Latest news with #LatinoAngelenos
Los Angeles Times
5 days ago
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
For some, Latinos will never be truly American
A month ago, my colleague Brittny Mejia reported on the growing fear many U.S.-born Latino Angelenos feel due to the endless barrage of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids being carried out in their neighborhoods. 'You're scared to be brown,' said Jackie Ramirez, a radio host for 'The Cruz Show' on Real 92.3. 'You're scared to look a certain way right now.' On Wednesday, The Times published a story by staff writer Jack Flemming that certainly validates that fear. At the heart of it is a Latino family who is suing their former landlord and a real estate agent over what they claim was an illegal eviction from their Baldwin Park home last year. In a letter emailed June 25 to Sarah McCracken — a tenants' rights lawyer representing the family — urging her clients to drop the suit, Rod Fehlman, who appeared to represent the real estate agent, wrote the following: 'It is also interesting to note that your clients are likely to be picked up by ICE and deported prior to trial thanks to all the good work the Trump administration has done in regards to immigration in California.' The kicker? Every person in that family is a U.S. citizen. The story struck a chord online, with many X and Bluesky users accusing Fehlman of being racist. Some of that anger was even directed at Cal Poly Pomona — on his site, Fehlman states that he is an adjunct professor at the university. In a statement to The Times, a spokesperson for the university said that Fehlman's temporary contract ended in 2013. Yicenia Morales, McCracken's client, told The Times that she felt racially profiled because of her last name. 'It's not fair for him to take advantage of that. I was born here. I have a birth certificate. I pay taxes,' she said. 'I was already depressed over the eviction. Now I'm hurt, embarrassed and nervous as well. Will he really call ICE on us?' Fehlman did not respond to Jack's request for comment, but did speak with the Independent, telling the outlet that his words were misinterpreted. 'My email mentions nothing about Ms. McCracken's client's citizenship,' he said. 'This is an ongoing problem in Southern California and a sad reality that litigants have been picked randomly at Courthouses. It is unfortunate that this comment has been taken out of context intentionally by Ms. McCracken's firm and used to defame my office.' I reached out to Fehlman via email, asking him to clarify the context and provide any evidence he had to prove that Morales and her family were 'likely to be picked up by ICE and deported,' but he did not respond. Although it's unclear whether Fehlman's response was illegal — the State Bar of California bans lawyers from threatening to present criminal, administrative or disciplinary charges to obtain an advantage in a civil dispute — the incident is certainly a sobering reminder that there are plenty of people who will always see Latinos as un-American, and have been emboldened by the Trump administration's attack on immigrant communities to start saying the quiet part out loud. It doesn't matter that the majority of us were born here and primarily speak English. These people don't care that you served your country or that you wave its flag at protests. To them, we will always be Josés or Marias. Join the De Los team Aug. 2 from 6 p.m. until 10 p.m. as we co-present a free Grand Performances concert headlined by Adrian Quesada, the Grammy-winning multi-instrumentalist and one of the bandleaders of Black Pumas. Last month, Quesada put out 'Boleros Psícodelicos II, ' a follow-up to his critically acclaimed 2022 album of the same name that features vocalists Mireya Ramos, Gaby Moreno, Cuco and others. The record, which fuses psychadelia with traditional Latin sounds, has been on repeat at my household ever since its release — 'Bravo,' recorded with iLe from Calle 13, is a top tier hater track sung from the perspective of a spurned lover. Kicking off the night will be El Marchante (6 p.m.), a dynamic project that pays tribute to Latin American and Caribbean music through live events, and will be followed by Explorare (7 p.m.), a musical collective that got its start at a monthly residency at the Chinatown bar Melody Lounge. Quesada will hit the stage at 8:30 p.m. Since 1987, Grand Performances has hosted free outdoor performances. The organization's focus is on giving a platform to global and local acts. Previously, acts such as Stevie Wonder, Aloe Blacc and Ana Tijoux have participated in its programming. Last year, we co-presented a free concert featuring jazz and pop singer Daymé Arocena. The De Los team will be there starting at 5 p.m., and we'll be giving out free posters and other goodies to Latinx Files subscribers. You can RSVP for the event here. Alex Evans, co-executive director and head puppeteer at the Bob Baker Marionette Theater, guides a dragon as Juanita y Juan — the duo formed by legendary Chicano punk rockers Alice Bag and Kid Congo Powers — perform their 'loud lounge' sounds for children and their parents at The Ford Theater in Los Angeles, on Sunday July 20, 2025. De Los editor Suzy Exposito spoke to Bag and Powers about introducing punk to kids, their 2025 album, 'Jungle Cruise,' and how to find comfort in such challenging, dark times. 'It's very easy to become despondent and overwhelmed. But you don't have to feel like you're lifting this whole weight by yourself,' Bag said. 'It's important to know that you do have a community that stands with you. We're all working in different ways. We're all a band. We're going to make it through this together.' Unless otherwise noted, all stories in this section are from the L.A. Times.
