Latest news with #InlandCoalitionforImmigrantJustice
CBS News
23-04-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Pomona residents outraged after federal agents seen detaining more than a dozen day laborers outside of Home Depot
Some Pomona residents were joined by activists as they demanded the release of more than a dozen day laborers who were seen being taken into custody by federal agents outside of a Home Depot on Tuesday. "Our people should not be living in fear," said Lizbeth Abeln, Deputy Director of the Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice, during a rally. "This is something that has been happening across the U.S." The U.S. Customs and Border Patrol has not yet returned request for information on the arrests, which come on the heels of the Trump Administration's executive order to enforce the nation's immigration laws. He says that illegal immigration costs taxpayers billions of dollars and threatens public safety. Carlos is one of many day laborers in Southern California that disputes those claims. He was at the Home Depot when he saw people being taken into custody. "When I started seeing the scene I started crying," he told CBS News Los Angeles in Spanish. "We're here only to find work, to support our families, from wherever they're from. From Honduras, from Central America, from Mexico." After the news began to gather traction through the city, Pomona Police Department officials made a post on social media to say that they had no prior knowledge that the detainments would take place and that they did not collaborate with the operation. "As a reminder, the Pomona Police Department does not conduct immigration enforcement, which is a function of federal law enforcement," their statement said. Residents say the Home Depot incident wasn't the only immigration enforcement operation that happened in Pomona on Tuesday. "My dad was arrested by, I believe, it was Border Patrol at gunpoint," said Miguel Majin. "I think that was unnecessary." He said that his father was on his way to work at the barbershop he's owned for more than two decades. He believes that law enforcement is focusing on the wrong things. "They're not doing anything about the homeless doing drugs, but yet they're taking people that are working every day and paying taxes," Majin said. The Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice and Pomona Day Laborer Center is urging people to call their rapid response hotline to report an immigration raid. Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis also shared a statement upon learning of the operation. "This morning, my office was alerted by community members of a federal Homeland Security presence in the City of Pomona, where approximately 15–20 day laborers were reportedly detained. In response, I immediately directed the Los Angeles County Office of Immigrant Affairs to connect with the Pomona Day Labor Center to ensure those impacted receive the support and resources they need. Just last week, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved an additional $5.5 million in funding for RepresentLA—a program dedicated to providing our immigrant community with access to legal representation," the statement said. "While this remains a developing situation, I want to reaffirm my unwavering commitment to ensuring that all residents, regardless of their immigration status, are aware of and can exercise their constitutional rights."
Yahoo
02-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Hundreds protest Trump deportation policies in the Inland Empire. 'We're leaving fear behind'
With the Trump administration promising the largest deportation effort in U.S. history, more than 200 people marched through downtown Ontario on Saturday morning in support of the Inland Empire's immigrant community. The energetic crowd waved American and Mexican flags, banged drums and unleashed noisemakers as they paraded along the sidewalks. They chanted, 'We are not leaving," and the United Farm Workers' motto, 'Sí, se puede.' Demonstrators erupted into cheers when vehicles along Euclid Avenue honked in support. The protest — promoted on social media as a 'mass mobilization against mass deportation' — was led by the San Bernardino-based Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice, which is comprised of more than 35 organizations serving the immigrant community in the Inland Empire. The region is home to a sizable immigrant population. According to a 2018 report from UC Riverside's Center for Social Innovation, the Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice and the California Immigrant Policy Center, one in five Inland Empire residents was an immigrant, with nearly 1 million immigrants across Riverside and San Bernardino counties. San Bernardino County also is home to the Adelanto ICE Processing Center, one of California's largest immigration detention centers, which is managed by the private prison corporation GEO Group. A coalition of immigrant rights groups has advocated for the facility's closure for years, citing health, safety and human rights concerns. Addressing the crowd before beginning the march, Javier Hernandez, executive director of the Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice, framed the administration's rhetoric as an attempt to sow fear and panic among the immigrant community; a ploy to make people cower in the shadows or self-deport. "The way we fight back is by coming out to the streets," Hernandez said. 'We're leaving fear behind and pushing forward with our fight for immigrant rights.' 'Sin papeles, sin miedo,' he cried out, leading attendees in a boisterous chant. 'Undocumented, unafraid.' Confronting that fear — and speaking out for those feeling attacked and afraid to protest — was on the minds of many protesters. Andy Garibay came to the country as a baby and now has work authorization and deportation protection through the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA. A mother of two, she lives in Rialto and works in payroll administration. She said the Trump administration's threats have her and her family on edge. Her family group chat seems to be constantly pinging with possible sightings of immigration officials near the warehouses where many relatives work, she said. Read more: LAPD presence at South L.A. immigration raid sparks questions 'Why should it be like this?' said Garibay, who held signs reading, 'One Love,' and had a Mexican flag wrapped around her hair. Deanna Pennino, of Ontario, is the daughter of a Mexican immigrant. He taught her and her siblings to work hard and be proud Americans, while never forgetting their roots, she said. Pennino, a respiratory therapist at a local hospital, said several colleagues have stopped coming to work, afraid immigration authorities could show up at any moment. Trump on his first day in office rescinded a Biden-era policy that protected certain sensitive locations, including churches, schools and hospitals, from immigration enforcement. Pennino also fought against Proposition 187, a 1994 ballot initiative that sought to bar immigrants lacking documentation from receiving any public benefits, including healthcare, education and social services. That experience, she said, proved to her that 'we can fight and make a difference.' Read more: They patrol L.A.'s streets in search of ICE, Trump immigration raids During Saturday's march, she carried a sign reading 'Deport Elon,' a reference to Elon Musk, a South African immigrant who is leading a controversial effort to weed out alleged fraud, waste and abuse from the federal government. Trump initially focused his rhetoric on tracking down immigrants lacking authorization and who have been accused of violent crimes. His administration now says it considers all immigrants in the U.S. without legal authorization to be criminals, because they have violated immigration laws. