In a packed church near downtown Los Angeles, Mayor Karen Bass stood alongside pastors, rabbis, imams and immigrant families Thursday evening to lead an interdenominational prayer and a public conversation aimed at strengthening the city’s support for migrants. The event, organized by a coalition of faith groups and immigrant-rights organizations and reported by CBS News, sought to affirm Los Angeles’s role as a refuge as federal and state debates over immigration policy intensify.

“We are called to welcome the stranger,” Bass told the crowd, according to remarks released by her office. “This city will keep working to make sure newcomers have shelter, legal help and a path to dignity.” Her appearance underscored the political as well as moral dimensions of the gathering, melding spiritual ritual with municipal policymaking.

The ceremony drew several hundred attendees, including newly arrived migrants, caseworkers, and elected officials. Faith leaders from Catholic, Protestant, Jewish and Muslim institutions offered prayers in multiple languages and took part in a panel discussion about practical support — from emergency housing and health services to navigating asylum claims. Reverend Maria Lopez, who helped organize the event, said the goal was to move beyond rhetoric. “Prayer opens our hearts, but dialogue builds bridges to services and to power,” she said.

Los Angeles has been at the front lines of a broader migration surge that has placed pressure on city budgets and municipal services. In recent years the city has expanded shelter capacity and legal clinics while also facing lawsuits and political pushback over its obligations and capacity. Officials describe the gathering as both solidarity and strategy: a public reaffirmation of sanctuary-city principles and a platform to coordinate with religious organizations that have historically provided sanctuary, shelter and legal aid.

The event also highlighted the international dimensions of the crisis. Los Angeles’s migrant population reflects flows from Central America, Mexico, the Caribbean and beyond — movements driven by violence, climate stress and economic dislocation. “What happens at the border is not just a domestic policy issue,” said a panelist who works with asylum seekers. “It is tied to foreign policy, trade, and development, and cities are where those global trends arrive.”

Legal experts at the gathering reiterated that while municipalities can provide services and protection, immigration enforcement remains a federal responsibility. Advocates called for stronger legal pathways to reduce dangerous irregular crossings and for U.S. adherence to international human-rights obligations in processing asylum seekers. These appeals come as federal courts and Congress remain deeply divided over enforcement mechanisms and funding.

The appearance by Bass will likely draw scrutiny from critics who argue municipal resources are strained and that sanctuary policies complicate cooperation with federal authorities. Supporters counter that faith-rooted coalitions offer relief the federal government has not provided and that localities must act to safeguard children and families.

As the prayer concluded, organizers announced plans for a citywide task force that would link faith institutions with municipal services to streamline legal aid and shelter referrals. The gathering in Los Angeles was a microcosm of a global debate: how communities reconcile humanitarian commitments, legal obligations and political realities as migration reshapes cities worldwide.