(Milwaukee, June 9th, 2025)- This past weekend, Los Angeles became the site of intense confrontations between community members, ICE, and heavily militarized law enforcement. Peaceful protests against immigration raids were met with a brutal and disproportionate response, and the deployment of National Guard troops under presidential orders. At least 56 people were arrested, including SEIU California President David Huerta, in what many are calling a disturbing display of state-sanctioned violence targeting immigrants and dissenting voices.

We unequivocally condemn the use of militarized force and the deployment of National Guard troops against our communities. This violent escalation was not a response to threats, but a deliberate attempt to silence expressions of solidarity and the rightful exercise of First Amendment freedoms. People who gathered to oppose ICE’s presence and defend immigrant families were met with repression, sending a chilling message: that dissent will be punished, and immigrant lives treated as expendable.

Christine Naumann-Ortiz, Executive Director of Voces de la Frontera, said:

“What we witnessed this weekend in Los Angeles is a dangerous escalation. Immigrants, labor leaders, and community members exercising their democratic rights were met with violent, militarized force and treated like criminals. This is the depiction of a fascist authoritarian regime that is targeting working-class immigrants for mass deportation without regard to their due process rights or humanity. They are using violence and creating chaos against peaceful protesters who are standing in solidarity with immigrant workers and their families.

They are using immigrants as an excuse to silence dissent in anticipation of an even broader resistance to the economic attack on working-class families that will take place once Trump passes his big, ugly bill.

We demand the immediate release of SEIU leader David Huerta and all others who have been detained. We stand with our movement partners in California and across the country in calling for an end to the use of military force against our communities. We will continue organizing and actively defending and protecting immigrant families.”