Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society Solidarity Statement to Drop the Charges on Anti-ICE Protester and Immigrants Rights Activist Alejandro Orellana in Los Angeles
You can find the statement linked here also.
Drop the charges on Alejandro Orellana! Justice for Verita Topete!
On June 12, 2025, the FBI raided the home of Alejandro “Alex” Orellana in Los Angeles and arrested him on bogus charges. Alex is a leading member of Centro CSO, a Chicano led organization that opposes deportations and defends immigrants rights. He is facing up to 5 years in prison for protesting against ICE raids.
On June 26, 2025, the FBI ambushed another member of Centro CSO, Verita Topete. Multiple agents stalked Topete, waiting until she was alone to seize her phone, rough her up, and temporarily detain her. This is another horrible act of political repression against Chicano activists standing up for immigrants rights.
Both Orellana and Topete are heroes of the Chicano and immigrants rights movement!
The resistance of immigrants and the Chicano and Latino community across Southern California, and the immigrants rights movement across all of the U.S., is showing the way. Our movement’s growing power has become a real threat to the Trump administration and the far right. The political repression we are seeing now is showing their fear and vulnerability towards the people’s movements.
SDS stands with Alejandro Orellana and Verita Topete!
Say no to ICE deportations!