Los Angeles Sheriff Will Not Enforce Sweeping Vaccine Mandate: ‘The Issue Has Become So Politicized’

Patrick T. Fallon/AFP, Getty

Los Angeles Sheriff Alex Villanueva said Thursday that he will not enforce the vaccine mandate passed yesterday by the city council, because “the issue has become so politicized.”

The city council on Wednesday approved a measure requiring anyone older than 12 entering any indoor public venues, besides grocery stores and pharmacies, to be vaccinated starting Nov. 4. The order extends to places such as restaurants, salons, gyms, and sports arenas. Those with religious or medical exemptions are required to show a negative Covid test taken within 72 hours.

Villanueva, however, has decided not to enforce the city’s mandate.

“The issue has become so politicized,” Villanueva said. “There are entire groups of employees that are willing to be fired and laid off rather than get vaccinated, so I don’t want to be in a position to lose 5, 10 percent of my workforce overnight on a vaccine mandate.”

He then said that his employees are facing “the worst of two worlds” with the “defunding effort” and vaccine mandate.

In July, Villanueva also declined to enforce the city’s reinstated indoor mask mandate, claiming he had “limited resources” and the order was “not backed by science.” He instead asked for voluntary compliance at the time.