Opinion: L.A.’s legal defense fund for immigrants will only embolden Trump supporters

To the editor: Like the vast majority of Latinos, I am not a supporter of Donald Trump. But for Los Angeles city and county leaders to use $5 million in taxpayer funds for the legal defense of the undocumented is mind-boggling. It is overreaching decisions like this one by mega-liberals that awoke the rest of the country and got Trump elected in the first place. (“Responding to Trump, L.A. proposes $10-million legal defense fund for immigrants facing deportation,” Dec. 19)

The rationale used by City Atty. Mike Feuer, who said the funds would ensure “more fairness and more effectiveness in the immigration system,” is bogus and meritless. President Obama has deported more people than any of his predecessors, and yet local officials took little action.

Our leaders in Los Angeles must take pause and not get caught up in the “sky is falling” hysteria.

Victor Ramos , Mission Hills

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To the editor: County Supervisor Hilda Solis continues to show her hypocrisy. As part of the Obama administration, she remained silent as more than 2.5 million immigrants were deported. Now all of a sudden she wants to use our tax dollars to provide legal services to combat an event that hasn’t even happened yet.

Trump has not taken office, nor has he enacted any policies or taken any action regarding immigration. What grandstanding by the Board of Supervisors and the city of Los Angeles to act otherwise.

It is also comforting to know that our county parks, beaches, sheriff’s department, fire department, healthcare, childcare, social services, jails, roads, libraries, pensions and homeless needs are all so well funded that the supervisors can spend money on immigration, an issue they have repeatedly stated is not their responsibility but a federal issue.

Gary Velasco, Glendora

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To the editor: A legal defense fund for illegal immigrants? Really? I didn’t realize the Los Angeles city and county governments had $5 million lying around collecting interest.

Look closer, guys; you can probably find a project that would benefit citizens.

Ilene Schur, Laguna Woods

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