SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler Calls on California Governor Gavin Newsom to Request Disaster Declaration for Small Businesses Impacted by L.A. Riots

Agency Requests Authorization to Deliver Aid to Victims of Looting, Property Destruction

WASHINGTON, June 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, Kelly Loeffler, Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), called on California Governor Gavin Newsom to request an SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Declaration to authorize the agency to begin delivering urgent assistance to small businesses across Los Angeles that have been ransacked by rioters since civil unrest began last week. The agency stands ready to deliver critical aid to innocent American victims - whose storefronts have been looted and destroyed by the migrant mob that is wreaking havoc in defense of criminal illegal aliens.

"We're giving Gavin Newsom the opportunity to stop siding with criminal illegal aliens and start siding with law-abiding Americans - many of whom have lost everything to the violent and destructive riots across Los Angeles,” said SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler. "The migrant mob has looted stores, destroyed storefronts, and committed criminal acts of vandalism against our small businesses. Although local leaders are allowing Los Angeles to burn, federal partners are ready to help American citizens rebuild - and we will do so, as soon as the Governor answers their call for help.”

For the safety of employees and small business owners, Administrator Loeffler recently announced that SBA would be relocating its Regional Office out of Los Angeles due to the city's refusal to cooperate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The Regional Office is located mere steps from the violence that continues to occur in downtown Los Angeles - and where U.S. Marines have been deployed to restore order.

The SBA has provided the state of California with all relevant information needed to request an EIDL Declaration - which will allow small businesses in Los Angeles to apply for low-interest, long-term loans of up to $2 million to help them rebuild following the catastrophic violence of this weekend. Given the urgency of the situation, the SBA is committed to approving any such disaster declaration as soon as it is submitted by Governor Newsom.

CONTACT: SBA HQ Press Team

U.S. Small Business Administration

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