2 days ago
Charlotte rally calls response to anti-ICE protests in LA ‘state-sanctioned violence'
East Charlotte resident Vincent Kolb's grandmother crossed the border without documentation near El Paso, Texas more than 100 years ago.
Her dream was simple: a better life for her children.
'That's the real immigrant story of America — not the one that is being purposed and propagandized by the current administration,' Kolb said.
He joined around 40 people outside of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Government Center Monday afternoon to rally against ICE raids across the country and President Donald Trump's deployment of the National Guard in Los Angeles. The Charlotte group held signs reading 'Free David Now' and chanted in-between speeches from organizers.
The Trump administration made a number of immigration arrests across Southern California Friday, prompting days of protests, according to the Los Angeles Times. Despite objections from L.A. Mayor Karen Bass, Trump activated around 2,000 National Guard troops in response to violent clashes between protesters and law enforcement officers.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced Monday the state would file a lawsuit against the administration's deployment.
'Today, we are here to show that this is not going to fly in this country,' Jacob Plitman, lead organizer with SEIU 32BJ, said at the rally. 'It's not going to fly in the City of Charlotte, and we demand that they stop the raids.'
Organizers also called for the release of David Huerta, president of SEIU California and SEIU United Service Workers West, who was arrested Friday during the L.A. protests for allegedly interfering with law enforcement activity.
Plitman said Huerta was exercising his First Amendment rights when he was detained.
Huerta made his first appearance in court Monday and was released on a $50,000 bond, the Los Angeles Times reported.
'The arrest of David Huerta is not only an attack on our community — it is an attack on our democracy. It is an attack on every worker in this country,' Stefanía Arteaga, co-executive director of the Carolina Migrant Network said during the rally.
Additional speakers from Southeast Asian Coalition and Charlotte-Metrolina Labor Council expressed concern about how the federal government is engaging with anti-ICE protesters. Arteaga called it 'state-sanctioned violence.'
The economy of the United States does not function without immigrants, Plitman said, noting that Charlotte grocery stores, airport operations and cleaning services all rely on immigrant labor.
'You can't walk down the streets of Charlotte and not point to something where an immigrant, whether documented or not, had an impact,' said Sebastian Feculak, first vice president of the CLC.
Charlotte's growth, Plitman said, is thanks to immigrant labor. According to the NC Department of Commerce, 29% of construction workers and around 20% of agricultural workers are foreign-born.
He called on local elected officials to better support immigrants and on community members to peacefully demonstrate.
The administration can tell the difference between a city 'that's going to let this happen' and a 'strong, organized city that can demonstrate solidarity,' Plitman added.
'I think the more solidarity that we can demonstrate, the more likely we are to protect ourselves,' he said.
