Traci Park is Undermining Public Safety by Siding Against Immigrant Communities on the Westside

Los Angeles City Councilmember Traci Park has positioned herself as a staunch advocate for “public safety,” but when it comes to protecting some of the most vulnerable residents of Council District 11—immigrant families—she is nowhere to be found. Her refusal to support sanctuary policies and her failure to push back against the impending federal crackdown on immigrants make it clear: Park is actively undermining the safety of the Westside’s immigrant community, and in doing so, she is failing all of us.  

The Westside of Los Angeles is home to tens of thousands of immigrants, many of whom have lived and worked in the district for decades. In neighborhoods like Mar Vista, Venice, and Del Rey, immigrant families form the backbone of the local economy, working in hospitality, construction, domestic labor, and countless other essential industries. These are not just statistics—these are our neighbors, small business owners, and workers who keep Los Angeles running.  

Despite this reality, Traci Park has chosen to align herself with anti-immigrant policies that leave these families vulnerable. Her refusal to support Los Angeles’ sanctuary city status means she is effectively giving federal immigration authorities the green light to target our communities. That is not just bad policy—it is an outright betrayal of the district’s working families.  

When the Los Angeles City Council voted to officially codify sanctuary protections in November 2024, Park was absent from the vote. But her absence wasn’t just symbolic—it was an act of political cowardice. Afterward, she made it clear she opposed the measure, dismissing it as "symbolic resistance" and fear-mongering about potential federal retaliation.  

Let’s be clear: Sanctuary status is not a symbolic act. It is a vital protection that ensures city resources are not used to help federal agencies tear families apart. By refusing to stand up for sanctuary status, Traci Park has made her priorities clear—she is more concerned with appeasing anti-immigrant forces than with protecting the people who actually live in her district.  

For someone who constantly touts her “public safety” agenda, Park’s stance on immigration makes one thing clear—her definition of safety is exclusionary. Public safety isn’t just about policing and criminalization. True public safety means ensuring that all residents, regardless of immigration status, can live without fear of being torn from their families or detained simply for existing.  

By refusing to support sanctuary status, Park is increasing fear and distrust among immigrant communities, making it harder for residents to report crimes, access emergency services, or seek help when they need it. When people fear that any interaction with local government could lead to deportation, they disengage—and that makes all of us less safe.  

The hypocrisy is staggering. Park claims to champion public safety, yet she actively endangers thousands of residents by siding with federal immigration crackdowns. She says she supports working families, yet she is willing to let ICE terrorize them in their homes and workplaces. She argues that she is looking out for the district’s well-being, yet she refuses to stand up for the very communities that make Los Angeles strong.  

The residents of Council District 11 deserve leadership that stands up for all Angelenos—not just the privileged few. We need leaders who will fight for immigrant protections, not cower in fear of federal retaliation. We need representatives who understand that public safety is about more than law enforcement—it’s about keeping families together and making sure everyone, regardless of status, can thrive in their communities.  

Traci Park has made her position clear. She stands against sanctuary protections. She refuses to fight back against mass deportations. She is making our community less safe. And come election time, the people of the Westside will remember exactly who failed them.