By Cristal Mojica

This January, Angelenos compulsively refreshed the Watch Duty app and local news. Together, we witnessed the two most destructive fires in Los Angeles’s history in real-time. 

Except, for many Angelenos, it was not. 

A City on Fire, A Community Left Behind

Nearly 280,000 households in Los Angeles County lack internet access. During the Eaton and Palisades fires, many households received lifesaving evacuation orders too late or not at all. 

Now, Watch Duty notifications are ramping back up and grim headlines about fire season dominate the news. At the same time, lack of affordable, reliable connectivity leaves our communities vulnerable amid another crisis: ICE raids and deportations.

Wildfires and Disconnection

Whether facing a natural disaster or an immigration sweep, the digital divide leaves our most vulnerable communities in the dark. Without affordable internet access, they can’t receive timely information, connect with loved ones, or find urgent help. In California, internet bills average $80 a month. This reality won’t change without legislative action to make connectivity truly affordable.

In the midst of wildfires, California’s digital divide is a matter of life and death. Residents with reliable internet access get real-time information about fire boundaries, evacuation orders, and emergency resources. But for those who cannot afford reliable internet service, depending on methods like word-of-mouth or radio broadcasts can be their only option. If the power goes out, as it frequently does during wildfires, or neighbors are away, lives are endangered. 

ICE Raids and Digital Barriers

These same inequities are playing out amid ongoing ICE activity. Los Angeles’ digital divide disproportionately includes immigrant communities, low-income households, and people of color. In neighborhoods where connectivity is already scarce, immigrant families often don’t receive alerts about raids. Without internet, families can’t look up legal aid or contact attorneys. They can’t even confirm whether detained loved ones are safe. Now, fear keeps many from leaving their homes. Even public spaces like libraries, which might offer internet access, are no longer an option. This isolation further harms those already struggling. 

Disconnection creates a crisis within a crisis, deepening fear, confusion, and harm. They are not isolated incidents, but symptoms of a systemic failure. Industry interests take precedence over the safety and well-being of long-marginalized communities.

There is an undeniable public safety crisis inherent in California’s digital divide, and California’s leaders must recognize that internet access is as crucial as electricity or water. It is an essential utility. 

People’s lives must take precedence over industry interests. Every Californian deserves access to reliable, affordable, and life-saving internet.

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About the Michelson 20MM Foundation

Michelson 20MM is a private, nonprofit foundation working toward equity for underserved and historically underrepresented communities by expanding access to educational and employment opportunities, increasing affordability of educational programs, and ensuring the necessary supports are in place for individuals to thrive. To do so, we work in the following verticals: Digital Equity, Intellectual Property, Smart Justice, Student Basic Needs, and Open Educational Resources (OER). Co-chaired and funded by Alya and Gary Michelson, Michelson 20MM is part of the Michelson Philanthropies network of foundations.