City to Launch Immigrant Assistance Fund

The Pasadena City Council unanimously voted on Monday to allocate $100,000 in seed funding for the creation of an Immigrant Assistance Fund.

The fund will support local residents impacted by recent immigration enforcement actions.

The funding, drawn from the city’s general fund surplus, follows a unanimous council decision last month reaffirming Pasadena’s commitment to the dignity and well-being of all residents, especially those feeling threatened by stepped-up federal immigration activity.

The fund will be administered in partnership with the Pasadena Community Foundation (PCF), a local nonprofit with a history of managing city-directed relief efforts. PCF previously coordinated COVID-19 relief grants and recent disaster response funds.

The initiative builds on the council’s June 23 adoption of a “Statement on Federal Activity and Community Reassurance in Pasadena,” which pledged solidarity with immigrant communities amid rising fears linked to immigration raids.

The City has taken several steps in opposition to the immigration actions.

Earlier this month the City officially showed its support for a temporary restraining order barring ICE officers from racially profiling people as a way to initiate contact with people.

A judge ruled in favor of the TRO and also mandated all detained immigrants be allowed access to legal counsel.

City officials emphasized the flexibility of the general fund, noting that restricted special funds could not legally be used for this purpose. After adopting the fiscal year 2026 budget, the city identified a $122,998 surplus in the general fund—enough to cover the $100,000 appropriation without affecting other programs.

The city expects the new fund to attract further contributions from individuals and community organizations wishing to support immigrant residents facing legal, financial, or emergency hardships due to enforcement actions.