Ridley-Thomas

municipal law.

Specifically, the motion would also direct the city to prohibit inquiring about or collecting information about an individual’s immigration status; engaging in investigation or enforcement related to an individual’s immigration status; providing immigration authorities access to any non-public areas, including jails, without a valid search or arrest warrant; and providing access to city databases or any individual’s personal information or other data to federal immigration authori- ties.

The motion, if approved by the council, would direct the city to begin preparing such an ordinance.

In a statement, Hernandez’s office said, “The city’s current relationship with federal immigration agencies is shaped by an executive directive issued by former Mayor Eric Garcetti and internal LAPD policies. These policies are subject to change under future administrations and have yet to be enshrined as permanent protections for Los Angeles immigrants.” of the three contracts were approved by the board before Sebastian heard he was the subject of a sexual harassment probe.

Flynn has admitted helping to disguise and funnel $100,000 from Ridley- Thomas’ campaign account through the school to another nonprofit, United Ways of California, for the benefit of the Policy, Research & Practice Initiative, a new nonprofit initiative founded by Sebastian, according to her plea agreement.

By funneling the payment through USC, Ridley-Thomas and co-defendant Flynn attempted to disguise the true source of the payment to make it appear as though USC, not the then-supervisor, was the generous benefactor supporting his son and PRPI, prosecutors say.

“Funneling the money was legal under campaign finance law,” Amram told the jury, adding that none of the $100,000 “went into Sebastian’s pocket.”

She told the panel that although “you might not like the way it looks ... it does not make it illegal.”

Ridley-Thomas, who was suspended from the city council following his October 2021 federal indictment, sat beside his attorneys as his wife watched from the audience.

The jury -- which includes a woman accompanied by her emotional support dog -- was seated on Tuesday to hear the case.

Flynn, 84, of Los Feliz, pleaded guilty in September to one count of bribery, admitting that she agreed to route money from Ridley-Thomas to Sebastian’s nonprofit. She is scheduled to be sentenced June 26.

Sebastian became a professor of social work and public policy at USC -- despite lacking a graduate degree. He was later terminated over questions about his original appointment and concerns by the university over the $100,000 donation. He also obtained a full-tuition scholarship and graduate school admission, papers filed in Los Angeles federal court show.

Flynn was dean of the School of Social Work at USC for 21 years until her departure in 2018. She had originally been facing the same slate of federal charges as RidleyThomas.

Responding to news of Flynn’s plea agreement, USC issued a statement last year saying that after the university learned during the summer of 2018 about unethical conduct by the former dean, “we quickly disclosed the matter to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Marilyn Flynn has not been employed by the university since September 2018. USC is not a party to the criminal case but respects the judicial process.” immigration status; providing immigration authorities access to any non-public areas, including jails, without a valid search or arrest warrant; and providing access to city databases or any individual’s personal information or other data to federal immigration authorities.

Ridley-Thomas is a giant figure in local politics, previously serving on the Los Angeles City Council from 1991-2002, then serving in the state Assembly and state Senate before he was elected to the powerful county Board of Supervisors in 2008, serving until 2020, when he returned to the City Council.

He has a doctorate in social ethics from USC and spent 10 years as executive director of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference of Greater Los Angeles, beginning in 1981.

The trial is expected to go into next month.

The motion, if approved by the council, would direct the city to begin preparing such an ordinance.

In a statement, Hernandez’s office said, “The city’s current relationship with federal immigration agencies is shaped by an executive directive issued by former Mayor Eric Garcetti and internal LAPD policies. These policies are subject to change under future administrations and have yet to be enshrined as permanent protections for Los Angeles immigrants.”

The measure’s other co-sponsors echoed Hernandez’s thoughts.

“Immigrants make up the very fabric of this city,” Raman said in a statement. “Prohibiting the use of city resources for federal immigration enforcement shouldn’t depend only on executive actions that could be overturned by a future mayor or police chief. These are fundamental protections that should be enshrined in our laws going forward.”

Added Soto-Martinez: “More than one out of three people who live in Los Angeles, including my own parents, are immigrants. One in 10 are undocumented. This is an important and long overdue step to codify protections for undocumented immigrants into law so we can finally make Los Angeles a true sanctuary city.”