Los Angeles: Immigrant rights activist Alejandro Orellana raided by FBI

Los Angeles, CA — On the morning of June 12, in East Los Angeles, the FBI, National Guard, and LA Sheriff’s Department cornered off the street where immigrant rights activist Alejandro Orellana lives. Neighbors came out of their homes, concerned they were witnessing another ICE raid. FBI agents forcibly entered Orellana’s home, overturned all of his belongings, seized his electronic property, and then escorted Orellana handcuffed into one of their vehicles.

Later in the day, Centro CSO held a press conference to denounce the FBI raid, demand his freedom, and that the charges be dropped. The press conference took place at the Edward Roybal Federal Building located in downtown Los Angeles. Led by CSO members Avery Raimondo and Sol Marquez, the press conference was attended by dozens of allies and supporters.

Raimondo, who went to Orellana’s home upon hearing that the FBI had arrived, made clear that Orellana’s arrest was an attempt to message activists to stop protesting, stating, “This is a clear form of political repression against the people who are in the streets fighting against ICE raids and ICE terror here in LA. Trump is trying to send a message to everyone across the country that activism is illegal, that the people should just give in and that they should be in their houses and not in the streets.”

According to the U.S. Attorney’s office, Orellana is being charged with “conspiracy to commit civil disorders.”

Orellana, born and raised in East Los Angeles, has been a decade-long member of the Chicano-led organization Centro Community Service Organization, or CSO. He has been key in helping speak out against recent ICE raids and the Trump administrations. Once an enlisted U.S. Marine, Orellana openly voiced his disdain for the U.S. military’s destabilization attempts on progressive governments like Venezuela’s or Cuba’s.

Carlos Montes, a leader of Centro CSO and FRSO who has experienced many political attacks during his decades of activism said, “Alex has done nothing wrong. These charges are ridiculous. It’s a theater, a federal theater. I myself as an activist have faced criminal conspiracy charges for the East LA Walkouts, which were later dropped. We were only exercising our freedom of speech, freedom of assembly.”

Montes was also raided by the LA sheriffs and FBI for his anti-war and international solidarity activism. The attempt to imprison Montes was defeated. Sammy Carrera, a member of Centro CSO and a Teamster like Orellana, spoke on the state’s repression of the Chicano movement, stating, “Unfortunately political repression is something our community is all too familiar with. This is the government’s attempt to impede the First Amendment abilities to express ourselves and to organize our community in defense of ICE terrorism.”

Ron Gochez, a leader of Union del Barrio and the rapid responses to ICE raids said, “We shouldn’t be surprised when one of the brave people who is standing up to the kidnapping of people from our community is raided by the federal government. They think – Trump and the federal government – that they’re going to intimidate and stop the movement. They have forgotten that our people have 500 years of resistance.”

Speakers called on all supporters of undocumented people, fighters against ICE raids around the country, and those resisting the terror and deportations by the Trump administration, to unite around the defense of Alejandro Orellana.

Because Orellana is a working-class person, CSO members stated he will need help paying for his legal fees. To donate go to Centro CSO on Zelle 323-580-3764 or their Venmo @CentroCSO.

During the end of the press conference, CSO members led chants like, “Free Alejandro!” “Protesting is not a crime!” and “Drop the charges now!”’

#LosAngelesCA #CA #ImmigrantRights #InJusticeSystem #PoliticalRepression #StopFBI #ICE #CentroCSO #Featured