Latest news with #Sencion
San Francisco Chronicle
03-07-2025
- Politics
- San Francisco Chronicle
Fear of ICE raids forcing many Bay Area organizers to cancel events
A field trip for farmworkers to Alcatraz. A rodeo in Wine Country. Fourth of July events in Southern California. Over the past few months, organizers of events throughout the Bay Area and state have been canceling or postponing activities for Latino residents due to increased fears that federal immigration agents could target them. The cancellations come as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has ramped up detainments of immigrants nationwide amid the Trump administration's promise to reach arrest quotas of 3,000 people per day. ICE has begun targeting immigrants who have been vetted and given a legal status to stay in the country, versus focusing on only those with criminal histories. To reach the administration's arrest quota, ICE has begun targeting workplaces, Home Depot parking lots and events. Last month, federal immigration agents showed up to a Dodgers game in Los Angeles and attempted to gain entry to the parking lots — but were denied. Rumors of ICE sightings and pending raids have spread wildly among immigrant communities, resulting in many staying away from public gatherings and conspicuous places like day-labor spots, even keeping their kids out of school. Some cities in Southern California have canceled Fourth of July events citing concerns about the crackdown on immigrants. Several small cities in Los Angeles County, including Cudahy and Bell Gardens, which are predominantly Latino, have called off Independence Day and other community activities due to the potential of federal immigration enforcement. So far, no Fourth of July events have appeared to shut down in the Bay Area, but officials say the same concerns are playing out in the region. 'The fear in the community is very real and intense,' said San Mateo County Supervisor Ray Mueller, who noticed light attendance at numerous community events and cancellations. 'Imagine knowing there are people out there actively hunting you and your family.' Recent ICE data shows that arrests in Northern California have increased roughly 70% this year, compared to the final six months of the Biden administration. While arrests of convicted criminals grew, arrests of people who were suspected only of immigration-related violations, or had pending charges, went up much faster. Sandra Sencion, farmworker director at Ayudando Latinos A Soñar, which translates to 'helping Latinos dream,' a nonprofit in San Mateo County, said her organization had planned to take 30 farmworkers on a field trip to Alcatraz in June. Many of the farmworkers, who typically work long hours to provide for their families, had never been there. But then immigration raids in Los Angeles ramped up and Sencion said she was forced to ax the trip due to anxieties about ICE. 'We are definitely seeing a lower turnout within community gatherings and celebrations,' Sencion said. 'People aren't even going to the grocery store. Parents are sending kids to peek through the window. It's just really heartbreaking to see that and hear that.' In San Francisco, organizations that provide services to immigrants have also reported smaller turnout at events. Gabriel Medina, the executive director of La Raza Community Resource Center, said his organization has seen a 15% decline in volunteers at its food pantry. Some volunteers are from the community and have since been afraid to leave their homes, he said. In addition, Medina said La Raza held an open house in June to celebrate the organization's 55th anniversary, but held off until the last minute to send invitations to trusted contacts. 'We were really scared about having the event, and we took the most time to disclose it,' Medina said, noting that the Trump administration has been targeting organizations that offer immigrant services. In addition to smaller gatherings, massive events that were expected to draw thousands of people have also been called off. Felix Ortiz, the founder of Oaxaca in the Wine Country, a nonprofit that holds cultural events and rodeos, said he was forced to cancel a Father's Day rodeo that was expected to draw thousands of people. Ortiz said the event had only sold about 200 tickets and after talking with residents and vendors who expressed worries, he had to call off the event. Ortiz said he is not deterred by the threat of immigration authorities and is now planning a Guelaguetza festival, which is a celebration of Oaxacan culture, in Santa Rosa with city leaders and the police department for mid-July that he is hoping will bring residents together. 'Guelaguetza is about unity and coming together,' Ortiz said. 'I don't want it to be a protest, I just want this to be a cultural moment for everybody.'
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Mexican band gets work visas pulled before Bay Area show
(KRON) — A music festival in Morgan Hill is now canceled after the headliner Los Alegres Del Barranco had their work visas revoked by the U.S. State Department. The Trump administration says the band's music praises Mexican cartels. Pinole police probe viral video of racist rant as hate incident Los Alegres Del Barranco was supposed to go on a multi-month tour in the United States with their first stop at Rancho Grande de Morgan Hill. 'We had an event April 27,' said co-owner Hugo Sencion. 'Sadly, a couple weeks ago, we got notice. We did hear from the promoters it was going to get canceled. We don't know what's going on so were canceling our show because of that.' The band came under fire because some of their songs talk about the cartel. The Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau posted on X, formerly Twitter, that because of this the band's work and tourist visas are revoked. Sencion says they have the wrong idea. '[The album] Corridos is a story I believe. That's what they're doing, telling a story about cartels in Mexico.' Dr. Nathian Shay Rodriguez at San Diego State University specializes in Latin American Culture and Digital Media studies. He says the band is not glorifying cartels but talking about the reality. 'When they sing about Narcos, it's about warnings,' says Dr. Rodriguez. 'It's lived experiences taken into art. We see this in movies and poems' 'Bands like those do not pose any bad influence,' added Dr. Rodriguez. 'It's about the storytelling they do… The songs sung by not just Mexican 'grupos' like this, but musicians around the world. It's all about storytelling.' Dr. Rodriguez says the visas being pulled is just political. Back at the ranch, Sencion is getting ready for other events like Cinco de Mayo and a May 18 rodeo. He still feels the burn by missing out on the band. 'They're actually doing well right now because of the song that canceled them,' says Sencion. KRON4 reached out to the band Wednesday to find out what they can do to get their visas back, but we did not hear back at the time of this report. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
