Milwaukee Anti-War Committee Statement on the Charges Against Centro CSO Leader Alejandro Orellana:

You can find the statement linked here as well.

On June 12th, Alejandro Orellana (he/they) was arrested in a violent FBI raid. Orellana is a member of Centro CSO, a branch of the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, and due to the efforts of these orgs and their members, Orellana was released the following day. However, they are still fighting bogus charges of “conspiracy to commit civil disorders” and “aiding and abetting to commit civil disorders”, due to their work with immigrants and protesting ICE.

The Milwaukee Anti-War Committee stands in solidarity with Orellana and WE DEMAND THAT ALL CHARGES ARE DROPPED. We have seen over the decades that US military aggression overseas is still weaponized domestically, with increased militarization of police and other so called “law enforcement” organizations and officials. As Trump continues to spout claims that there is a “war” against immigrants, we cannot silently stand by as his enforcers attempt to tear apart marginalized communities.

The FBI has long been a domestic tool of destroying support networks and civil rights organizations domestically, in much the same way that the CIA destabilizes countries abroad in an attempt to feed the US war machine and imperialist interests. Many of these attempts cause the instabilities which drive a large portion of these immigrants to travel to the US in the first place, where they are then heavily policed and persecuted. All while taking the most tax dollars from these groups of people and then using those dollars to fund genocides and wars abroad.

Trump is a power mad bully that wants his enemies to fear him. He ordered powerful bombs dropped on nuclear facilities in Iran with no regard for the fallout suffered by their citizens, he attempted to mobilize the National Guard and US Marines against protestors in Los Angeles in much the same way federal forces were weaponized against anti-war protestors organizing against US aggression in Vietnam, and he allows unidentified and unmarked ICE “officials” to travel through marginalized neighborhoods and drag people from their homes, similar to how pro-Palestinian activists like Mahmoud Khalil have been taken and imprisoned for vocally opposing the Israel’s genocide in Gaza.

The impacts of US Imperialism are many, and we cannot ignore the struggles at home as we fight against the struggles abroad. The US empire denying asylum to refugees from wars that it has caused while also heavily policing and removing people domestically that are seeking a better life from the political and economic instabilities it has also brought about are two sides of the same coin. Our right to protest, free speech, and stand against the tyranny of the Trump administration are heavily represented in the struggle of Orellana. We must continue to fight and all charges must be dropped!