Officials in Los Angeles are deliberating on establishing “ICE-free zones” to restrict federal immigration authorities from utilizing county-owned or managed properties for activities related to civil immigration enforcement. This would include banning these agents from using such areas for staging, processing, or operational purposes unless they obtain a permit.

The proposal, introduced by L.A. County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, is set to be reviewed by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. As per FOX 11 Los Angeles, the plan necessitates drafting an ordinance that must be presented to the board within 30 days.

Under this proposed ordinance, all county properties would have physical barriers and signs installed. These signs would clearly state: “This property is owned and controlled by the County of Los Angeles. It may not be used for unauthorized civil law enforcement, including civil immigration enforcement, as a Staging Area, Processing Location, or Operations Base,” as reported.

The proposal acknowledges the potential for federal legal challenges, given that more than $1 billion in annual federal funding might be at risk.

In Los Angeles on January 10, 2026, demonstrators held signs in protest against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) following the tragic shooting of Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis. (Etienne Laurent/AFP via Getty Images)

While federal law supersedes local law, local governments retain control over their property and cannot be forced to cooperate with or enforce federal law—the basis for previous “sanctuary” policies.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson in October established “ICE-free zones” during Operation Midway Blitz, restricting the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)’s use of public spaces for staging.

In response, Republican lawmakers in December introduced the Safeguarding Homeland Immigration Enforcement from Local Detention (SHIELD) Act, which would prohibit local police from arresting federal agents.

Residents surround federal and Border Patrol agents who plan their escape after an immigrant raid on Atlantic Blvd. in Bell, California, on June 19, 2025. California last year passed a law banning authorities from wearing masks. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

A single act of arresting, detaining, prosecuting or obstructing a federal immigration agent would trigger the loss of all federal assistance for the remainder of the fiscal year, with funding restored only if the municipality stops the action and certifies compliance in writing, Fox News Digital previously reported.

The Los Angeles County proposal comes amid a surge of anti-ICE protests across the nation, triggered by the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good during an immigration enforcement operation last week in Minneapolis.

A protester holding a placard participates in a protest against ICE in Pasadena, California, on Jan. 10, 2026. (Xinhua via Getty Images)

One day after Good’s death, a Border Patrol agent was accused of shooting and wounding an illegal immigrant couple in Portland after DHS said they tried to ram their car into federal officers during a targeted traffic stop.