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
L.A. law enforcement leaders walk tightrope in missives about immigration crackdown
While publicly chastising groups protesting immigration raids, Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell has offered support to officers in his Latino-majority department who may have mixed feelings about the Trump administration's crackdown. In a department-wide missive sent out earlier this week as protests ramped up, McDonnell acknowledged some officers were "facing criticism from the community or wrestling with the personal impact," of recent events and needed support. "When federal immigration enforcement actions take place in communities that may reflect your own heritage, neighborhoods, or even your family's story, it can create a deep and painful conflict," he wrote. "You may be wearing the uniform and fulfilling your duty, but inside, you're asked to hold a complex mix of emotions." It was an unusual display of solidarity for a chief who has rarely waded into the contentious immigration debate. McDonnell has bristled over criticism about his relationship with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement while serving as Los Angeles County Sheriff during Trump's first term. Read more: How L.A. law enforcement got pulled into the fight over Trump's immigration crackdown In interviews and public comments since becoming chief McDonnell has sought to distance himself from a policy as sheriff that allowed federal immigration authorities to operate freely, targeting people for deportation in the nation's largest jail system. Both McDonnell and current L.A. County Sheriff Robert Luna have stressed that their departments do not cooperate with federal authorities solely for immigration purposes — polices adopted long ago to help build trust within the city's diverse communities. In his own message to his department this week, Luna thanked deputies for their "professionalism, resolve, and unwavering dedication" — but only briefly alluded to the immigration debate. "Despite the complexity of this situation — made even more challenging by the heightened political environment — I trust and fully expect that you will continue to demonstrate the same level of excellence, thoughtfulness, and integrity that have brought us this far," Luna said. Critics of local law enforcement actions in recent days note that racial bias also remains a contentious issue, with LAPD officers pulling over and shooting Latino Angelenos at a higher rate than their share of the overall population. When asked about how he is working to keep the city's immigrant population safe, McDonnell often cites Special Order 40, the landmark policy adopted in 1979 that forbids LAPD officers from stopping people to inquire about their citizenship status. But Trump's actions have put the chief and other local leaders in the awkward position of having to defend federal officers and property — while also trying to communicate that they are not on the side of immigration agents. In his recent message to department employees, McDonnell said he recognized they "may feel loyalty, frustration, fear, or sometimes even shame as the community mistakenly views you as part of something that you are not." The public may not "see the nuance," of the LAPD's postion, he said, because "simply being present can make it seem like you support an action you may not agree with, or that you're complicit in pain affecting your own community." Publicly, though, the chief has struck a different, sometimes defensive tone, often focusing his remarks on destruction caused by some protesters. At a City Council hearing Tuesday, he sparred with city leaders who challenged the department's relationship with federal authorities. In one exchange, City Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson said he disagreed with the chief on referring to agencies such as ICE as 'law enforcement partners.' 'I don't care what badge they have on or whose orders they're under. They're not our partners," Harris-Dawson said. Read more: The LAPD is still paying for George Floyd protest tactics. Will lawsuits force change? Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martinez, who sits on the Council's public safety committee and represents an Echo Park-to-Hollywood district, said in a statement to The Times that he wasn't surprised that Latino police officers may be feeling conflicted. "Families are being ripped apart, and I'd bet nearly every one of them has a parent or relative who's undocumented, or were even undocumented themselves at some point," said Soto-Martinez. Art Placencia, a retired LAPD detective, recalled being a young cop on the job in the years when cops would arrest Latinos simply because they believed that they might be in the country illegally and deliver them into federal custody. The LAPD of today is vastly different than when he was on the job, he said. Prodded by lawsuits and consent decrees, the once-mostly white department has grown to become more than half Latino, which more or less mirrors the city's demographics. And while Latino officials are under-represented in the LAPD's upper echelons, they wield more political clout than ever, Placencia said. Placencia, the former president of an prominent association for Latino officers that once sued the LAPD for discrimination in promotion decisions, said McDonnell is caught in a bind of having to navigate the city's left-leaning politics while also backing up his rank-and-file officers on the front lines against hostile crowds. "He's gotta show that he's concerned about the officers and their feelings," said Placencia. "They're the ones that are out there, they're the ones that are getting rocks thrown at them." In past interviews, McDonnell has spoken proudly about his immigrant upbringing — both of his parents moved to Boston from Ireland a year before he was born — saying that he understands the struggle of trying to make a better life in America. But as sheriff he also came under fire by breaking ranks with many other area politicians by opposing a 'sanctuary state' bill that sought to prevent federal immigration agents from taking custody of people being released from California jails. The selection of McDonnell last November came as a disappointment among some within the department, who had hoped Bass would pick Robert Arcos, a third-generation Mexican American, who had the backing of some powerful Latino civic leaders and would have been the first Latino chief of a city that is more than 50% Latino. Ruben Lopez, a retired LAPD SWAT lieutenant, said he appreciated that McDonnell decided to address the internal moral dilemma that some officers face. Lopez remembers wrestling with similar feelings when, as a young cop, he was on the front lines of a massive protest over Proposition 187, a controversial law that would bar undocumented immigrants from receiving public school educations and a range of other state- and county-funded benefits. "I remember some of the command staff wanted to be more aggressive, and I felt these were just families and kids wanting to exercise their right to protest," he said. "Because if we don't have that trust in the community, including immigrant communities then we're not going to get that collaborative approach to police a city of this size." Times staff writer Connor Sheets contributed reporting. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
L.A. law enforcement leaders walk tightrope in missives about immigration crackdown
While publicly chastising groups protesting immigration raids, Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell has offered support to officers in his Latino-majority department who may have mixed feelings about the Trump administration's crackdown. In a department-wide missive sent out earlier this week as protests ramped up, McDonnell acknowledged some officers were 'facing criticism from the community or wrestling with the personal impact,' of recent events and needed support. 'When federal immigration enforcement actions take place in communities that may reflect your own heritage, neighborhoods, or even your family's story, it can create a deep and painful conflict,' he wrote. 'You may be wearing the uniform and fulfilling your duty, but inside, you're asked to hold a complex mix of emotions.' It was an unusual display of solidarity for a chief who has rarely waded into the contentious immigration debate. McDonnell has bristled over criticism about his relationship with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement while serving as Los Angeles County Sheriff during Trump's first term. In interviews and public comments since becoming chief McDonnell has sought to distance himself from a policy as sheriff that allowed federal immigration authorities to operate freely, targeting people for deportation in the nation's largest jail system. Both McDonnell and current L.A. County Sheriff Robert Luna have stressed that their departments do not cooperate with federal authorities solely for immigration purposes — polices adopted long ago to help build trust within the city's diverse communities. In his own message to his department this week, Luna thanked deputies for their 'professionalism, resolve, and unwavering dedication' — but only briefly alluded to the immigration debate. 