California union leader faces criminal charge for protesting ICE raid

Axios

3 hours ago

David Huerta, a beloved union leader in Los Angeles, is facing a federal criminal charge after his arrest at a worksite immigration raid on Friday where he was serving as a community observer, according to multiple reports.
Why it matters: Huerta's arrest Friday has energized Democrats and union opposition to the Trump administration's fast-escalating anti-immigration push.
Zoom in: Huerta is president of the Service Employees International Union-United Service Workers West (SEIU-USWW), representing more than 45,000 janitors, security officers and airport service workers in California.
The Justice Department is charging the 58-year-old union leader with "conspiracy to impede an officer," per NBC news. He was among dozens arrested over the past few days in L.A.
The union is calling for his immediate release and on Monday organized rallies in at least 19 cities across the country in support — including in New York, Chicago and Washington D.C.
Catch up quick: Video shows Huerta being pushed to the ground by an officer on Friday — he was initially hospitalized.
"This is about how we as a community stand together and resist the injustice that's happening," Huerta said in a statement Friday. "Hard-working people, and members of our family and our community, are being treated like criminals."
U.S. attorney Bill Essayli said in a statement Friday federal agents were executing a lawful judicial warrant at a LA worksite this morning when David Huerta "deliberately obstructed their access by blocking their vehicle."
"I don't care who you are—if you impede federal agents, you will be arrested and prosecuted. "
What they're saying: "In this moment, obviously, given David's role in our union, is one where we are being outspoken," SEIU president April Verrett told Axios Monday morning before the criminal charges were filed.
"But this is not just about David. This is about all of us who just want to go to work every day."
"House Democrats will stand with David Huerta for as long as it takes until the charges are dropped," House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said in a statement over the weekend.
Zoom out: Huerta is at least the third SEIU member to get detained by the Trump administration.
Last month, federal authorities released a 64-year-old healthcare worker, Lewelyn Dixon, who had been detained for three months and has legal permanent status in the U.S. for the past half-century.
Rümeysa Öztürk, a Tufts graduate student and SEIU member, was released after six weeks in custody.
The big picture: Immigrants have played a key role in most unions for the past couple decades, but perhaps none more than SEIU in California, which has seen a lot of success organizing janitors, health care workers and fast food employees.