Santa Ana, CA – On Friday, July 17 several members of Community Service Organization Orange County (CSO OC) delivered a petition to the Santa Ana Immigration Court. In May of 2025, the court was one of the first places Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) started arresting people. CSO OC has been running a campaign since then to pressure the immigration judges to move all hearings online so that people attending their hearings would not have to face ICE at the court. They collected over 1000 signatures calling for this.

Although, in June of 2026, a California judge ruled that arrests will no longer be allowed inside or outside immigration courts, CSO OC members upheld their demands.

Diana Terreros stated, “CSO OC found that the judges had a policy, PM21-03, that allows them to do remote hearings whenever they want. By choosing not to implement universal remote hearings, the judges at this immigration court have been complicit in ICE’s illegal arrests and allowed them to tear apart families. Even now, there is still a risk that ICE will continue detaining people at the court despite the ruling. ICE has shown complete disregard for the law and people's rights.”

CSO OC members marched towards the immigration court holding two large signs with photos of people who have died in ICE detention with “Detention = Death.” They held a banner that said, “Stop ICE arrests at the court!” They chanted “ICE out of our neighborhoods!” and “No justice, no peace! No ICE in our streets!”

Steven Ayoub stated, “Think about what that does to a person. You're forced into an impossible choice: show up to court and risk arrest or skip your hearing and be deported automatically for not appearing. There's no safe option. And I want to be honest with you about how high the stakes have become, because this isn't only about detention anymore. Just this past month, in Texas, a man named Lorenzo Salgado Araujo was killed. He was a 52-year-old father of three, originally from Mexico, who had been living in the United States for decades. On the morning of July 7, he was shot and killed by an ICE agent in Houston.”

Ayoub continued, “I raise this because it shows what we're really talking about. When enforcement is this aggressive and this unaccountable, an ordinary person doing an ordinary thing driving to work, or showing up to a court date can end up detained, or worse.”

Luis Morales Pedraza Babylon shared his experience. “I’m currently in the court system applying for a spousal green card and ever since the ICE thing started happening, sometimes when I go to sleep that’s all I think about. What if I get arrested and get sent to Mexico? I was brought here when I was four years old ,so I wouldn’t really know what to do over there.”

When they arrived at the court, they marched in holding their signs and were met with security and metal detectors. Once inside, they handed the petitions to the clerk desk. They had printed and addressed a petition for each of the 22 judges. The clerk initially did not want to accept them and had to go through two supervisors to get approval, although a stack of papers being delivered to them is not out of the ordinary. In the end, the petitions were accepted and delivered to the judges.

CSO OC fights for immigrant rights and police accountability. If you would like to connect with CSO OC you can contact them through Instagram at CSO.OC or gmail at orangecountycso@gmail.com.

#SantaAnaCA #CA #OrangeCounty #CSOOC #ImmigrantRights #ICE

Santa Ana, CA – On Wednesday evening, July 15, around 70 protesters took over the corner of Bristol and 1st in Santa Ana with the rallying cry, “Justice for Lorenzo Salgao Araujo! Justice for Joan Sebastian Guerrero!” “Hands off Nadia!” This protest was put on during a national week of action that was called by the Legalization 4 All Network to demand justice for Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, Joan Sebastian Guerrero, and immigrants’ rights activist Nadia Topete.

“Today, we are here because in just one week, Immigration and Custom Enforcement has killed three people! Shame!”, stated Diana Terreros from Community Organization Orange County (CSO OC).

Terreros continued with describing the two known men who were murdered by ICE, “Lorenzo was killed in Houston and had lived in the U.S. for 35 years. He was simply on his way to work after picking up his crew when ICE decided to stop him and murder him. They were in unmarked cars and did not have body cameras. Joan Sebastian Guerrero was a 26-year-old Colombian living in Maine. He was murdered also after ICE initiated a traffic stop. They shot and killed him while his partner and three-year-old daughter watched.”

A moment of silence was then held for all victims of ICE.

“We are here to demand an end to ICE murders, an end to deportations, ICE out of our neighborhoods, and legalization for all!” exclaimed Terreros as she closed out.

“Sin justicia no hay paz!” and “ICE out of Santa Ana!”chanted the protesters.

Luis Morales Pedraza Babylon from CSO OC immigration committee stated, “The attempt to silence Nadia is not just an attack on her; it is a calculated tactic to keep every single one of us in the dark. The same systems that fear Nadia’s voice are the same systems that claimed the lives of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo and Joan Sebastian Guerrero. These are not isolated tragedies. They are the result of a system that treats our families as disposable.”

