Pro-immigrant organizations pledge to fight for undocumented immigrants

On Thursday morning Yajaira Valdovinos gathered her strength. While holding back tears, she sent a message to elected President Donald Trump in front of Los Angeles City Hall.

“Mr. Trump, it is true that you caused fear in us, but let me tell you fear us because you have made us stronger and united,” she said while raising her fist. 

Behind her stood a coalition of pro-immigrant rights, legal, labor, faith, and community organizations chanting “Si se puede” (Yes, we can). They gathered two days after Trump’s victory as the new president of the United States to share their plans to continue seeking humane and permanent immigration solutions.

Speaker after speaker left a clear message to the Trump administration; they will not allow mass deportations. During his presidential campaign, Trump promised to deport the nearly 12 million undocumented immigrants living in the country. However, he has failed to provide details on how this will happen. 

Advocates said they were not afraid this time, Trump won’t take them by surprise because they will be prepared and organized. 

Angelica Salas, executive director of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA), said they have seen the separation of families under the Trump administration in the past.

She said we must learn from history and how to prevent it, like the Japanese internment camps during World War II or the Operation Wetback and mass deportations in the 50s. Even in recent years, children in detention centers separated from their families.

“See us for who we are. We are mothers and fathers, we are beautiful people, we are hardworking, we have visions, we’re rooted in this country,” she told the Trump administration. “If you unleash your hate, we will be here to resist you with our love, our power and our humanity.”

Martha Arevalo, director of CARECEN, requested the Biden Administration to redesign the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) because this is the most concrete way to protect immigrants from Central American countries like El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Honduras.

“We urge the Biden administration to use the next 74 days of transition, and we also urge all elected officials to use the remaining time in office to secure relief and protection for all immigrants,” said Arevalo. 

She also said misinformation remains a significant challenge, as many people may fall for false opportunities for immigration reform. She said immigration laws have not changed and asked the community to stay vigilant and protect the immigrants against notarios who may tell them otherwise.

Pushing for the Sanctuary City in Los Angeles

On June, 2023, The Los Angeles City Council unanimously approved a motion to draft an ordinance to establish Los Angeles as a “Sanctuary City. The ordinance would prohibit any City resources, property or personnel from being utilized for any federal immigration enforcement. While the motion–presented by Councilmembers Eunisses Hernandez, Nithya Raman and Hugo Soto-Martinez–directed the City Attorney to prepare the ordinance within 60 days, more than a year has passed and is not ready yet. 

Arevalo said this is unfortunate and the excuse given is that the committee in charge hasn’t been able to get the right language. 

“We always talk about it, but we are not a sanctuary city yet,” said Arevalo.  

The work continues

David Huerta, president of SEIU-USWW,  a union that represents 50,000 workers throughout the state, said he is proud of the hard-working volunteers who knocked on doors and made phone calls across three states to support Vice-President Kamala Harris' campaign. He said as a leader in the labor movement, they commit to providing support and defense for all working people.

“The feeling of both hurt and anger is being felt by many who worked hard to elect the first woman president to the United States, but unlike many, those who challenged the result of the last election to the point of an insurrection, we will accept the outcome and the will of the American people,” said Huerta.

However, he said the people will not accept an agenda that intends to dismantle the American labor movement and the rights of workers to join a union,  attack women’s rights to make decisions on their reproductive freedoms,  the deportation of hardworking immigrants or the separation of families. 

Other participant organizations included the Black Alliance for Just Immigration (BAJI), California Immigrant Policy Center (CIPC), Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice (CLUE), Council on American-Islamic Relations Los Angeles (CAIR-LA), Pilipino Worker Center, and Women’s March Action.