'Despite the complexity of this situation — made even more challenging by the heightened political environment — I trust and fully expect that you will continue to demonstrate the same level of excellence, thoughtfulness, and integrity that have brought us this far,' Luna said. Critics of local law enforcement actions in recent days note that racial bias also remains a contentious issue, with LAPD officers pulling over and shooting Latino Angelenos at a higher rate than their share of the overall population. When asked about how he is working to keep the city's immigrant population safe, McDonnell often cites Special Order 40, the landmark policy adopted in 1979 that forbids LAPD officers from stopping people to inquire about their citizenship status. But Trump's actions have put the chief and other local leaders in the awkward position of having to defend federal officers and property — while also trying to communicate that they are not on the side of immigration agents. In his recent message to department employees, McDonnell said he recognized they 'may feel loyalty, frustration, fear, or sometimes even shame as the community mistakenly views you as part of something that you are not.' The public may not 'see the nuance,' of the LAPD's postion, he said, because 'simply being present can make it seem like you support an action you may not agree with, or that you're complicit in pain affecting your own community.' Publicly, though, the chief has struck a different, sometimes defensive tone, often focusing his remarks on destruction caused by some protesters. At a City Council hearing Tuesday, he sparred with city leaders who challenged the department's relationship with federal authorities. In one exchange, City Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson said he disagreed with the chief on referring to agencies such as ICE as 'law enforcement partners.' 'I don't care what badge they have on or whose orders they're under. They're not our partners,' Harris-Dawson said. Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martinez, who sits on the Council's public safety committee and represents an Echo Park-to-Hollywood district, said in a statement to The Times that he wasn't surprised that Latino police officers may be feeling conflicted. 'Families are being ripped apart, and I'd bet nearly every one of them has a parent or relative who's undocumented, or were even undocumented themselves at some point,' said Soto-Martinez. Art Placencia, a retired LAPD detective, recalled being a young cop on the job in the years when cops would arrest Latinos simply because they believed that they might be in the country illegally and deliver them into federal custody. The LAPD of today is vastly different than when he was on the job, he said. Prodded by lawsuits and consent decrees, the once-mostly white department has grown to become more than half Latino, which more or less mirrors the city's demographics. And while Latino officials are under-represented in the LAPD's upper echelons, they wield more political clout than ever, Placencia said. Placencia, the former president of an prominent association for Latino officers that once sued the LAPD for discrimination in promotion decisions, said McDonnell is caught in a bind of having to navigate the city's left-leaning politics while also backing up his rank-and-file officers on the front lines against hostile crowds. 'He's gotta show that he's concerned about the officers and their feelings,' said Placencia. They're the ones that are out there, they're the ones that are getting rocks thrown at them.' In past interviews, McDonnell has spoken proudly about his immigrant upbringing — both of his parents moved to Boston from Ireland a year before he was born — saying that he understands the struggle of trying to make a better life in America. But as sheriff he also came under fire by breaking ranks with many other area politicians by opposing a 'sanctuary state' bill that sought to prevent federal immigration agents from taking custody of people being released from California jails. The selection of McDonnell last November came as a disappointment among some within the department, who had hoped Bass would Arcos, a third-generation Mexican American, had the backing of some powerful Latino civic leaders and would have been the first Latino chief of a city that is more than 50% Latino. Ruben Lopez, a retired LAPD SWAT lieutenant, said he appreciated that McDonnell decided to address the internal moral dilemma that some officers face. Lopez remembers wrestling with similar feelings when, as a young cop, he was on the front lines of a massive protest over Proposition 187, a controversial law that would bar undocumented immigrants from receiving public school educations and a range of other state- and county-funded benefits. 'I remember some of the command staff wanted to be more aggressive, and I felt these were just families and kids wanting to exercise their right to protest,' he said. 'Because if we don't have that trust in the community, including immigrant communities then we're not going to get that collaborative approach to police a city of this size.' Times staff writer Connor Sheets contributed reporting.
