Hundreds of people gathered Saturday morning at downtown Los Angeles’ 6th Street Bridge to protest the Trump administration’s immigration policies that have left many migrant communities shaken.
More than a dozen local unions, immigration rights organizations and elected officials gathered for the “We The People Are Rising,” calling for an end to Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids, racial profiling and government attacks on freedom of speech — exemplified for many by the brief cancellation of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!,” which is filmed locally in Hollywood.
“Trump wants to silence voices,” said David Huerta, labor president of SEIU-USWW and SEIU Local 1000, who attended the rally as a keynote speaker. “He wants to silence the working people. He wants to silence the voice of immigrants. And so right now, we have to be louder and make sure our voices are heard.”
Huerta, who was detained and injured by federal agents while documenting a raid in June, described ICE’s tactics as “cruel.”
“The biggest difference between previous administrations and the current one is anger and cruelty,” he said. “They consider us an enemy within the country and weaponize the very government that’s supposed to represent us.”
Another rally participant, 21-year-old Yungsu Kim, noted that local businesses have been hit hard due to fears that federal agents could be waiting in the corner “to snatch you up.”
“People are afraid to go out right now — that’s both Korean folks and my Latino neighbors I talk to,” Yungsu said. “You see less foot traffic, which means that in neighborhoods like Koreatown, which relies on retail and restaurants, you aren’t seeing customers. Everyone is suffering.”
A Unite Here Local 11 member participates in the rally.
Throughout the city, once lively streets have been left frozen, with many businesses forced to shut down temporarily — with some fearing they may have to shutter for good. One example: After a militarized visit from federal agents in June to the Santa Fe Springs Swapmeet, vendors have been unable to regain their clientele.
“The Trump administration keeps using fear and cruelty as a campaign strategy. And let me tell you, we are sick and tired of these political stunts,” said Councilmember Ysabel Jurado — who represents downtown L.A. — in a speech on Saturday. “His big, horrible bill strips millions of Americans of healthcare, undermines workers and punishes families. Meanwhile, these very services keep our neighborhoods safe, our children fed and our community alive.”
State Sen. Maria Ladoso echoed Jurado’s sentiments in her own speech: “I’m sorry if I offend anybody, but we’ve seen this sh— before. Remember Pete Wilson? Wilson used immigrants and racism to get elected as governor of California,” Ladoso said. “We are not going to let them stop us from having the respect and dignity our communities deserve. ICE will not go into our schools. ICE will not go into our hospitals. ICE will not go into our communities. Keep ICE out of L.A. and California.”
Members of Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment joined the hindered who rallied on Saturday.
Angelenos marched to the sounds of Los Jornaleros Del Norte, a local band whose lyrics often mention day laborers and migrant workers, and who were playing inside a moving bus on Saturday. Angelica Salas, executive director of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, led the march with a megaphone down East 6th Street to Central Avenue until reaching the Japanese American National Museum on East 1st street in Little Tokyo.
“Las calles son del pueblo (The streets belong to the people),” Salas shouted to the crowd headed towards the museum. “El pueblo donde esta? (Where are the people?) El pueblo esta en las calles exigiendo libertad (The people are on the streets demanding liberty).”
Many Los Angeles-area groups came together in support of immigrant rights on Saturday.
Despite the confrontational tone of the marching chants, the vibe was generally positive. Dozens of street vendors — selling freshly made orange juice, ice cream, hot dogs and flags — walked with the crowd, and several bystanders filmed from their apartment balconies.
“I’m here because of the vicious and brutal kidnappings ICE is committing without due process and the snatch-and-grab techniques that have never been done before,” said Big G, a resident from Garvanza in northeast L.A., who did not want to give their real name because of fears of retaliation. “My parents got married at La Placita Olvera. I used to go to church there when I was a kid. My whole life has been based in this city. I love this city and I love all immigrants across the country, they don’t deserve to be treated like this.”