Dodgers’ Kike Hernández issues a statement to support immigrants in LA

Enrique “Kike” Hernández posted on Instagram that he supports the community suffering with the federal raids.

“I may not be Born & Raised,” Hernández said, referring to the campaign he did with the L.A. brand Born X Raised. “But this city adopted me as one of their own. I am saddened and infuriated by what’s happening in our country and our city. Los Angeles and Dodger fans have welcomed me, supported me and shown me nothing but kindness and love. This is my second home. And I cannot stand to see our community being violated, profiled, abused and ripped apart. ALL people deserve to be treated with respect, dignity and human rights. #CityOfImmigrants.” 

He also posted the statement in Spanish. 

Hernández was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He has previously played with the Houston Astros, Miami Marlins, and Boston Red Sox.

The outfielder’s statement on Saturday follows the absence of any kind of statement from the Dodgers as an organization, which has decided not to make any comments regarding the recent ICE raids happening to the immigrant communities in L.A. or the protests that have erupted in response to the raids.

At the press conference on June 13 before the Dodgers' first home game, manager Dave Roberts said the situation in Los Angeles is “unsettling,” but didn’t know enough to “speak intelligently on it”. 

The Dodgers also asked Nezza not to sing the anthem in Spanish, but she did it anyway. 

Earlier in the year, the team visited the White House, which many fans criticized since Donald Trump took office. Trump had repeatedly made campaign promises to make mass deportations a key part of his administration. 

The L.A. Major League Baseball team regularly organizes Mexican Heritage Night, which tends to sell out, Salvadoran Heritage Night is set for August 26 and Guatemalan Heritage Night is on September 9.

In his column published on Saturday, Los Angeles Times columnist Dylan Hernández wrote that “The Dodgers have abdicated their social responsibilities, and in doing so, they have once again let down many of their most loyal fans — the fans who made the Dodgers a part of their family because of Fernando Valenzuela, the fans who passed down the love of the team to their children and grandchildren, the fans who wear their merchandise around town.”

The team will be offering a Fernando Valenzuela bobblehead on July 19.