Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass unveiled a new plan Friday that will provide direct cash assistance to families impacted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations, even as the city grapples with a $1 billion budget shortfall. The initiative, announced during a press conference where Bass signed an executive order blocking city departments from aiding federal immigration enforcement, is already stirring controversy over its priorities and potential consequences.

According to Bass, the city will offer cash cards—similar to the “Angelino cards” distributed during the COVID-19 lockdowns—to families who are either afraid to go to work due to potential deportation or have lost income because a family member has been detained. While she insists that city funds will not be used, the cards will be bankrolled by unnamed “philanthropic partners” and distributed through activist groups such as CHIRLA (Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles).

That detail has raised eyebrows, especially given CHIRLA’s history of organizing anti-ICE protests that have frequently devolved into confrontations and chaos. Critics argue that funneling money through such groups not only encourages resistance to federal law but also sends the wrong message about accountability and lawbreaking.

Mayor Bass defended the program as an act of compassion, saying, “People are afraid to go to work. They’re living in fear—and we’re going to meet that fear with support.” But that support comes as basic city services have been stretched thin. During the wildfires in January, LA offered only limited aid to its own residents. It was the county—not the city—that stepped in to fill the gaps with grants and emergency funding.

The city’s new approach to immigration enforcement—open defiance—has been framed by Bass as a moral stance. Her executive order instructs all city departments to withhold cooperation from federal authorities in matters related to immigration enforcement. It’s a significant escalation of LA’s status as a sanctuary city, and one that could have real-world implications for public safety, resource allocation, and the rule of law.

The mayor’s office was quick to point out that the funds for the program won’t technically come from taxpayers. But observers note that city coordination, planning, and oversight still represent an investment of resources—even if it’s not coming directly out of the city’s general fund.

Meanwhile, the cash handouts come at a time when law-abiding Angelenos are being asked to accept reduced services and higher costs. Critics say it highlights a glaring double standard: support is flowing freely to those in the country illegally, while citizens struggling with homelessness, wildfire damage, and inflation are left to fend for themselves.

Bass’s announcement comes just days after President Trump’s Department of Education cut off taxpayer funding for illegal immigrants’ participation in adult education programs, citing federal law and a new executive order. The contrast between the federal and local approaches to immigration could not be more stark—one is doubling down on enforcing the law, the other is offering cash rewards for resistance.

With federal-state tensions escalating and a fragile economy already testing the patience of voters, LA’s cash card program may be remembered less for its generosity and more for its symbolism: a city choosing ideology over law, and political performance over accountability.