Los Angeles Times
14-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Introducing the De Los 101
Like all of my professional work, this newsletter is fueled by coffee. Lots of it. I mostly brew my own — I keep a French press at home and at my office desk. Once a week, I head to Café Café Mobile, located inside the Boyle Heights mixed kitchen space Milpa Grille, to stock up on coffee beans and drink a cup of their delicious pourover coffee. Given how much of my day is spent looking at screens, I make a concerted effort to not stare at my phone while I'm there, choosing instead to take in my surroundings or make small talk with the staff if they're not too busy. It's become a ritual for me, one that began after my friend Chuy Tovar (q.e.p.d.), a bon vivant and lover of good coffee (and food and mezcal), suggested that I check it out. I am forever grateful that he did because his recommendation led me to find an establishment that has become something of a third space for me, a place that's not my home or office, where I can just hang out. It's more than just a place for me to exchange my money for a great cup of coffee; it's an opportunity to be in the presence of neighbors. 'Latino-owned businesses are a big part of what makes L.A. special, and one of the best ways of taking in culture is through food and art,' actor Xochitl Gomez told De Los as part of our recurring 'Mi Los Angeles' series, which asks prominent Latino Angelenos about their favorite Latino-owned spots. It's in that spirit that De Los set about compiling a list of 101 Latino-owned and/or -led businesses and organizations that have created third spaces for Latinos in Southern California. Launched on Monday, the project is composed of 10 lists that the De Los team feels represent the best of Latino Los Angeles — from the 10 best places to check out Latino art to the 10 best coffee shops. (Café Café Mobile made the list, but I swear, I had no say in its inclusion; my involvement in this project was limited to editing.) Perhaps unsurprisingly, various entrants on the list have been the subject of past De Los stories (LA Libreria, Avocado Heights Vaquer@s) or have served as the setting for them (Eastern Projects, Latino Theater Company). 'One of the missions of De Los is to chronicle Latino Angeleno life,' said De Los design director Martina Ibañez-Baldor, who spearheaded the project. 'These stories have to happen somewhere, so why not compile a list of places where Latino life and culture is taking place?' In case you're wondering why we decided to go with 101 places, that number is sort of a thing here at the L.A. Times, whether it be restaurants, tacos or West Coast experiences. Our hope with this list is to do for you what Chuy did for me, to help you find that third (or fourth or fifth) space. This list is by no means definitive. There are thousands of Latino-owned businesses in Southern California, so it's inevitable that we may have missed a few spots. Did one of your go-to places not make the list? Tell us about it here. Check out the 10 lists below, and make sure to follow De Los on Instagram, where we'll be posting the video component of this project. We've also made a zine, which you can purchase here. 11 places connecting Angelenos to their Latinidad 10 Latino-owned places to get your body moving 10 best Latino-owned plant stores in L.A. The 10 best places to see Latino art in Los Angeles 10 Latino-owned places in L.A. to show yourself some love 10 places to explore the best of L.A.'s Latino nightlife 10 places to pick up a new hobby taught by Latino Angelenos 10 Latino-owned coffee shops in L.A. serving flavor and community 10 places creating community for Latinos in Los Angeles 10 Latino-owned bookstores and comic shops At some point last year, I decided to become a 'serial churner,' someone who signs up for one or two streaming services for a month or two, binge watches the shows, and then cancels their subscription to sign up for other platforms. Rather than pay more than $100 a month for all of the services, I save money by keeping a rotation. This month, I reactivated my Netflix subscription in order to watch the second season of 'Mo,' the semiautobiographical sitcom co-created by stand-up comedian Mohammed Amer, who plays Mo Najjar, a Palestinian refugee who grew up in multicultural Houston and is seeking asylum. Season 2 begins with Mo living in Mexico City after he's accidentally smuggled into the country by olive tree thieves connected to a drug cartel. He's desperate to make his way back to the United States because of a scheduled hearing on his asylum claim, so he decides to cross the Rio Grande with the help of a coyote. Unfortunately for Mo, he gets caught by an anti-immigrant vigilante group and is sent to an immigrant detention center. All of this takes place in the first two episodes. My description might not make the show sound funny, but trust me, 'Mo' is very funny, all while highlighting a reality that many people seeking a better life end up facing. 