The Los Angeles Ambulatory Care Center reopened in a limited capacity on June 20, after being closed due to protests against ICE deportation operations in the city.
According to VA.gov, normal business operations will be available until 3 p.m. Veterans and staff should exit the building by 3 p.m. Updates regarding operations will be shared as more information becomes available.
Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins announced the closure earlier this month with an inflammatory statement that didn't necessarily reflect the situation on the ground in Los Angeles.
"To the violent mobs in Los Angeles rioting in support of illegal immigrants and against the rule of law – your actions are interfering with veterans’ health care," Collins told Fox News on June 18.
In a June 12 letter to California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Collins wrote that local VA leaders made the difficult decision to shutter the facility “after criminals defaced the outer walls of the facility with profanity-laden graffiti threatening the lives of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) personnel.”
VA Deputy Secretary for Public Affairs Macaulay Porter described the graffiti on the building's exterior as extensive.
“The graffiti was extensive across the building and estimated repair costs are in the thousands,” she told Connecting Vets. “Local GLA Engineering staff completed graffiti removal. The secretary hasn't heard from the California officials [about whether] they will cover the costs of the repairs.”
In his letter to Newsom, Collins criticized the City of Los Angeles and the state of California’s response to the riots lackadaisical, which “raises serious questions regarding the safety and security of VA-enrolled Veterans in Los Angeles once the National Guard and other Federal authorities leave the city.”
Collins also asked Newsom about the specific steps state and local authorities are taking to restore law and order to the community surrounding the facility and for a status update about the investigations into the matter.
Located in Downtown Los Angeles, the facility is just off the 101 freeway, near where protesters converged to protest the enforcement of President Donald Trump's nationwide immigration raids.
“The total number of impacted or canceled veteran appointments has reached more than 2,500,” Porter told Connecting Vets. “Veterans were contacted to reschedule appointments, complete virtual appointments and resolve any needs.”
The VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System serves the health care needs of more than 84,000 veterans.
Reach Julia LeDoux at Julia@connectingvets.com.