July 1, 2025

Expanded Statement on Alejandro Orellana's Case: Two Bogus Federal Charges

On the morning of June 12, the FBI, accompanied by the National Guard and LA sheriffs, raided the home of Alejandro Orellana for his protesting of ICE raids in Los Angeles. He was arrested, taken into federal custody, then released the next day - after much public pressure and many phone calls to the U.S. Attorney.

Now he faces two bogus federal charges: one for conspiracy to commit civil disorder and another for aiding and abetting civil disorder. He is facing serious prison time.

Alejandro Orellana is a longtime activist in LA’s Chicano community. When immigrant rights are under attack - he helps organize the protests. When law enforcement guns down people in the Boyle Heights neighborhood, Orellana is one of the speakers on the bullhorn demanding justice. He is a Teamster, who is an activist on the shop floor. As a former marine, he is opposed to unjust U.S. wars abroad.

In Los Angeles, ICE agents, the National Guard, Department of Homeland Security agents, and U.S. troops are roaming the streets. Wearing masks to hide their identities, they abduct undocumented people, tearing apart families in the process.

The people of LA have a right to protest. Standing up to ICE is not a crime. The charges against Alejandro Orellana should be dropped. Now!

The Committee to Stop FBI Repression held a a National Day of Action on June 27, the date of Orellana's preliminary hearing. At least 16 cities held protests on that day, and Orellana's supporters called the US attorney Bilal Essayli to demand the dropping of the charges from all across the country.

The U.S attorney claims that Orellana drove a pickup truck carrying PPE (personal protective equipment) including face shields, and that this is their basis for arresting and charging him. In our view, there's nothing wrong with looking out for people’s safety. Police often shoot rubber bullets, as a result there are multiple cases of protesters losing eyes. Helping to prevent this is a good thing.

The California Central District U.S. Attorney Bilal Essayli who filed the charges against Orellana was appointed by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, a dedicated Trump supporter who helped build his MAGA think tank. He is Trump’s man in California.

Essayli has pursued charges against other anti-ICE protesters, such as David Huerta, the president of the Service Employees International Union California, who was held on a $50,000 bail. Essayli is the legal representative of the Trump administration in the court battle over who controls California’s National Guard. In his time as a California state legislator, Essayli authored bills targeting parents of trans kids and criminalizing the teaching of "critical race theory." He has revealed himself to be an all-around opponent of democratic rights and anything progressive.

The Trump administration and its tools such as U.S. Attorney Essayli are out to crush any dissent of Trump's immigration policy. They seek to trample the First Amendment rights of protesters in order to do it. Orellana's activism is the real reason he is in the FBI and prosecutors' sights. An attack on Orellana is an attack on anyone who cherishes the right to resist mass deportations and the many other wrongdoings of the Trump administration.

Please submit any organizational solidarity statements or queries to [email protected].

Drop the Charges!

Protesting ICE Is Not a Crime!

Organizing Materials for Days of Action

1. Flyer - Case Info, Call-In Info, Donate

Flyer Call and Donate

Flyer - Call and Donate.png

1 MB

2. Sign - CSFR Org Info, Anti-ICE Slogan

Sign With CSFR Info ICE Slogan

Sign - With CSFR Info - ICE Slogan.png

470 KB

3. Sign - No Org Info, Anti-ICE Slogan