'We've heard so much about detention centers but we've never really seen inside, and certainly not in a half-hour comedy,' Amer told my colleague Lorraine Ali. 'So we thought, let's explore it and the sliding scale of each person's experience of getting to America. When he's locked up, Mo overhears one of the other immigrants talking about his journey: 'The mud slides, the snakes, the jungle, the cartel. And that's just to get to Panama.' Then Mo is asked what it was like for him, and he's kind of embarrassed to say, 'Oh, I took the bus.'' Sadly, the second season of 'Mo' is also its last. Don't let the fact that this wonderful sitcom had a short lifespan dissuade you from watching it, though! It's very much worth your time. From the L.A. Times Column: Cruising into the mainstream with a lowrider professor Times columnist Gustavo Arellano spent some time with Denise Sandoval, a Chicana and Chicano studies professor at Cal State Northridge and the preeminent scholar on lowriders. Sandoval helped curate 'Best in Low,' an exhibit at the Petersen Automotive Museum that closes on May 25. Willy Chavarria on some of his finest celebrity fashion looks Willy Chavarria is having a moment. A month ago, the Mexican American fashion designer had his first runway show at Paris Fashion Week, and in the last few years, he's become your favorite artist's outfitter. Contributing writer Cat Cardenas put together this quick primer on some of the higher-profile celebrities Chavarria has worked with. After the fires, job losses and deportation threats, L.A.'s migrant workers are under immense stress In Los Angeles, countless domestic workers and service workers lost their jobs as a result of the Palisades and Eaton fires that destroyed thousands of homes in Pacific Palisades and Altadena. Many of those workers also are feeling the threat of mass deportations under the Trump administration and struggling to get access to services because they are undocumented. De Los contributor Yvonne Condes talked to workers and advocates about the immense pressures all of it is putting on the men and women whose work keeps L.A. going. Commentary: After the fires, my comadres and I are grieving for the place we knew as 'Jotadena' For several years starting in 2018, writer Melissa Mora Hidalgo was part of a group of Latina lesbians who found refuge and community in Altadena. It was, she writes, 'the place where we strengthened our bonds as chosen sisters and affirmed our creative powers as artists, writers and teachers striving to do good work in a world that often seeks to destroy us.' They called it 'Jotadena' and in the aftermath of the fires, they're mourning what was lost. Beyond Bad Bunny: 5 essential Puerto Rican history reads For the release of 'Debí Tirar Más Fotos,' Bad Bunny collaborated with Jorell Meléndez-Badillo, a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and author of 'Puerto Rico: A National History,' to turn the album's visualizer videos into history lessons about the island. It's in this spirit that De Los staff writer Andrea Flores compiled this list of books for anyone looking to learn more about Puerto Rican history. From elsewhere Petition seeks to oust popular Grupo Frontera from playing at Sueños festival for alleged Trump support (Chicago Sun-Times) Grupo Frontera is facing backlash after rumors began circulating online that its members were Donald Trump supporters. The evidence for this assertion? A now-deleted TikTok video that showed the música Mexicana group dancing backstage to 'YMCA,' the Village People song that became a staple of the Trump campaign. Such is the fallout that a petition was launched demanding that the organizers of the Chicago-based Sueños Music Festival remove the band from its upcoming lineup for their alleged support of someone who has promised to enact the largest deportation operation in the country's history. On Sunday, Grupo Frontera posted a statement via Instagram Stories clarifying that no one in the band supported any political party that disparaged immigrants. After the Raid (Texas Monthly) What happens when immigration agents arrive in a town whose main employer is heavily dependent on undocumented labor? For Texas Monthly, my former colleague Jack Herrera headed to Cactus, Texas, site of one of the largest workplace immigration-enforcement actions in American history. The December 2006 raid at the local slaughterhouse resulted in the town immediately losing 10% of its population. Decades later, Cactus is still trying to recover.
