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ICE signs installed across Los Angeles
Signs appearing to discourage the staging of ICE raids with Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass' name on it have been popping up across the city.
LOS ANGELES - A growing clash is unfolding between Los Angeles city leaders and federal authorities over immigration enforcement, as hundreds of new signs go up across the city declaring public property off-limits for federal agents.
What we know:
More than 450 signs have been installed at parks, libraries, parking lots and transit hubs, including MacArthur Park, Lafayette Park and the Los Angeles Zoo. The signs state that city property is not to be used for immigration enforcement activities, including as staging areas, processing sites or operational bases.
The move is part of Executive Directive 17, issued earlier this year by Karen Bass.
"I will not stand by while federal agents use our neighborhoods as staging grounds for fear and intimidation," Bass said in a statement to FOX 11. "In Los Angeles, we are setting clear boundaries: city property will not be used to carry out these raids."
But federal officials say the signs carry no legal weight.
"I just think this whole thing is silly. The signs have no legal weight, force or effect on anything the federal government does," said Bill Essayli. "Federal agents will go anywhere they need to go to enforce federal law, including city property."
When asked directly whether the signs would stop federal immigration enforcement, Essayli responded, "No. Not at all. They’re null and void. They mean nothing to us."
The signs have drawn mixed reactions from residents.
At Lafayette Park, some people said they hadn’t noticed the postings but support the message behind them.
"These are people’s families out here... that’s not right," said Eric Smith, who was at the park.
Others acknowledged the intent but questioned the impact, noting federal authorities have made clear they are not bound by the city’s directive.
The issue is especially visible at MacArthur Park, where federal agents conducted an operation last summer that drew backlash. During that incident, Bass publicly called on Border Patrol agents to leave the area.
City officials have not disclosed the cost of producing and installing the signs. However, based on industry estimates of roughly $500 per sign for production and installation, the total could reach around $250,000.
Despite the uncertainty over cost and enforcement, the signs now stand as a visible symbol of an escalating dispute between City Hall and the federal government over immigration policy — and where that policy can be carried out.