While Dodgers wait to speak, Jaime Jarrín, Kiké Hernández and others support immigrants
Jaime Jarrín, the former Spanish-language voice of the Dodgers who captivated thousands of fans for decades and served as Fernando Valenzuela's translator during Fernandomania, posted a message on his Instagram account about the raids and protests in a city he adopted as his own in 1958.
'As an immigrant who came to this country 70 years ago, I know firsthand the hope, courage and determination it takes to build a new life in a new land,' Jarrín posted Tuesday. 'I have always believed that immigration is not just part of the American story; it is the American story.'
'Los Angeles is my home,' Jarrín added in his Instagram post. 'This city is my family. And it breaks my heart to see the growing division in our community and across the country. We all deserve to be treated with dignity, respect and humanity.'
The message from the Baseball Hall of Fame inductee and Dodgers ambassador was celebrated while critics grew more vocal opposing the team's silence following ICE raids and protests in the Los Angeles area the past two weeks. A Dodgers spokesman said the team would announce plans to aid immigrants on Thursday, but it delayed the announcement after turning away federal agents who tried to use the team parking lot after conducting raids at the Hollywood Home Depot and surrounding areas.
Jarrín is originally from Quito, Ecuador, and his first job in this country was in a factory in East Los Angeles. Over time, Jarrín became the sports director for KWKW and a Dodgers broadcaster for more than six decades. Jarrín worked alongside Valenzuela when he was a rookie in Major League Baseball in 1981, serving as his translator during Fernandomania in the 1980s. They later shared microphones in the radio booth broadcasting Dodger games in Spanish.
'In the face of the injustices and suffering we have witnessed, I am deeply proud of the thousands who have peacefully taken to the streets; raising their voices, refusing to be silenced. Their courage matters. Your presence matters. Do not be afraid. Stand strong. Stay present. Let your voice be heard,' added Jarrín.
President Donald Trump's massive deportation orders have affected the professional sports atmosphere in Los Angeles. The games typically draw Latinos and immigrants from a wide range of countries. Tournaments such as the Gold Cup and the Club World Cup lost fans as some stayed away from stadiums because they feared potential raids or preferred to show solidarity with the demonstrations.
Of Los Angeles' 12 professional sports teams, as of Friday morning, only two have issued public statements about the raids. Angel City FC and LAFC have shown their support for the community since the protests began, while the Dodgers and Galaxy, with a heavily Latino and immigrant fan bases, have remained silent.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has responded to some questions from reporters, but he has limited his remarks to saying he understood that the community is 'heartbroken' and said the situation was somewhat 'unsettling for everyone.'
Fan favorite Kiké Hernández took to his social networks to say he was 'sad and enraged' at how immigrants were treated, noting the city of Los Angeles had opened its arms to him.
The Puerto Rican player, who helped the Dodgers win the World Series last season, wrote: 'Maybe I wasn't born and raised here, but this city adopted me as if I was one of them. I am too sad and infuriated with everything that is going on in the country and in our city. Los Angeles and Dodger fans have opened their arms to me, supported me and shown me a lot of kindness and most of all a lot of LOVE! This is my second home,' posted Hernandez, who was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and is in his second stint with the Dodgers after playing in L.A. from 2015-20 and returning from 2023 to the present.
'I cannot tolerate watching our community continue to be violated, attacked, abused and separated. ALL people deserve to be treated with respect, dignity and their human rights. I stand with you!!! #CiudadDeImigrantes,' the Dodger wrote on Sunday, using a hashtag referring to L.A. as a city of immigrants in Spanish.
Meanwhile, Maria Valenzuela, the daughter of legendary pitcher Fernando Valenzuela, spoke out against the ICE raids.
'I am a proud daughter of immigrant parents. They came to this country with dreams bigger than borders. My mother followed her heart, and my father not only pitched for the Dodgers, but for all immigrants who believed they belonged in this country,' Maria Valenzuela posted on Instagram. 'He helped shape a city and inspired generations of Mexicans to dream big. Behind the fame was the same immigrant story: sacrifice, struggle and endless work for a better future.'
