LOS ANGELES, CA – Today, Chrysalis CEO Mark Loranger joined Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and fellow community leaders at a press conference to denounce the recent ICE enforcement and federal government actions taking place across the city and Southern California. The gathering served as a unified front against fear-based tactics targeting immigrant communities and reinforced the shared commitment to protect the rights and dignity of all people, regardless of immigration status. 

As an organization devoted to workforce development and empowering people through employment, Chrysalis is extremely concerned for workers in its community that are being targeted.  

Statement from Chrysalis CEO Mark Loranger: 

“Immigrant workers are essential to the economic, cultural, and social fabric of Los Angeles. At Chrysalis, we see firsthand the determination and resilience of immigrant clients striving to build better lives for themselves and their families—often while navigating fear, discrimination, and barriers to employment. 

No one should live in fear while simply trying to work and provide for their family. ICE raids sow fear, disrupt families, and destabilize communities. They do not make us safer—they make us more divided. 

We stand with Mayor Bass, local leaders, and our nonprofit partners in saying clearly: Immigrant workers deserve dignity, protection, and opportunity. Chrysalis remains committed to helping all Angelenos—regardless of background—prepare for, find, and retain employment, because working and thriving in your community is a right, not a privilege.” 

The press conference highlighted the collective responsibility of employers, city leaders, and service providers to uphold the rights of workers and reject policies that criminalize people for being a part of our community and economy. 

A 2024 study by the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, found that undocumented immigrants contributed $8.5 billion in California state and local taxes in 2022. Nationally, this number grows to $96.7 billion when considering federal, state, a local taxes.  

The current ICE raids and federal government response are not making our community safer. These raids are causing fear, stress, and economic hardship for many Angelenos, regardless of immigration status. We know of citizens and others who are fully authorized to be in the US who are not coming into work, not going to school, not going to medical appointments, and not going to church, simply because they don’t want to be caught up in these sweeps.

This approach to immigration by the federal government is not even coming close to working on any issues that the raids are purported to address. Instead, it is negatively affecting our economy, and it is terrorizing a population of people who are vital members of our community and workforce. 

Chrysalis calls on its employer partners and the both the Los Angeles and Southern California business community to: 

  • Reaffirm their support for immigrant workers; 
  • Educate staff about their rights and responsibilities in the event of an ICE raid;
  • Advocate for fair and humane immigration policies that protect our city’s most vulnerable residents. 

For resources on how employers can protect their employees and ensure compliance with legal standards, visit our newsroom at https://www.changelives.org/newsroom/what