Inland Empire-based immigrant rights groups say they’re preparing to defend undocumented people if President-elect Donald Trump follows through on his plans for mass deportations, which he has vowed to begin soon after his inauguration in January.
On November 7, around 40 people affiliated with the Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice (IC4IJ), Pomona Economic Opportunity Center (PEOC) and the National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON) gathered near San Bernardino’s City Hall. They set up a music stage and encouraged the immigrant community to stay united.
“We're going to see [Border Patrol] presence. We're going to see workplace raids,” said San Bernardino Community Services Center Executive Director Emilio Amaya, a speaker at the rally. “But… together, we're up to the task of defending our community.”
Trump has vowed to enlist the help of local law enforcement and the National Guard to deport millions of people in the country illegally. He has stated that his focus will be on deporting criminals, a tactic past Democratic presidents Joe Biden and Barack Obama also employed.
Trump’s pick for director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Thomas Homan, recently said that workplace raids will be a focal point of this approach.
Eddie Torres, policy director for IC4IJ, says the organization’s biggest challenge will be access to legal resources. IC4IJ recently established a legal department to address the increased demand for support.
“It's expensive when you go to a lawyer who charges so much for filling out an application,” Torres explained. “We want to ensure all our partners can serve our community.”
Blanca Olivares, an undocumented immigrant, overcame her emotions during the rally to speak about her belief in the American Dream. Still, she says Trump’s win has made the past days emotionally challenging for her family.
“I too am afraid and have tears in my eyes,” she told the crowd in Spanish. “It hurt so much more when my daughter, a U.S. citizen, felt the fear of losing us.”
The groups didn’t hold back criticism of the Democratic party, which they say failed to deliver on promises of immigration reform and support for the working class.
Olivares noted that Democrats have lacked a concrete immigration plan for decades. “We were used by them,” she said.
Pablo Alvarado, executive director of NDLON, agreed. “The Democrats have abandoned immigrants. They have abandoned the working class,” he said. “The fact that they’ve been in power and haven’t raised the federal minimum wage tells you how far removed they are from the working class.”
Torres emphasized that Democrats must show they’re committed beyond rhetoric.
“We’ve drawn a line in the sand,” he said. “We can't compromise with deportation. If they want to walk with us, they can come over to our side, but we're not coming over to their side.”