This article first appeared in Spanish via L.A. Times en Español.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NBC Sports
22 minutes ago
- NBC Sports
Katie Ledecky tops Pallister, McIntosh in swim worlds epic; Gretchen Walsh adds gold
In what may have been the best race of her career, Katie Ledecky won an 800m freestyle that lived up to the hype, becoming the first swimmer to win a seventh world title in one event. Ledecky swam 8:05.62 to beat Australian Lani Pallister (8:05.98) and Canadian Summer McIntosh (8:07.29) in a showdown among the three fastest women in history in the event. Ledecky rallied from second place at 700 meters -- just .14 behind McIntosh -- then held off the charging Pallister in a championship record time. It's her 23 world title (second to Michael Phelps' 26) and 30th world medal (second to Phelps' 33). Ledecky is now 11-0 in global finals in the 800m free, her trademark event, since her 2012 Olympic breakout at age 15. SWIMMING WORLDS: Results | Broadcast Schedule Gretchen Walsh fills U.S. women's swim worlds gold set Earlier Saturday, American Gretchen Walsh added the 50m fly title to her 100m fly victory from last Monday. She swam 24.83 seconds, distancing silver medalist Alexandria Perkins by 48 hundredths — greater than the margin separating Perkins from last place in the race. Of the 42 women's and men's events on the world championships program, the women's 50m fly was the only one the U.S. had never won. The U.S. has won at least one medal in all 16 women's events held so far at these worlds. There are four women's finals left on Sunday. Walsh was one of the majority of U.S. swim team members affected to varying degrees by acute gastroenteritis, or a stomach bug, leading into worlds. 'It felt like myself again in the water,' she said Saturday. She said Monday that her body had felt 'fragile.' She has one individual event left at these worlds: the 50m free. She owns the world's top time this year. Nick Zaccardi, Australian Kaylee McKeown and American Regan Smith went one-two in the 200m backstroke, just as they did in all three backstrokes at the 2023 Worlds, both backstrokes at the 2024 Olympics and in the 100m back earlier at these worlds. American Claire Curzan, who swept the backstrokes at the 2024 Worlds in the absence of McKeown and Smith, took bronze Saturday. Both U.S. entries won a medal in all three women's backstroke events. McKeown clocked 2:03.33, the third-fastest time in history. McKeown and Smith combine to own 22 of the top 23 times in history. Frenchman Maxime Grousset took the men's 100m fly in 49.62, the third-fastest time in history behind Caeleb Dressel's top two. Australian Cameron McEvoy and Brit Ben Proud went one-two in the men's 50m free, repeating their finishes from the Olympics. American Jack Alexy added bronze to his 100m free silver. Having already won gold in the women's 100m butterfly earlier in the competition, Gretchen Walsh swam a time of 24.83 seconds to add the 50m world title as well at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships in Singapore.
NBC News
22 minutes ago
- NBC News
Katie Ledecky wins seventh consecutive world title in 800 freestyle
Katie Ledecky stubbornly refused to give up her 800-meter freestyle crown Saturday at the world championships in Singapore, winning that race for a seventh consecutive time and fending off Canada's Summer McIntosh who led a field of talented young, would-be usurpers. When the Maryland native triumphantly touched the wall first, she earned her seventh consecutive 800 free title in world meets dating back to 2013. The niece of New York Islanders co-owner Jon Ledecky has also been dominating the 800 free at the Olympics, having won gold in this race at the 2012 games in London, 2016 in Rio, 2021 in Tokyo and last summer near Paris. She's the only woman to win the same individual event at four Olympics, in any sport. The only other swimmer to pull off such a four-peat was American legend Michael Phelps, who took the 200 individual medley in 2004, 2008, 2012 and 2016. At age 28, Ledecky was the field's oldest swimmer and she outdueled her youngest and most fierce competitor, the 18-year-old Toronto native McIntosh. Ledecky's air of 800 invincibility was dented last year when a 17-year-old McIntosh beat the American at the Southern Zone South Sectional Championships in Orlando, Florida, on Feb. 8. The Canadian prodigy opted against swimming in the 800 in France to concentrate on other events. She took gold in the 200 butterfly, 200 Individual Medley and 400 Individual Medley to become one of the breakout stars of last summer. If McIntosh takes on the 800 free in Los Angeles, Saturday's race was a tantalizing preview of what could be in store for 2028.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Letters to Sports: Why did the Dodgers keep their hands in pockets at trade deadline?
