L.A. labor stands up for immigrants after Huerta arrest

LOS ANGELES—On Monday, June 9, labor unions, elected officials, advocacy groups, and community members rallied in Gloria Molina Grand Park in downtown Los Angeles to protest the arrest of David Huerta, president of Service Employees International Union California (SEIU).

But as April Verrett, president of SEIU International, said in a statement condemning Huerta’s arrest, “this struggle is about much more than just one man.”

She emphasized the fact that “thousands of workers remain unjustly detained and separated from their families.” Verrett demanded the release all of those unjustly detained and an end to the ICE raids.

As for Huerta, he was arrested June 6, when he joined hundreds of other Angelenos to protest and condemn the brutal ICE raids ripping through Los Angeles County. Huerta was acting as a community observer of immigration enforcement activity when federal agents knocked him down and arrested him. Huerta, who represents 750,000 in his role as SEIU California president, was injured and briefly hospitalized before agents took him into custody.

Hours after the protest Monday, which drew a crowd of over 1,000, Huerta was released on $50,000 bail. The Justice Department has charged him with “conspiracy to impede an officer,” and he could face prison time if convicted.

Numerous labor, community, and political leaders spoke at the rally Monday morning, including Dolores Huerta, co-founder of the United Farm Workers and legendary labor leader and feminist activist. Dolores Huerta, who described David as her “son from another mother,” emphasized the need to reach out to members of the community who may have voted for Trump and said, “We are in a war for the soul of our country, for our democracy.”

“The only way we can win,” Huerta continued, “is for us to go out there and organize, organize, organize.”

Nonviolence and the power of sustained, peaceful organizing were major themes at the rally, which included calls to release all other unjustly detained individuals, provide humane treatment and access to legal counsel for detainees, and an end to the ICE raids devastating the community.

Yvonne Wheeler, president of the Los Angeles Federation of Labor, also spoke at the rally Monday. Wheeler emphasized David Huerta’s history of commitment standing up for justice: “David wasn’t at the worksite June 6 for himself, he was there as he has been countless times before, to bear witness, to protect and demand justice for immigrant workers facing fear and uncertainty.”

Wheeler also condemned not only his arrest but the unjust use of force against him and said, “You cannot detain justice, you cannot silence truth, and you cannot injure a movement that is rooted in love and dignity and an unshakable belief that everybody deserves to live and work free from fear.”

Derrick Johnson, the president and CEO of the NAACP, also spoke at the assembly. Johnson affirmed that “there is no difference between worker rights and civil rights” and urged that “we must always fight against tyranny, and what Trump is doing is tyranny.”

He continued, stating that “the history of this country has always been people like us standing together fighting against those who seek to exploit us, to use us, or to distract from what’s taking place.”

Johnson pointed to the public dispute between Trump and Musk as another distraction intended to divert attention away from the administration’s attempt to cut funding for healthcare and other social programs in the so-called “Big Beautiful Bill.”

In addition to the community, labor, and religious leaders, California politicians have also stood up for Huerta. Gov. Gavin Newsom condemned his arrest in a statement, and U.S. Sens. Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff, along with Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, called on the Department of Homeland Security to review the arrest.

Huerta’s arrest and charges are just one example of the Trump administration’s war on working people and racist campaign against Latino and immigrant communities. The ICE raids in Los Angeles and the surrounding area have exhibited astonishing cruelty.

Federal agents have racially profiled and arbitrarily detained hundreds of community members, and viral videos circulating on social media show disturbing instances of police violence against protesters and bystanders. Monday’s rally is one of many protests that show Los Angeles is ready and willing to fight back.

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