LOS ANGELES — On Tuesday, the Los Angeles City Council unanimously approved a “sanctuary city” ordinance aimed at protecting immigrants living in the area. This law restricts the use of city assets and staff for federal immigration enforcement actions.

This decision in Southern California, the U.S.’s second-largest city after New York, follows President-elect Donald Trump’s commitment to pursue large-scale deportations of immigrants.

The ordinance formalizes the protection of migrants as part of local legislation. Council member Paul Krekorian noted that this action is intended to reassure the immigrant community in Los Angeles that their concerns are recognized.

Before the vote, pro-immigrant demonstrators gathered outside Los Angeles City Hall, holding banners with slogans such as “Los Angeles Sanctuary City Now!” and chanting in Spanish, “What do we want? Sanctuary. When do we want it? Now.”

According to council members, around 1.3 million migrants live in the city, although they did not specify how many entered legally.

“We are very worried, considering that roughly a third of our city’s population is made up of immigrants,” said Shiu-Ming Cheer, deputy director of immigrant and racial justice at the California Immigration Policy Center, who spoke at the rally.

Cheer added, “People are frightened that the National Guard or other individuals may be compelled to enforce Trump’s plans for mass deportation, but we are also organized.”

As reported by the non-profit Immigrant Legal Resource Center, eleven states have undertaken various measures to limit collaboration with federal immigration enforcement. Trump, who won the election on Nov. 5, will be inaugurated on Jan. 20.

The transition team for Trump did not reply to a request for comments.