Gabriela expressed deep concern and condemnation of the Trump regime’s militarist and fascist persecution of immigrants in California. California has the largest population of Filipino immigrants in the US, estimated at 1,705,090.
Since June, the administration has deployed the military in California as additional forces for US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in the pursuit, abduction, and detention of immigrants in the US.
According to Gabriela USA, since Trump returned to office, the number of Filipino immigrants detained each month continues to increase. “The fascist Trump admin has created a climate of pervasive fear that grips immigrant communities and punishes the most vulnerable. These policies impact not only undocumented immigrants but also those with precarious legal statuses and naturalized citizens.”
On July 7, hundreds of armed forces from ICE and the Department of Homeland Security raided MacArthur Park in Los Angeles to arrest immigrants who were at leisure in the park, where children were also holding an activity that day. Residents, activists, and the city mayor immediately confronted ICE to oppose the persecution.
Gabriela LA, Filipino Migrant Center, and Tanggol Migrante Network condemned the incident. They said, “the regime normalizes violence against immigrants while desensitizing the public to the militarist enforcement of immigrant persecution in our communities.”
“Why is Marcos Jr. turning a blind eye on Trump’s crackdown and criminalization of the pursuit of a better life? Its silence is deafening and his blatant patronage to his US masters deplorable amid these attacks against Filipinos,” Gabriela vice chairperson Cora Agovida remarked.
Despite the hardships faced by Filipinos in the US, the response of the Philippine consulate and embassy to the needs of currently detained Filipino immigrants remains slow and inadequate.
“Marcos Jr and all who came before him are quick to call Filipino overseas workers ‘heroes’ largely because of their remittances that are crucial to the national economy, but are silent when it comes to addressing the dire situations they face abroad.”
“We demand immediate intervention by the Marcos Jr admin and protection for our sisters and brothers in the US. We call on all human rights advocates, migrant organizations, and concerned citizens in the Philippines and internationally to denounce Trump’s fascist policies. We must stand together to defend the rights and dignity of immigrants and resist all forms of state-sponsored violence and oppression.”
