Earlier this week, the administration under President Trump requested a temporary halt on a federal court order that had previously limited the extent of immigration apprehensions across the region of Southern California. Since the beginning of last month, reports from the Deportation Data Project point to roughly 3,000 persons arrested in the region as part of immigration enforcement activities.
In this backdrop, one of the notable voices is Eunisses Hernandez, a council member from the Los Angeles City Council who represents District 1. This district encompasses locations such as MacArthur Park and the larger Westlake area, locations that have become notorious due to the high presence of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activities.
At the present moment, Councilmember Hernandez claims she does not possess complete data on the total number of immigration enforcement actions within her district. However, she affirmed her awareness of multiple actions at locations like Home Depot stores and day labor centers.
Worth noting is the role and importance of grassroots organizations in this ongoing situation. These groups have proved instrumental in providing vital information. Councilmember Hernandez points to the increasingly pivotal role these networks are playing amidst the increased enforcement activities.
Currently raging is a debate within the city of Los Angeles regarding legal avenues of resistance against these federal enforcement efforts. Besides examining legal strategies, discussing support structures for affected Los Angeles residents is also of high priority, according to Hernandez.
Hernandez mentions a parallel focus on aiding resident needs, such as the orchestration of community defense initiatives, conducting training on understanding their rights under the law, and spearheading food distribution activities. As such, it’s clear that a multi-pronged approach to addressing the concerns of the community is underway.
Expressing real concerns for her constituents, Hernandez voices fears of potential ramifications on residents’ wellbeing due to fears instigated by these immigration raids. She worries about both the potential food insecurity and risk of eviction, as fear of being caught up in these raids keeps residents from leaving their homes.
Hernandez articulates, ‘Our ongoing efforts are aligned to ensure people remain fed, that their housing security is not threatened, and that we do not inadvertently enable further federal interference in our city’s affairs.’
Separately, the case of misconduct during protests against immigration raids is under scrutiny. The LAPD is investigating over 80 instances of alleged police impropriety during these protests, including charges of officers using disproportionate force.
Towards the end of June, Hernandez presented several motions before the City Council. These motions, as she explains, are proposed with intentions to improve accountability during protests. Included within these motions are rules determining the extent to which local law enforcement should respond, if at all, in cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.
Adding to this, Hernandez alludes to recent, indirect information suggesting insufficient understanding of the severity of LA’s current predicament. With that, she makes a call for broader awareness and engagement with the issue at hand.
In view of escalating funding for federal immigration activities, Hernandez expresses her intent to convey a clear message. She argues, ‘What I want to underscore is that the events unfolding here are not contained within our city. This development, powered by funding, is destined to reveal itself in other locations and despite distances, right at your doorstep.’
Hernandez concludes, optimistically, ‘We as a country owe so much to our immigrant communities, whose labor not only contributes to but drives our economy. The reality unfolding here is a mirror to what is gradually fueling up across the nation.’