Times continue to be hard in California.
Not only is the Los Angeles area endeavoring to recover from the devastating wildfires, but now protestors are staging massive demonstrations and shutting down one of its most important freeways.
A large group of people protesting recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids have walked onto the 101 Freeway in downtown Los Angeles near the Alameda Street exit, according to police.Both sides of the freeway are currently blocked, officials said, and both north and southbound lanes are under major gridlock in the DTLA area.”Protests in LA have already been announced and I better see everyone there!!!! Feb 2nd Placita Olvera 9am! If you love our culture, our food, our music, then you should be there too!!!” a social media post said of the protest.Around half an hour later, the Los Angeles Police Department declared it a “non-permitted demonstration,” and advised people to expect traffic delays in the area.
Tom Homan’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conducted several raids in California last weekend, in various California cities, including San Jose, Los Angeles, and San Diego. These raids are part of a larger immigration enforcement effort that has resulted in numerous arrests across the country.
While they were here, ICE officials indicated this was only the beginning.
Immigration enforcement actions took place across San Diego County over the weekend, leading to several arrests. It was part of a bigger, nationwide raid that, according to federal officials, resulted in nearly 1,000 arrests nationwide.The Drug Enforcement Administration’s San Diego division released images showing some of the migrants arrested during the raids. Federal agents confirmed 956 arrests were made on Sunday alone. Federal agencies across the country are not providing how many arrests happened in which jurisdiction.”If you’re in the country illegally, it’s not ok. It’s not ok to violate laws of this country,” said Tom Homan, President Trump’s Border Czar, speaking about the weekend raids.While local non-profits that assist migrants say it’s unclear how many of those arrests occurred specifically in San Diego County, Homan made it clear that this is just the beginning of increased enforcement efforts.
In response, protests were organized this past Friday in the San Diego area community of National City, replete with Mexican flags and outrage.
Hundreds of people gathered in National City Friday afternoon to protest against President Donald Trump’s mass deportation plans.The protest at 1021 Highland Ave. began at 3:30 p.m., just a couple hours before a separate gathering in North County’s Vista Village that is scheduled to take place at 5 p.m.Reports of the local events came after Trump declared Wednesday he would sign an executive order directing federal officials to open up a facility intended to hold tens of thousands of deported migrants.
In Oxnard, an American flag burned as part of the outrage festivities.
Dozens of Oxnard students walked out of class on Friday to protest President Donald Trump’s new immigration policies, days after ICE raids and arrests were reported in the area.Students in the Oxnard Union High School District took to the streets around 10 a.m. for a “Walk Out Against Deportation,” according to fliers, carrying posters, signs and flags, to speak out against the President’s latest moves on immigration. Video from the protests showed cars driving by, apparently honking in support of the students.
Many Californians hope these antics help identify those most in need of repatriation.
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