“They're targeting people who are just trying to make an honest living": Alvaro Huerta on the Supreme Court lifting limits on immigration sweeps
In October, the government’s new fiscal year begins, which will bring billions of dollars in increased funding for immigration enforcement.
Earlier this month, the Supreme Court lifted an order by a lower court judge prohibiting federal immigration agents from stopping individuals based solely on their race, language, job, or location. The order had been put in place by a federal judge in California in response to a case brought by immigrant advocates arguing that such stops amount to racial profiling and violate the Constitution. Following the Supreme Court ruling on Sept. 8, the Department of Homeland Security posted on social media that it would continue to "flood the zone" in Los Angeles.
Alvaro Huerta, who is representing the Immigrant Defenders Law Center in the case, spoke to The Southlander about the implications of the ruling and what's next.
“This particular ruling is not the end,” said Huerta. “But I think we're going to see some racial profiling and we're going to see violence against our communities. So it's really disheartening that the Supreme Court is allowing this to happen while the case continues (in the lower courts).”
Among the plaintiffs in the case are three men who were stopped by immigration agents in Pasadena. In a video of the stop that went viral, one of the plaintiffs, Brian Gavidia, is seen being roughed up by immigration agents while yelling, "I'm an American!"
“He gave them his ID to prove that he was in the country lawfully, that he was a citizen. He never got that ID back. He went through that situation where he was held, accosted violently, eventually released, but that's an indignity … for anyone to have to go through that is just wrong. And our Constitution says it's wrong. That's why we have these protections,” Huerta said.
The majority of current ICE detainees — about 71% or 43,021 out of 61,226 — have no criminal convictions, according to the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse, a data collection center at Syracuse University. Many of those convicted of a crime committed only minor offenses, including traffic violations.
“They're targeting palateros out on the street. They're targeting people selling hot dogs. They're targeting people who are just trying to make an honest living out in the streets, and other bystanders: citizens and those with lawful status. So it's really incredibly important that people see what is happening, and we do encourage people to continue to record, continue to bear witness."
In October, the government’s new fiscal year begins, which will bring billions of dollars in increased funding for immigration enforcement.
-Interview by Kevin Flores
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The Fourth Estate on Fourth Street
Our team spent this past Friday evening tabling outside Long Beach bookstore Page Against the Machine during a Fourth Fridays event. We plan to be out there again next month on Oct. 24, so stop on by if you're in the area.
And please email us at hello@thesouthlander.com if you have any upcoming tabling opportunities across LA and Orange counties or would like to invite us to share more about our vision at your event.
Sundays are for in-person meetings! Photo credit: Abraham Márquez (left photo). Southlander worker-owner Erin Foley speaks to a Long Beach local outside Page Against The Machine on Friday, Sept. 26. Photo credit: Greg Diaz.
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Abraham Marquez
Abraham Márquez wrote a report for L.A. Taco on labor unions calling for a weapons embargo on Israel for continuing the genocide in Gaza.
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