The self-confident, stay-as-they-are Dodgers did right by not panicking at the trade deadline and keeping the roster pretty much intact. This is still the same group of guys picked by most baseball experts to win a second straight championship. The slumps will pass. The injuries will go away. Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Shohei Ohtani and the gang will be there at the end when it counts most. Marty ZwebenPalos Verdes Estates Though I don't agree with his breathless, sky-is-falling sense of urgency, I do think Bill Plaschke is right that the Dodgers should have been more aggressive at the trade deadline. It's a reasonable gamble to believe that their pitchers will stay healthy enough, their hitters will get untracked and Max Muncy will return and pick up where he left off. But it's a gamble nonetheless. And if you've already sunk $400 million into your payroll, what's another $10 million to $20 million for a playoff insurance policy: a proven closer and a better outfielder? John MerrymanRedondo Beach On Wednesday against the Reds, James Outman attempted to do his best Denzel Clarke-Cedric Mullins imitation by attempting to rob a homer. Unfortunately this last great effort typified Outman's career with the Dodgers, as it was another case of 'so close, but yet so far,' as the ball landed off the heel of Outman's glove for a two-run triple. The NL rookie of the month in April 2023 is a great athlete, but it was understandable why the Dodgers traded him. Ken FeldmanTarzana A few hours before baseball's trade deadline Thursday, MLB Network dived into how well top minor league prospects across baseball have succeeded in the major leagues over the years, and it's a pretty dismal percentage. Very few go on to successful big league careers, most just pop back and forth between the minors and majors, move from team to team, while many just fizzle out. They concluded that given the opportunity to garner a quality major league player, let alone an All-Star by just using your draft capital is a no-brainer. The Padres are one team that firmly believes in this while the Dodgers always seem hesitant to do so. They pointed to the Dodgers with an aging Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Max Muncy and a 31-year-old, currently healthy Shohei Ohtani that the time to win is now and that holding onto all their draft capital when it could be used to immediately bolster the roster doesn't historically or statistically make much sense. Jerry LeibowitzCulver City Well the trade deadline passed without much movement from the Dodgers. With their deep pockets, I thought they might have become the first organization in MLB history to trade for an entire team. Joe KevanyMount Washington Halo hope When Arte Moreno sells the Angels this offseason, please bring in A.J. Preller, the architect behind the Padres, as the GM. Dean ConnorFontana Life of Riley So Lincoln Riley gets $80 million if USC lets him go before his contract is up. For that amount of money, I presume he's also curing cancer at the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center. Marty CooperEncino Redemption road As a Trojan fan searching for imminent signs of a return to football glory, it's oddly encouraging to see a certain columnist declare USC nationally irrelevant because if history has taught us anything, it's this: when Bill Plaschke buries you, resurrection tends to follow. Steve RossCarmel Bruins longshot I don't believe DeShaun Foster was "going full Joe Namath" when he guaranteed a packed Rose Bowl this coming football season. A critical college football playoff game will surely pack the place New Year's Day. As for his certainty of a jam-packed venue during the regular season — I wouldn't bet the house. David GriffinLos Angeles Role models What a great article Eric Sondheimer wrote on City section coaches uniting in challenging times. Reading about these new coaches, as well as some new stadiums, it has me quite excited about the upcoming season. They appear ready to lead their young men the right way in developing as players and students first and put the cheating at one unnamed City high school in the rearview mirror. These coaches are to be admired as they take on this arduous task with a lot less resources and financial compensation than many of their brethren at other CIF schools. Mark KaisermanSanta Monica Clip job What's older — a California Giant Redwood or the Clippers' starting lineup? Barry SmithThousand Oaks The Los Angeles Times welcomes expressions of all views. Letters should be brief and become the property of The Times. They may be edited and republished in any format. Each must include a valid mailing address and telephone number. Pseudonyms will not be used. Email: sports@ Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