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has already conducted well-publicized operations in Chicago and New York, among other places. The pledge of more enforcement actions has rattled immigrant communities throughout California and across the country and spurred a groundswell of activism. Last weekend, rumors that the federal government was planning a massive immigration enforcement sweep in Los Angeles County put many people on high alert. At that time, ICE officials did not say whether any special operations had taken place and did not release daily arrest figures. However, it appeared any such operation had not been anywhere near as widespread as many had predicted. In early January, at the tail end of the Biden administration, Border Patrol agents conducted a multi-day raid in rural parts of Kern County, resulting in the detention and deportation of scores of laborers lacking documentation. Read more: 'They just got my uncle': Immigration arrests spark fear among farmworkers in Central Valley This week, ACLU attorneys representing the United Farm Workers and five Kern County residents sued the head of the Department of Homeland Security and Border Patrol officials, alleging the raid amounted to a 'fishing expedition' that indiscriminately targeted people of color who appeared to be farmworkers or day laborers. This article is part of The Times' equity reporting initiative, funded by the James Irvine Foundation, exploring the challenges facing low-income workers and the efforts being made to address California's economic divide. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
02-03-2025
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
Hundreds protest Trump deportation policies in the Inland Empire. ‘We're leaving fear behind'
With the Trump administration promising the largest deportation effort in U.S. history, more than 200 people marched through downtown Ontario on Saturday morning in support of the Inland Empire's immigrant community. The energetic crowd waved American and Mexican flags, banged drums and unleashed noisemakers as they paraded along the sidewalks. They chanted, 'We are not leaving,' and the United Farm Workers' motto, 'Sí, se puede.' Demonstrators erupted into cheers when vehicles along Euclid Avenue honked in support. The protest — promoted on social media as a 'mass mobilization against mass deportation' — was led by the San Bernardino-based Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice, which is comprised of more than 35 organizations serving the immigrant community in the Inland Empire. The region is home to a sizable immigrant population. According to a 2018 report from UC Riverside's Center for Social Innovation, the Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice and the California Immigrant Policy Center, one in five Inland Empire residents was an immigrant, with nearly 1 million immigrants across Riverside and San Bernardino counties. San Bernardino County also is home to the Adelanto ICE Processing Center, one of California's largest immigration detention centers, which is managed by the private prison corporation GEO Group. A coalition of immigrant rights groups has advocated for the facility's closure for years, citing health, safety and human rights concerns. Addressing the crowd before beginning the march, Javier Hernandez, executive director of the Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice, framed the administration's rhetoric as an attempt to sow fear and panic among the immigrant community; a ploy to make people cower in the shadows or self-deport. 'The way we fight back is by coming out to the streets,' Hernandez said. 'We're leaving fear behind and pushing forward with our fight for immigrant rights.' 'Sin papeles, sin miedo,' he cried out, leading attendees in a boisterous chant. 'Undocumented, unafraid.' Confronting that fear — and speaking out for those feeling attacked and afraid to protest — was on the minds of many protesters. Andy Garibay came to the country as a baby and now has work authorization and deportation protection through the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA. A mother of two, she lives in Rialto and works in payroll administration. She said the Trump administration's threats have her and her family on edge. Her family group chat seems to be constantly pinging with possible sightings of immigration officials near the warehouses where many relatives work, she said. 'Why should it be like this?' said Garibay, who held signs reading, 'One Love,' and had a Mexican flag wrapped around her hair. Deanna Pennino, of Ontario, is the daughter of a Mexican immigrant. He taught her and her siblings to work hard and be proud Americans, while never forgetting their roots, she said. Pennino, a respiratory therapist at a local hospital, said several colleagues have stopped coming to work, afraid immigration authorities could show up at any moment. Trump on his first day in office rescinded a Biden-era policy that protected certain sensitive locations, including churches, schools and hospitals, from immigration enforcement. Pennino also fought against Proposition 187, a 1994 ballot initiative that sought to bar immigrants lacking documentation from receiving any public benefits, including healthcare, education and social services. That experience, she said, proved to her that 'we can fight and make a difference.' During Saturday's march, she carried a sign reading 'Deport Elon,' a reference to Elon Musk, a South African immigrant who is leading a controversial effort to weed out alleged fraud, waste and abuse from the federal government. Trump initially focused his rhetoric on tracking down immigrants lacking authorization and who have been accused of violent crimes. His administration now says it considers all immigrants in the U.S. without legal authorization to be criminals, because they have violated immigration laws. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has already conducted well-publicized operations in Chicago and New York, among other places. The pledge of more enforcement actions has rattled immigrant communities throughout California and across the country and spurred a groundswell of activism. Last weekend, rumors that the federal government was planning a massive immigration enforcement sweep in Los Angeles County put many people on high alert. At that time, ICE officials did not say whether any special operations had taken place and did not release daily arrest figures. However, it appeared any such operation had not been anywhere near as widespread as many had predicted. In early January, at the tail end of the Biden administration, Border Patrol agents conducted a multi-day raid in rural parts of Kern County, resulting in the detention and deportation of scores of laborers lacking documentation. This week, ACLU attorneys representing the United Farm Workers and five Kern County residents sued the head of the Department of Homeland Security and Border Patrol officials, alleging the raid amounted to a 'fishing expedition' that indiscriminately targeted people of color who appeared to be farmworkers or day laborers. This article is part of The Times' equity reporting initiative, funded by the James Irvine Foundation, exploring the challenges facing low-income workers and the efforts being made to address California's economic divide.
