The courageous young people of Los Angeles

“They should be the ones feeling ashamed, for having Mexican or immigrant last names,” young Alexander Gaspar told me — that’s how he confronted members of the National Guard during the protests against ICE’s presence in Los Angeles, California. It is now undeniable that families have been torn apart by immigration raids carried out in workplaces, churches, hospitals, neighborhoods, and beyond.

These are arrests of people like you and me — like them, even if they refuse to admit it. People who one day left home, never to return.

Alexander’s parents are originally from Michoacan, Mexico. I had the opportunity to capture part of his questioning directed at members of the National Guard who stand watch over the now-infamous Federal Building in Los Angeles, where ICE’s main office and other Department of Homeland Security agencies are located — the same place where arrested immigrants are being led, into its basement:

“One day the pictures would be like, look who the really bad person is… And is going to be you guys! Well, how about your kids? How are you going to leave a legacy for your kids like this: Yeah! We oppressed people, we liked oppressing them”, that’s how Alexander admonished these National Guard troops, who swore to support and defend the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of California — a primary duty to those documents, not to a specific person or institution.

And although it’s true that the National Guard’s oath includes a commitment to obey the President of the United States, it also binds them to the Governor. Furthermore, by swearing to defend the Constitution “against all enemies, foreign and domestic,” they are — by logical extension — also swearing to oppose illegitimate actors within the government itself, should those actors violate the Constitution.

They do not swear loyalty directly to The People — no. But to swear allegiance to the Constitution is to defend the rights and freedoms of the People. Several lawmakers who have witnessed the situation, along with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), have stated that in those Federal Building basements where arrested immigrants are being taken, detainees are being mistreated — and that the conditions of their confinement are unworthy of any human being.

Lawyers from the Immigrant Defenders Law Center (ImmDef) told The Guardian that entire families, including small children, are being locked up without adequate food or water. According to their reports, one family with three young children was held for 48 hours after being arrested immediately following their immigration court hearing. The only food the children received during that time were a small bag of chips, a box of animal crackers, and a single mini-carton of milk to share. The youngest of the children is just three years old.

The family told attorneys that they were not given a drop of water during the first 24 hours. On the second day, they received one water bottle — to share. There was only one fan in the room, and it was pointed at the guard. Is this what National Guard soldiers, U.S. Marines, and federal agents are defending? Is this what they’re “protecting” — those with last names like Rodriguez, Hernandez, Reyes, Lopez, Sanchez?

Alexander didn’t even have to tell me. I saw it with my own eyes. Several members of the National Guard who hadn’t removed their name patches bore those surnames — both in front of and behind the Federal Building. The last names of their parents, or their grandparents, who through effort, labor, and sacrifice built a life after migrating to the United States of America.

Meanwhile, outside that immigration hellhole known as the Federal Building, Alexander and thousands of young people — the sons and daughters of undocumented immigrants — continue resisting peacefully. I saw this first-hand. They are defending what is most sacred to us Latinos, second only to God: our families.

“I went to Berkeley! UC Berkeley represent, number one public university, they raised us great, I’m on to pursue great things, and I will not stop fighting, rewardless I’m first generation, I will not stop fighting for my parents, for my grandparents, everyone passed me, I know my blood, and I know we are hard working people, and I’ll continue to prove that, and I hope everyone does as well”, said Anabel, who felt much more comfortable speaking to me in English — as do many of these young people who are the future of this country.

(*) J. Antonio Ruiz H. is a Mexican American journalist and graduate of the Escuela de Periodismo Carlos Septién García. He holds a degree and professional license registered with Mexico’s National Registry of Professionals (SEP). He currently produces and hosts the YouTube program “Con Toño Ruiz.” He previously served as news editor for Azteca America newscasts and as general news director at Sin Censura TV.