Louisiana State University Students for a Democratic Society Alejandro Orellana Solidarity Statement

LSU SDS stands with Alejandro Orellana as he faces political prosecution from US attorney Bilal Essayli for his immigrant rights activism. On June 12, his home was raided by FBI agents and he was arrested. He now faces trumped up charges like “conspiracy to commit civil disorder” which carries a sentence up to 5 years. Orellana is a Chicano community organizer and an avid fighter for immigrant’s rights. These charges are clearly a targeted attack meant to crush the immigrant rights movement in L.A., and we refuse to sit back and watch it happen. It is paramount that we stand together and demand these charges against Orellana be dropped immediately!

Since Trump’s presidency began, his attacks on immigrants have only become more violent, leaving no community unaffected, including Baton Rouge. Just a month ago, Iranian PhD students were detained by ICE and faced the threat of deportation. Thanks to legal pushback and community outcry, these students were released. But unfortunately this is just the beginning. Since January, detainments and deportations have risen by the thousands. Families are being torn apart and lives are being ruined. Orellana has done nothing wrong by standing up against ICE!

Alejandro Orellana’s struggle represents the threat every activist faces, but we will never stop fighting, and we will win. From LA. to L.A., we demand that US Attorney Bilal Essayli drop the charges against Alejandro Orellana. Keep ICE out of our communities! Protesting is not a crime!