Los Angeles Times: ‘I am not the same person.’ Pasadena man recounts 13 days in ICE’s ‘basement’

| Posted in In the News

Rami Othmane was driving to the supermarket to pick up ingredients to make dinner when he noticed a car following closely behind… He was brought to the downtown Los Angeles ICE facility known as B-18, or “the basement,” a temporary immigration processing center. According to the Pasadena-based Barcena Law Offices, “this is where people go to be detained for less than 12 hours ... [and]…

Spectrum News 1: Scott, Johnson launch investigation into preparations, response to Palisades Fire

| Posted in In the News

More than six months after wind-whipped flames tore through parts of Los Angeles, two Republican senators are opening an investigation into the Palisades Fire that killed 12 people and damaged or destroyed thousands of homes. “You can’t stop what happened — but you can learn from what happened,” said Senator Rick Scott, R-Fla. in an interview with Spectrum News on Tuesday. Scott,…

Los Angeles Daily News: California Democrats warn of implications of Supreme Court’s immigration order

| Posted in In the News

A split U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to lift restrictions on indiscriminate immigration stops and arrests in Los Angeles also divided Southern California lawmakers and activists Monday, leaving some to decry the order as greenlighting racial profiling and others cheering what they say will be increased safety in the area... Rep. Jimmy Gomez, D-Los Angeles: “Once again, speaking…

Punchbowl News: House Democrats want more from Senate housing push

| Posted in In the News

A prominent group of House Democrats told reporters this afternoon they were glad to see the Senate Banking Committee move on a major piece of bipartisan housing legislation but want to see more out of the package. “Them just taking a big swing – or a bunt swing, I guess – at the problem at least shows that they know they have a problem that they want to address,” Rep. Jimmy…

Spectrum News: Rep. Gomez Introduces Affordable Homeownership Act

| Posted in In the News

Watch full interview here Congressman Jimmy Gomez, who represents part of LA, says he's working on the Affordable Homeownership Act that would give first-time home buyers between 25 and 50 thousand dollars towards a down payment. President Trump, meanwhile, says he is considering declaring a…

ABC 7: Los Angeles City Council considers supporting drone surveillance ban

| Posted in In the News

The Los Angeles City Council is considering whether to support a bill that would ban surveillance drones. The bill was introduced after the Department of Homeland Security deployed a drone over the city during recent protests against immigration raids. Rep. Jimmy Gomez, D-Los Angeles, introduced the legislation. The legislation would prohibit federal agencies from using military…