Immigrant rights activist Alejandro Orellana freed from federal custody
![Alejandro Orellana with fist raised \[center\] after his release.](https://i.snap.as/wjUD16A4.jpeg "Alejandro Orellana with fist raised [center] after his release. | Photo: Fight Back! News")
Los Angeles, CA – On Friday, June 13, Alejandro Orellana, an immigrant rights activist who was arrested by the FBI, was freed from federal custody.
The previous morning the FBI, with the support of the National Guard and the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department, raided Orellana’s home in East Los Angeles and arrested Alejandro, a longtime member of Centro CSO, on charges of “conspiracy to commit criminal disorders.”
In a packed courtroom with family, supporters, and Centro CSO members, Orellana stood strong against the ridiculous charges. The U.S. Attorney tried to have the judge order Orellana to stay away from downtown LA but that order was rejected.
Cheers rose up as Orellana exited the Edward R. Roybal Federal Building and United States Courthouse in downtown Los Angeles. He hugged his mother and CSO members chanted, “Si, se puede!”
Orellana thanked everyone, saying that the united packed courtroom helped his case. As he walked out of the building, Alex stated, “Protesting is not a crime and when people come together like this, anything is possible.”
Centro CSO then held a press conference to publicize this victory and to continue demanding that all charges be dropped. Carlos Montes, a longtime Chicano activist and leader of Centro CSO, pointed out the irony that Orellana was imprisoned in a building named after Roybal, one of CSO’s original founders in the 1940s.
Luis Sifuentes, a good friend of Orellana and a fellow member of Centro CSO, said, “We’ve known each other since high school, and ten years ago we joined the struggle with CSO against police terror and police repression. Alex is now free now, but we will not stop fighting until the charges are dropped!”
Nadia and Verita Topete, members of Centro CSO whose father was detained by ICE, spoke out against the raids that are currently terrorizing immigrant communities in Los Angeles. Avery Raimondo repeated that CSO would not back down despite the repression and would continue leading protests until ICE and the National Guard are out of LA.
Orellana’s next hearing will be on June 27. Centro CSO will be developing a campaign to drop all the charges against Orellana. Donations to support his legal defense can be sent to CSO’s Venmo @CentroCSO or Zelle: +1 (323) 580-3764.