The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously with no discussion to allow LA county to hire non-citizens, except in positions where being a U.S. citizen is required by state and federal law.
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted in favor to waive citizenship requirements for Los Angeles County. The motion was authored by Chair Hilda L. Solis, and co-authored by Sheila Kuehl.
“Los Angeles County is a community of immigrants from each corner of the world,” said Chair Hilda Solis in a statement. “And while our County-government workforce reflects the community it represents, there is room for improvement. This motion seeks to make clear that the County, as one of the largest employers in the region, strives to be an inclusive and diverse workforce, and is committed to not excluding nor allowing citizenship to be a barrier to employment.”
The U.S. citizen requirement will remain in place for applicants for Los Angeles County Sheriff Department or any peace officers hired by the county.
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As of 2018, an estimated 880,000 non-citizens made LA County their home, yet there are barriers they face for employment in the county, stated in a Solis Press Release.
During recruitment cycles recruiters have to reject qualified non-U.S. citizens to fill vacant entry-level positions.
“Barriers to employment based on cultural, racial, ethnic, or religious characteristics are contrary to our core values. Citizenship overlaps these demographic characteristics,” shared Los Angeles County Public Defender Ricardo García. “An immigrant’s experience will advance our vision, mission, and values to protect our clients’ legal and human rights and enable us to more readily realize my goal that our employees fully represent the demographics of the population that we serve.”
