Los Angeles participates in the National Week of Action against Trump’s immigration policies

In preparation for Donald Trump’s inauguration and the threats of mass deportation, the coalition Fair Immigration Reform Movement (FIRM) is hosting a nationwide week of action that includes workshops, rallies and a hunger strike. 

The objective is to advocate so Congressmembers vote against reconciliation bills or proposals that intend to expand or fund immigration enforcement. The groups want the protection of all families, regardless of immigration status, including those with Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), to counteract the harmful intentions of the upcoming Trump administration. 

Los Angeles movement 

On Wednesday morning, hundreds of people gathered to celebrate International Migrants Day at La Placita Olvera. To the rhythm of the music band Los Jornaleros del Norte and through dance, chants and signs, people demonstrated their love for this country, their culture and the importance of their contributions. 

The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA), the leading member of FIRM, led the rally that ended up at the ICE detention center.

CHIRLA’s Executive Director Angelica Salas said this was the perfect day to show who they are and the value they bring to this country.  

“We are the people who are working. We are the people who have families and contribute,” she said. “We want the Biden administration and Trump administration to do better because, at the end of the day, what’s missing is courageous leaders who are willing to stand up for what is right.”

Maria Miranda, a member of United Teacher Los Angeles (UTLA), said she was marching in support of the immigrant families she serves as a teacher. She said educators and teachers are very concerned about what the new president will do once he takes office. She recalled the hard time some migrant children faced a few years ago after being separated from their families when they tried to cross the border in caravans. 

“The students came into our classrooms with trauma,” she said. “So we know our families and students are very concerned with the threat of deportation and family separation.”

Angelo Novelo, a member of Comunidades Indigenas en Liderazgo (CIELO), said that this rally wasn’t about a specific group of people but an effort to show unity. He said that in the City of Los Angeles, there are communities representing 24 different indigenous languages and need representation from organizations like CIELO. 

“Today there is no race or ethnicity. Today, all of us are a group of immigrants and need to continue advocating to preserve the Sanctuary City in Los Angeles,” he said. 

Temporary Protected Status in limbo

In Washington D.C., a group of TPS holders are participating in an eight-day hunger strike that started Monday to urge President Joe Biden to renew TPS for TPS-designated countries before he leaves office. TPS is expected to expire on January 8, 2025. 

“A hunger strike is a powerful symbol of deprivation with what is an urgent moment for the TPS holder community, especially those from El Salvador,” said Jose Palma, coordinator for the National TPS Alliance.

TPS holders are abstaining from food, using their hunger as a powerful symbol of the deprivation and desperation experienced in their home countries. This illustrates what these people will face if their TPS is not renewed and are sent back to their home countries. 

Martha Arevalo, director of CARECEN, said during the rally on Wednesday that they were marching to let TPS holders know they are not alone and organizations such as CARECEN will continue fighting for them. 

“We are sending the message to the Biden administration to do everything they can for TPS families in the few weeks that they have left,” she said. 

This includes the extension of TPS and new designations for countries that have never had TPS.

Arevalo said there are about 400,000 people with TPS from 13 countries. The majority are from Latin America, especially El Salvador and Venezuela. 

“There is always the fear that the Trump administration will end it, but we are going to continue the fight in court. We are preparing for every possible solution,” she said. 

Organizers said that the 118th Congress can vote against increasing funding requests for immigration enforcement and detention and vote in favor of decreasing funding for immigration enforcement and detention. They also urge the government to vote against reconciliation bills that attempt to attack immigrant communities and extend protections for TPS, and DACA holders to prevent or delay the impact of the Trump Administration’s attack on immigrant and mixed-status families in the U.S.