Atlanta Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression Statement for Alejandro Orellana

Find their statement linked here.

On June 12th, Alejandro Orellana, an immigrants rights activist and leader in Centro Community Service Organization of East Los Angeles, was raided and arrested in Boyle Heights, East Los Angeles, following his public participation in protests against ICE. FBI agents seized his electronic property, arrested him, and took him into federal custody. He was released the next day after immense community pressure led by Centro CSO holding a press conference and protest. He is now facing the bogus federal charge of one count of conspiracy to commit civil disorder, which carries up to 5 years in prison. Alejandro will have his preliminary hearing and first court appearance on June 27.

We, the Atlanta Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, demand that the charges on Alejandro Orellana be dropped immediately. Orellana has done nothing wrong. Orellana has been a leading member of the Chicano-led organization Centro Community Service Organization, or Centro CSO, for over 10 years. He has been public and forthright in organizing against ICE raids and the Trump administrations. His arrest is a clear example of racist and political repression.

Trump has unleashed a wave of terror upon immigrants in this country by deploying 2000 National Guards and the U.S. Marines to Los Angeles. His ICE agents lurk in high school parking lots and Home Depots in hopes of detaining undocumented immigrants, Chicanos, Mexicanos, and Central Americans with no regard for due process. Protesters in LA have faced off against tear gas, rubber bullets, beatings, kidnappings, and more. Now people’s heroes like Alejandro face bogus federal charges and potential prison time.

Protesting is not a crime. It is people like Alejandro, and not the Trump administration and his agents, who are on the right side of history. His activism and resistance to Trump and ICE serves as a model for what all people should be doing at this time.

To protect our First Amendment rights, our freedom of speech, and our right to say no to the ICE operations and the Trump administration, we believe it is critical to defend Alejandro Orellana. We stand with Alejandro Orellana and all of those resisting Trump’s attacks, especially on immigrants and Chicanos and Latinos in the US. We will answer the call to take action on June 27 to protest and call U.S. Attorney Bilal Essayli at 213-894-2400, and to demand that the charges be dropped.

All Out for June 27!

Drop the Charges on Alejandro Orellana Now!

Stop the Deportations and ICE Raids!