Santa Ana, CA – On Thursday, July 3, community members and local activists rallied in front of the Santa Ana Federal Building. They demanded U.S. Attorney Bilal Essayli drop the charges against immigrant rights activist Alejandro Orellana. They also called for “Hands off Verita Topete!” another activist with Centro CSO who was targeted by the FBI.

“When activists are under attack, what do we do? Stand up fight back!” chanted the fiery crowd.

“Political repression is nothing new and, in the U.S., it has always been directed at the people who are on the right side of history. In the 70s, the people rose up against the war in Vietnam and to support the victory of the Vietnamese people. This was met with violence from police and military forces,” said Diana Terreros of Freedom Road Socialist Organization.

Terreros continued, “We see some of the same tactics, along with deportations being used to repress our movements. First, we saw people like Mahmoud Khalil and Mohsen Mahdawi detained and threatened with deportation for leading pro-Palestine protests. And now, the National Guard and local police have been used in LA and Santa Ana to repress protests by people that are righteously angry at ICE for taking their loved ones. They’ve shot tear gas and rubber bullets, beat people with batons, and more.”

“Our sister chapter Centro CSO has been out in Boyle Heights confronting ICE and kicking them out since the racist ICE raids started in LA,” stated Rain Mendoza of Community Service Organization Orange County (CSO OC).

Mendoza explained, “The FBI is targeting Centro CSO for their immigrant rights activism. They raided and charged our brother Alejandro Orellana and most recently stalked and ambushed our sister Verita Topete. With the seizing of her phone, it is clear they are grasping at straws trying to find anything on our members. We know they have done nothing wrong! Protesting is not a crime!”

The crowd chanted, “Protesting is not a crime!” and “Drop the charges now!”

Mendoza continued, “We are united in this fight! We will not stop until all the charges against Alejandro Orellana are dropped! We will not stop until this FBI witch hunt against our members has stopped! As the attacks on Chicanos, Latinos, and other immigrant communities escalate, it is more important than ever to fight back against the forces that wish to stop us.”

Orange County DSA Co-chair Cal Saunders denounced Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” and called for solidarity as ICE funding increases and repression gets worse. “This bill cuts $300 billion from SNAP. It cuts $930 billion from Medicaid. It cuts $170 billion from Medicare. It cuts $488 billion from clean energy. And it provides $150 billion to ICE and $150 billion to the military. This bill condemns the poor and gives permanent tax cuts to the wealthiest people in this country!”

The crowd chanted, “Chinga la Migra! Raza si, Migra no!”

The rally ended with a CSO OC member stating, “In being here today, you have demonstrated our collective solidarity with Alejandro Orellana and Verita Topete. Just as we have done today, we will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with our community, and with a shared voice, condemn the unjust repression of activists who are advocating for immigrant rights.”

To get involved with CSO OC, please visit their Instagram CSO.OC or email them at [email protected].

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