LOS ANGELES – Mayor Garcetti today announced today that, as a New Orleans appeals court is set to hear oral arguments today in the lawsuit temporarily delaying President Obama’s executive actions on immigration, cities across the nation kicked off Immigrant Heritage Week (IHW) by hosting events in advance of the new reforms. Immigrant Heritage Week is a celebration from April 17-24, honoring the experiences and contributions of the millions of immigrants who have shaped cities for generations.

Today’s hearing will hold oral argument on the question of whether to lift a judge’s order temporarily blocking President Obama from carrying out new immigration executive actions. Earlier this month, as part of Cities United For Immigration Action, 73 cities and counties filed a friend-of-the-court brief urging immediate implementation of the new actions.

“Cities are on the front lines when it comes to the consequences of leaving hardworking, taxpaying people in the shadows. We must put the politics aside and focus on the human and economic costs incurred by delay in the President’s action,” said Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti.

On Tuesday during Mayor Garcetti’s State of the City address, he announced that $4 million has been raised in support of the city’s StepForwardLA campaign to assist 100,000 Angelenos with DACA and DAPA, to help keep families united and strengthen the economic and civic fabric. (Full story at LA Mayor)