Anxiety, Defiance, and Refuge in Immigrant Los Angeles Anxiety, Defiance, and Refuge in Immigrant Los Angeles
*Illustration by Celia Jacobs.
STORY

We're Here to Protect and Serve Immigrants, Not Help ICE Deport Them

The LAPD Wants Immigrants to Know Their Rights, Trust Officers, and Report Crime That Matters

Given the history of our City and our Department, the Los Angeles Police Department makes it a priority to build relationships with our diverse communities.
Since last November’s election, and the widespread protests and fears we’ve seen and heard in its aftermath, we’ve had to step up relationship-building and do even …

STORY

To Make California a True Democracy, Give Non-Citizens the Right to Vote

If You Root for the Dodgers, Pay Taxes, and Battle Traffic, Are You Any Less Californian Than Me?

President Trump claims that California allowed millions of non-citizens to cast ballots in the 2016 elections. This allegation, while totally bogus, has put California and its political leaders on the defensive. They are forced to respond as Trump and his allies use the lie to justify a new federal commission devoted to making it harder for all Americans to vote.

Californians should go on offense—by embracing Trump’s ugly lie and transforming it into a beautiful civic truth. Let’s make our state more inclusive and more democratic—by guaranteeing non-citizens the right to vote in our …

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STORY

What Is It Like to Be an Immigrant in L.A. in the Trump Era?

In a City That Welcomes Newcomers, Opportunities Still Abound—but Fear and Uncertainty Are Rising

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How Anti-Immigrant Rhetoric Drove My Generation into Politics

Trump’s Cynical Policies Make the Same Mistake That California Republicans Made 20 Years Ago

It’s often said that California is just like America, only sooner. We confront the same issues as the rest of the nation, just earlier. Perhaps no issue exemplifies that …

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“I grew up on the border, where life is kind of fluid.”

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A Hate Crime Exposes Deeper Rifts Between Asian Americans

Koreans, Filipinos, and Indians Have Too Much in Common to Fracture Themselves Along Ethnic Lines

Of the Trump administration’s anti-immigrant actions, the best known are the barring of immigrants and refugees from Muslim …

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The Economic Cost of Isolating Immigrants

Hostility Toward Newcomers Has Always Hampered Investment, Innovation, and Growth

Trump’s immigration policies are a problem for the U.S. economy, and in ways you might not think.

Whether it’s crime, security or jobs—Trump has openly and repeatedly linked many of the supposed woes of the nation to immigrants, fanning the xenophobic flames that exist at some level in all societies. Anecdotal evidence suggests that the strong anti-immigrant rhetoric has already slowed the pace of immigration into the United States, whether legal or illegal. And now Trump is working with two senators to slow immigration even more. The RAISE Act (Reforming American Immigration for Strong Employment) would cut by more than half the number of immigrants legally allowed to enter the nation annually if it ever became law. …

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Why an Undocumented College Student Left California for Indiana

The Golden State Values Dreamers Like Me, but the Hoosier State Put Graduation Within Reach

I’m one of the young people covered by President Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which allows people who immigrated with their parents before they were 16 to live and work …

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As Trump's Policies Harm Immigrants, How Can Local Efforts Best Help?

In a Perilous Era, L.A. Needs to Draw on Its Strengths to Preserve Them

Even by the tumultuous measure of Donald Trump’s first months in the White House, none of the new president’s policies or rhetorical outbursts has been more bitterly divisive than his stand on immigration. …

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STORY

“Fascism is creeping up on the American people.”

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STORY

As Trump Targets Immigrants, Their Families Are Pushing Back at the Ballot Box

Running for Office and Backing Progressive Causes, They’re Solidifying the State’s Political Map

Since the onset of the Trump era, we’ve been witnessing a very strong and measurable response by immigrants in Los Angeles. This response includes Latino, Asian, and other immigrants. It’s evident in civic participation and in opposition to Trump immigration policies—as well as to the broader anti-immigrant atmosphere that the Trump administration is fostering. …

STORY

Punished by the U.S. and Persecuted by Iran

Iranian Americans Have Thrived Since Fleeing the Revolution, but Their Freedoms Are Now Restricted

Ever since the Iranian Revolution of 1978-79, Iranian American immigrants, including the large number of us living here in Los Angeles, have been personally feeling the effects of the rising and falling tension levels in …

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STORY

“Being treated as a second-class citizen made me want to fight.”

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