San José protests increase in ICE activity throughout the city

San José, CA – On November 7, around 100 protestors gathered at Mexican Heritage Plaza in San José to condemn the recent increase in ICE operations throughout the city. The Santa Clara Rapid Response Network has confirmed up to six operations so far in November, two of which occurred on the same day, as well as ICE presence at the Elmwood Correctional Facility in Santa Clara County.

In early October, Trump announced the start of Operation Safe California and enacted a 45-day ICE surge throughout the state.

“The Trump administration is unleashing a wave of attacks in response to our victories. With people power we gained moratoriums on ICE leasing land in San José and Gilroy,” declared Uriel Magdaleno of Community Service Organization San José (CSO SJ). Gilroy City Council passed a 45-day moratorium banning any new ICE detention facilities on October 5 and extended it an extra 10 months and 15 days on November 6. However, the City Council failed to pass a no staging ordinance policy against ICE.

“It is not a surprise that Operation Safe California is the same length as the moratoriums,” Magdaleno continued. “We will continue the Chicano movement and do barrio walks and demand killer ICE of our streets and legalization for all.” CSO San José advocates that legal status for all 11 million undocumented immigrants will keep families safe from immediate deportation and end discrimination based on legal status as a whole.

Samantha Rojas, of Defensoras Patient Organizing Committee stated, “I’ve heard directly from community members whose fear of immigration enforcement has caused them to delay medical appointments.” Rojas advocated that immigration enforcement should not bleed into healthcare and warned of the impacts to immigrants.

“Operation Safe California only seeks to endanger and brutalize immigrants and Chicanos for rightfully standing up and fighting back against national oppression unleashed by the most reactionary elements of the ruling imperialist class,” stated Adam Charvez of the San José Freedom Road Socialist Organization. Charvez highlighted similar operations throughout history since the annexation of the Southwest by the United States, most notably Operation Wetback, where mass deportations were carried out against Chicanos and Mexicanos. Charvez noted that the operation is mostly concentrated in cities with large Chicano demographics.

Protestors began to march to the historic intersection of Story and King after the rally, chanting “Killer ICE off our streets” and demanding legalization for all. During the march, there was a large police presence as protestors continued to chant “Whose streets? Our streets!” as a response. As the march came to an end, Jessica Aviles with CSO SJ made a call for attendees to join an upcoming barrio walk where know-your-rights information is handed out in neighborhoods with high concentrations of immigrant and Chicano residents.

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