The Filipino Migrant Center (FMC) condemned the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), along with the Los Angeles Police Department’s (LAPD), for its latest attack on the immigrant community in Los Angeles on July 6. The FMC called the attacks kidnapping because of the authorities’ arbitrary arrests and secret detention of those apprehended.
“The attacks on sanctuary states and the fascist acts committed by ICE and the Trump administration create fear in our communities and among working families. We are in solidarity with the many immigrants whose lives and families have been torn apart and continue to be separated [by the state],” said the FMC.
Sanctuary states are US states having limited cooperation with immigration authorities. Their aim is to protect immigrants from deportation. Eleven out of 50 states in the US have declared sanctuary status, including California, where Los Angeles is located.
Since June 6, there have been four series of protests against the illegal abductions of immigrants by ICE agents in various parts of Los Angeles. These actions opposed ICE raids on two clothing stores, a large construction materials warehouse, and outside a federal detention center. Some of these places are gathering points for immigrants seeking work.
Agents wore military or tactical gear, carried firearms and riot shields, and rode in armored trucks and unmarked vehicles. They were only identified as agents from Homeland Security Investigation (HSI), FBI, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Hundreds of activists gathered at the places raided by agents, resulting in scuffles and the agents throwing flash bombs or stun grenades at demonstrators.
About 44 individuals have been “administratively arrested.” ICE uses this type of civil arrest to detain and later deport those they have apprehended.
Meanwhile, Service Employees International Union (SEIU) California president David Huerta, was charged with obstruction. Huerta blocked the road with his car to prevent FBI agents from apprehending immigrants in the area.
Lewelyn Dixon, a Filipino immigrant who was recently released from the North West Detention Center, is a member of the SEUI.
Aside from the raid, ICE illegally detained nearly 200 immigrants in the basement of a building in Los Angeles since June 3. After immigrants reported for their “check-in” at ICE in the said building, they were immediately detained and brought to the basement. Some of those detained were entire families, including children, seeking asylum in the US.
The basement has a capacity of only 30 people. The victims said its rooms had no beds and they had limited access to water and food. They were detained for more than 24 hours without clear explanation.
The Los Angeles mayor has expressed anger over these incidents.
These incidents are part of the Trump regime’s intensification of anti-people policies to deport immigrants from the US.
On June 2, ICE announced that they had arrested more than 2,200 immigrants in a single day, the largest arrest operation carried out by the agency.
At least 7,926 Filipino immigrants live in Los Angeles, the largest number in all of California.
“While we know that many in our communities are living with great fear and uncertainty, our greatest strength and hope is in our People Power. We stand in solidarity with you and will organize for stronger protections, provide education and resources, and empower our communities,” the FMC said.
“We call… to continue coming together to take action. As part of the Tanggol Migrante (Defend Migrants) nationwide network, we encourage all Filipinos to join us in the fight to protect our kababayan (compatriots),” the group urged.