a $2 million allocation for the L.A. Welcomes Collective, a network of non-profit, faith, and humane services organizations focused on migrant rapid response, that has been at the forefront in offering support services, including food, clothing, and legal immigration consultations upon arrival and facilitating family reunions with loved ones residing in the region,” said Assemblywoman Wendy Carrillo. “While the Governors of Florida and Texas have decided to play politics with human lives, we are taking a compassionate approach towards individuals who are in need of care. In the City of Los Angeles, we are treating arriving migrants with kindness, because we recognize the trauma individuals, families, and children alike are exposed to when making the journey to the United States in search of a better life. This is a moment for us to come together as a community to recognize the humanity of people and we are actively choosing to treat each other with dignity, rather than engaging in political theatrics.”
Immigrant individuals and mixed-status families have special needs and legal support options to consider as they make their way into and through shelter and case management services. The funding secured for the L.A. Welcomes Collective will assist with the following:
- Cultural competency training for shelter staff.
- Training related to benefits and public charge.
- Legal services awareness.
- Direct lines of support to serve immigrant communities.
“Migrants, whether they are recent arrivals or long-term residents of our region, face many challenges, including language ability, fear of revealing their immigration status, or not knowing what resources might be available for them. This funding will allow us to work closely with the network of shelter providers so that they can in turn support the needs of all immigrants as it relates to emergency housing support as well as permanent housing options,” stated Angelica Salas, Executive Director for the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA), leading organization in the L.A. Welcomes Collective.
"CLUE Justice is proud to be an LAWC partner, stepping up with our community to receive arriving migrants and treat them with humanity, dignity, and respect. We are thankful to our clergy who provide spiritual support at receiving sites, our many inter-faith volunteers, and our partnering churches who are offering space to provide overnight shelter for those who require it. We welcome this state support to help with the operational expenses to ensure comfortable, dignified accommodations," stated Guillermo Torres, Immigration Programs Coordinator, CLUE LA.
About Assemblywoman Wendy Carrillo
Assemblywoman Carrillo was elected to serve in the State Assembly in December 2017. She represents the 52nd Assembly District, which includes East Los Angeles, the City of Los Angeles, and South Glendale. She serves as the Chair of the Budget Subcommittee No. 4 on State Administration, in addition to the Assembly Committees on Appropriations, Health, Housing and Community Development, Utilities and Energy, Budget Subcommittee No. 6 on Budget Process, Oversight and Program Evaluation, and the Joint Committees on Legislative Budget, and Climate Change Policies. She also serves as the Chair of the Select Committee on Latina Inequities, Vice Chair of the Legislative Progressive Caucus, Commissioner for the California Film Commission, Commissioner for the Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission, and Member of the California Cultural and Historical Endowment Board.
About L.A. Welcomes Collective
The L.A. Welcomes Collective, a network of immigrant rights, immigration legal services providers, and faith organizations focused on migrant rapid response, and its members include the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice (CLUE-LA), Central American Resource Center-Los Angeles (CARECEN), Clínica Monseñor Oscar A. Romero, Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA), Esperanza Immigrant Rights Project, Immigrant Defenders Law Center (ImmDef), Haitian Bridge Alliance (HBA), and Comunidades Indígenas en Liderazgo (CIELO).
Source: Assemblywoman Wendy Carrillo
