Wave Wire Services
LOS ANGELES — In honor of International Migrants Day, local organizations and hundreds of people rallied in downtown Los Angeles Dec. 18 in an act of solidarity with immigrants, who fear President-elect Donald Trump’s promised plans for mass deportation.
The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights led participants on a 1.5-mile march, from Olvera Street to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Center, located at Aliso and Alameda streets, culminating with a program.
The National Day Laborer Organizing Network followed that in the day with a march from City Hall to the ICE detention center.
Labor, faith and social justice organizations such as SEIU 721, SEIU USWW, SEIU 2015, UTLA, CARCEN, Korean Resource Center, ACCE and Community Coalition also took part in the marches.
Pastor Stephen “Cue” Jn-Marie of Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice, and Suyapa Maldonado of ACCE, served as masters of ceremonies.
Angelica Salas, executive director of CHIRLA, gave remarks, along with Yvonne Wheeler, president of L.A. Federation of Labor, and Jocas Perales, of Pilipino Workers Center of Southern California, among others.
L.A. City Council members Eunisses Hernandez, Hugo Soto-Martinez and Ysabel Jurado also made appearances.
CHIRLA is leading the events as part of the Fair Immigration Reform Movement national week of action, which calls on President Joe Biden and Congress to protect immigrant families, and do what they can to enact measures to prevent incoming President Trump’s promised crackdown on illegal immigrants.
Biden and the 118th Congress can take action by voting against a proposal to increase funding requests for immigration enforcement and detention, according to CHIRLA. Additionally, federal leaders have an opportunity to extend protections for immigrants who have temporary protected status and deferred action for childhood arrivals, also known as DACA.
