Long Beach immigrant rights groups banded together Saturday morning to protest U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, get more people involved in their cause and protest the carve-outs made in the Long Beach Values Act of 2018.

About 150 protesters marched from the Harvey Milk Park to the federal building on 501 West Ocean Blvd., chanting, “Robert, Robert what’s your price?/ LBPD works with ICE” among other things.

They were referring to the carve-outs made in a resolution that banned local law enforcement from coordinating with federal immigration officers, but allows them to assist if the undocumented person has a prior criminal record.

“If you’re an immigrant who has an arrest in his past, Robert Garcia says, ‘ICE welcomes you’,” Suazo said to the rally-goers.

The office they marched to houses the Homeland Security Investigations office, which is part of ICE.

James Suazo, an organizer with Democratic Socialists of America in Long Beach, encourages the protesters to get involved in the Community Defense Network for immigrants threatened by deportation. Photo by Valerie Osier.
Immigration activists with multiple organizations marched to the federal building on Ocean Blvd. on Saturday, July 6, 2019 to protest the ICE Homeland Security Investigations office inside. Photo by Valerie Osier
Immigration activists with multiple organizations marched to the federal building on Ocean Boulevard on Saturday, July 6, 2019 to protest the ICE Homeland Security Investigations office inside. Photo by Valerie Osier
Immigration activists with multiple organizations marched to the federal building on Ocean Boulevard on Saturday, July 6, 2019 to protest the ICE Homeland Security Investigations office inside. Photo by Valerie Osier
Organizer Gaby Hernandez speaks to the crowd about standing up for immigrant rights and getting involved in the community. Photo by Valerie Osier.
One of the goals of Saturday’s rally was to get people involved in the Community Defense Network by becoming dispatchers. Photo by Valerie Osier.

Immigration activists to call for ICE to leave Long Beach at Saturday rally

Valerie Osier is the Social Media & Newsletter Manager for the Long Beach Post. Reach her at [email protected] or on Twitter @ValerieOsier