Tom Baldwin, Socialist Party national committee
Los Angeles has become the centre of resistance to Donald Trump’s brutal crackdown on immigrants. As the Socialist goes to press, there have been four days of mass protests with demonstrations now spreading to other cities.
These erupted in response to raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Massive numbers of migrants have been scooped up and reportedly detained in inhumane conditions, including the refusal of food and drink for over 12 hours. Raids on workplaces in largely Hispanic areas saw people come out in large numbers to try and prevent detentions. These then coalesced into bigger protests.
Protesters faced down repression from militarised police, including tear gas and hundreds of rubber bullets. Trump’s administration has escalated this by mobilising thousands of National Guards, and now even the Marines.
This is the first time in 60 years the National Guard has been deployed in a US state without the request of the governor and has revealed some of the splits within the US ruling class. California governor Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, called Trump deranged and dictatorial. The state has sued the federal government alleging an overstepping of powers. In response, Trump has threatened Newsom’s arrest.
Trump is trying to play to a section of his supporters by appearing to be tough on immigration and law and order. One in three residents of Los Angeles County are immigrants and undocumented migrants play an important role in industries like hospitality and the manufacture of clothing.
The workers’ movement must stand up to Trump’s anti-immigrant agenda in the interests of the working class, not employers. David Huerta, president of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) in California, was hospitalised and arrested while observing one of the demonstrations. Other unions have spoken out to support him, opposing the government’s attacks on trade unions and scapegoating of immigrants. Following his release on bail, Huerta said: “This fight is ours, it’s our community’s, but it belongs to everyone. We all have to fight for them.”
