LA mayor pledges national movement against immigration deadlock

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti told a National Press Club Newsmaker on Wednesday that he “will lead a national movement by cities against immigration deadlock” in Congress.

Garcetti, who leads the nation's second largest city, said Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and New York Mayor Bill de Blasio also support such a movement. Garcetti criticized Congress'failure to pass a comprehensive immigration reform bill.

“We need a pathway to integration, a return to what we are about,” Garcetti said.

Garcetti said that Los Angeles libraries have always been “information centers” and now are also “citizenship centers.” All 72 branch libraries have “citizenship corners,” and “librarians who are trained with information available to get to the pathway to legal status and citizenship,” and it is free. He said the city is also “exporting” the knowledge and strategy to Boston, New York, and other cities across the nation.

He added, “The best way to strengthen our cities is to help all cities, and we are sharing best practices. It is (now) a collaboration of eighteen cities.” He said it’s not just an “ethical but practical issue."

But Garcetti said while helping undocumented residents is important, “sanctuary cities” should not be “sanctuaries for crime; that’s not what a sanctuary is for.” He said he coordinates with Immigration and Customs Enforcement to arrest and remove undocumented people who commit crimes.

Garcetti also addressed the City’s new $15 per hour minimum wage, to be phased in over five years. He said the higher wage would reduce inequality and would not cost jobs: Of 1,000 companies surveyed in Los Angeles, “zero said they would pack up and leave.”

He said the new minimum wage would “take 600,000 earners out of poverty, one million if you include families.” He said that “two-thirds of companies would save money by reducing employee turnover.” He contended that otherwise, in fast food, for example, there’s a “constant help wanted sign.”

In response to a question, he said, “I do not support a carve-out” for exceptions like hotels. “The minimum wage is the minimum wage.”

On the historic West Coast drought, Garcetti surprised many when he asserted, “We have plenty of water.” He said measures he has instituted have reduced Los Angeles consumption by over 20%, including financial incentives to convert residential lawns to rock gardens and dry-friendly plant landscapes.