Intimidation, property damage, inquiries: Los Angeles immigrant rights organizations in a battle for survival

Stepping Up, Fighting Back: LA's Immigrant Advocates Face Federal Investigations

A heated bullhorn screams "Don't sign a thing!" as labor union organizers go toe-to-toe with federal agents in front of Ambience Apparel. A coalition of 300 volunteers, 23 unions, and various social justice groups - united as the Los Angeles Rapid Response Network - rush to provide legal aid and support.

This scene unfolds in Los Angeles, the latest flashpoint in President Trump's aggressive immigration policy. The city's well-organized immigrant community doesn't back down easily, as union leader David Huerta and others are arrested by federal officers, suspected of interfering with the enforcement.

"We're not going anywhere," says Angelica Salas, director of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (CHIRLA). "This administration wants to break us, but we're strong."

The LA Rapid Response Network, established last year in response to enforcement actions, is now under threat. Not only is the Trump administration undermining their funding, but investigations into their activities have begun.ен Martha MacCallum, a Fox News host, interviewed U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli, who seemed to hint at future investigations of union officials and organizers, suggesting that there's lots of "incriminating video evidence" online.

Salas maintains that their actions are legal. Regardless, the threats are enough to cause concern. "What they want is to silence us," Salas says. "They don't want us to expose what's happening to these innocent people."

Immigrant Defenders Law Center co-founder Lindsay Toczylowski is blunter. "When federal officials start talking about arresting our governor, naturally we're terrified." She refers to an offhand comment Trump made about arresting Gov. Gavin Newsom.

Republican lawmakers across the country are stepping up their attacks on these organizations, arguing that they are funding violent agitators. Assemblyman Carl DeMaio (R-San Diego) even went as far as calling the LA Riots "taxpayer-funded" on X.

Two Republican Congress members announced they would launch committee investigations into 200 nongovernmental organizations, including CHIRLA, allegedly involved in assisting inadmissible aliens during the Biden-Harris administration's border crisis. Josh Hawley, a Missouri senator, went after CHIRLA specifically, accusing the group of "bankrolling" civil unrest in a letter that he posted on X.

CHIRLA, founded in 1986 in response to President Reagan's amnesty law making hiring undocumented individuals illegal, has deep political and philanthropic ties in the region. Many in those circles have immigrant roots or became politically active during the 1990s, when anti-immigrant sentiment swept through the state.

Some have already lost their jobs due to funding cuts. Toczylowski of Immigrant Defenders Law Center had to lay off 30 staff members out of 205 in April. She believes the cuts were a deliberate attempt to make it harder for lawyers to hold the federal government accountable for their policies.

As advocates scramble to continue their work with limited resources, the raids continue. Since last week, hundreds of arrests and detentions have occurred in Los Angeles County, with families being turned away from federal detention centers without access to legal counsel or basic necessities like food and water for their children.

Despite the threats and challenges, the coalition remains determined to fight. Salas reminds everyone that the city's immigrants are a vital part of the community. 1 in 3 residents were born elsewhere, and 1 in 4 children live in families with mixed legal statuses. "They're testing California," Salas says. "They're testing our city."

This story was originally published on LA Times on October 10th, 2021.

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Although The LA Times article does not provide specific details about investigations launched after the Trump administration's end, recent actions by Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) and other Republican lawmakers demonstrate ongoing concerns and investigations into the activities of immigrant advocacy groups. Senator Hawley is leading an investigation into allegations that certain immigrant advocacy groups, such as CHIRLA, may be financially supporting violent protests in Los Angeles. Hawley sent letters to CHIRLA and other organizations, requesting internal communications and financial records, alleging that these organizations provide logistical and financial support to individuals involved in disruptive actions throughout protests, which he alleges could constitute "aiding and abetting criminal conduct". CHIRLA has denied these allegations, emphasizing their commitment to non-violent advocacy and community safety.

The heated confrontation between labor union organizers and federal agents in Los Angeles hints at the ongoing conflict between immigration advocates and federal authorities during President Trump's administration.
As the Immigrant Advocates face federal investigations, Angelica Salas, director of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (CHIRLA), stands firm, asserting that their actions are legal despite threats and concerns.
The Trump administration's aggressive immigration policy has created a tense environment in Los Angeles, California, where various social justice groups, unions, and the general public are taking a stand against government actions.
Los Angeles' immigrant community, including union leader David Huerta and Angelica Salas, have been targets of federal investigations, suspected of interfering with the enforcement of immigration laws.
In the wake of these investigations, Republican lawmakers across the country have been attacking organizations like CHIRLA, accusing them of funding violent agitators and disruptive actions.
The Immigrant Defenders Law Center is facing financial struggles due to funding cuts, forcing the co-founder Lindsay Toczylowski to lay off 30 staff members out of 205 in April, hindering the ability to hold the federal government accountable for their policies.
The ongoing investigations into immigrant advocacy groups, such as the LA Rapid Response Network and CHIRLA, have been extended to Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO), who is allegedly investigating these organizations for aiding and abetting criminal conduct during protests, an accusation that the organizations have denied.

Intimidation, property damage, inquiries: Los Angeles immigrant rights organizations in a battle for survival