TULARE – With flags waving and signs raised, a diverse group of protesters gathered near the World Ag Expo to demand justice and fair treatment for immigrants who sustain the community.
At the intersection of Paige Avenue and Laspina Street, near the entrance of the World Ag Expo at the International Agri-Center in Tulare, a group of demonstrators gathered to voice their support for the immigrant community. The protest, which took place from 8 a.m. to noon, was organized in response to the increasing number of ICE raids and deportations occurring across the country.
“We’re all immigrants, and we all belong – even the ones who are not documented,” Arthur Ogawa, a resident of Three Rivers said.
Ogawa explained the importance of raising awareness about the issues facing immigrant communities. He praised cities like Lindsay who have discussed possibly becoming sanctuary cities and hopes that other cities will also support the immigrant community by not cooperating with ICE.
“There’s an effort, it seems, to make people who are legal immigrants illegal somehow, by taking birthright citizenship away from people,” Ogawa said. “These are very disturbing trends, and they’ve come in with the current administration.”
One community member, who preferred to remain anonymous, expressed the fear and anxiety felt by many undocumented individuals in Tulare. They stressed the importance of speaking up for those who are too scared to attend and highlighted the critical role of undocumented workers in the agricultural industry.
“I feel like a lot of people get our message confused and think we’re wanting the border open,” they said. “All we’re asking for is border reformation, and for the immigrants that are here to not be handled like animals. My parents are undocumented, I’m scared for them. They’re hard workers, and they shouldn’t be scared to be out and about.”
They continued to explain that they don’t feel safe enough to speak their language or hang their flag due to the possibility of being profiled.
“We’re constantly met with, ‘oh, they’re taking our jobs,’” they said. “They’re (undocumented individuals) taking the jobs that American people don’t want – there’s people who come here and work for minimal pay, who break their backs every day…I feel like a lot of it is built on hate.
“We need to come together as a community and spread our message together in hopes that people can change their mind.”
Multiple protesters were there to highlight the critical role that immigrant workers play in the agricultural industry, a sentiment that was highlighted by Brandee Escarga, another demonstrator.
“We definitely need them for our agriculture…This is their native land at the end of the day, so they have just as much right to be here, if not more,” Escarga said. “They (some people) say that they come over and live off of our government. It’s actually the opposite, they’re the hardest workers.”
Despite the support from some, demonstrators noted that the overall reaction from the broader community was mixed. Escarga acknowledged the challenge of changing the minds of people, particularly among the farm owners who continue to employ immigrants.
She further explained that many immigrants come here legally, but then struggle to keep their documentation current due to the long-winded immigration process. Escarga and other protesters noted that it is common for immigrants’ visas to expire before the immigration makes any significant progress on their case.
Multiple other protesters agreed with Escarga, noting that the current immigration system is in need of reform.
“Sometimes it’s a 15-to-20 year wait to get a green card, and our system is based on family preference, so it can be a very long time,” community member Joan Cuadra said.
Cuadra questioned why ranchers were not supporting undocumented workers and urged the farming community to stand by their employees.
“I don’t believe in deporting innocent people that are just working, especially with a lot of work they do, (like) working out in the fields,” Cuadra said. “(My family) has always believed in the richness that immigrants give to this country…I’m concerned, and I think it’s cruel and inhumane to go pick somebody up (while) they have kids in the home.”
The demonstration attracted participants from various parts of the region, including Fresno, Visalia and Three Rivers. The event was meant to be a display of solidarity among different advocacy groups, with flags and signs from the United Farm Workers, Central Valley for Palestine, Raza against War and the Visalia Democratic Club.