Babylon spoke regarding the repression immigrant rights activist Nadia Topete from Centro CSO in Los Angeles is facing. She has been subpoenaed by the FBI to appear before a grand jury twice and twice she has resisted.

Rachel from AlianzaTransLatinx took the mic, “Today we raise our voice for the victims and those also still detained by ICE. Our humanity does not end when we cross a border. We demand transparency and an investigation when a person is killed in detention or at the hands of ICE!”

“My heart breaks and I am filled with rage every time another family, another life is destroyed by the unimaginable cruelty of ICE. We must honor Lorenzo, Joan, and every single life taken by ICE by showing up to this fight and by winning!” stated Jenna Perez, member of CSO OC immigration committee.

Perez continued, “We are also fighting alongside our immigrant neighbors in our local community right here in Santa Ana. Residents and families of the mobile home park Coach Royal have suffered abuse, harassment, and immigrant residents have been threatened with ICE being called on them. They have even had their homes illegally stolen from them by the Kingsley Corporation. Join us as we fight alongside the residents of Coach Royal and say fuera Kingsley!”

The protesters then marched around the large four-way intersection while holding signs stating “Killer ICE off our streets,” “Stop the deportations” and “Justice for those murdered by ICE.”

Rain Mendoza of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization took the mic, “Lorenzo Salgado and Joan Sebastian are the tenth and eleventh people to be killed in an ICE-related operation under the Trump administration. The inhumane violence done to immigrants is nothing new as deportation efforts have historically been fatal.”

Mendoza continued, “During mass deportations of the Great Depression and Operation Wetback, immigrants and Chicanos were deported and also died either in detention centers or during immigration operations. This is why I am a communist fighting for socialist revolution and overthrowing the ruling class. Only socialist revolution which brings about an end to the ruling class that steps on our necks and allows killer cops and ICE agents to shoot us down, can bring a change.”

“Justicia para Lorenzo Araujo! Justicia para Joan Sebastian Guerrero!”chanted the protesters as they took up both ends of the corner as more cars honked in support.

The action was organized by Community Service Organization OC as a response to a call to action by the Legalization 4 All Network. If you would like to connect with CSO OC you can contact them through Instagram at CSO.OC or gmail at orangecountycso@gmail.com.

#SantaAnaCA #CA #ImmigrantRights #CSOOC #L4A

Santa Ana, CA – On June 15, Community Service Organization Orange County and movement lawyers with the Peace and Justice Law Center served a demand letter threatening to sue Santa Ana Police Department (SAPD) for not disclosing records about the arrest and death of Freddie Washington. On July 1, SAPD was forced to release 18 body camera videos, 58 photographs and two incident reports. These records reveal the moments leading up to Freddie’s arrest on January 15, 2025.

Police were called about a man refusing to pay for his stay at a hotel in Santa Ana. The first officers to respond were Isaac Ibarra and Jonathan Mondragon. Ibarra was one of two officers who killed unarmed Noe Rodriguez in 2024, shooting him 11 times and lying about what Rodriguez was doing before the shooting.

When Freddie Washington did not answer the door, Officer Isaac Ibarra opened it using a set of master keys. Officer Jonathan Mondragon immediately drew his gun and pointed it directly at Washington during about 14 minutes of “negotiation.” Both officers tried to convince him to leave his room, calling for backup as Washington called his lawyer. Mondragon’s report mentions Washington’s “erratic” language and “refusal to comply,” both common justifications for excessive force by police.

Four more officers arrived and Ibarra coordinated the arrest. Police entered with tasers drawn, wrestled Freddie Washington out of his chair and forced him against a hotel room bed. Officers Jonathan Mondragon and Francisco Rodriguez held him down. An officer we can now identify as Frank Corpus punched Washington in the head twice on camera. Washington screamed for help.

Police wrestled Washington to the floor. As three held Washington down, officer Jesse Hernandez pressed his taser against Washington’s body and said, “Stop or you’re going to get tased” and “Stop fighting,” to which Washington replied, “I’m not fighting! Y’all are fighting me!”

Jesse Hernandez was involved in a prior in-custody death: on September 13 2022, Hernandez was one of many SAPD officers who chased unarmed 72-year-old Miguel Chavez into a CVS parking lot after he was in a car accident. In the parking lot, officer Mark Schifflett sicced his K-9 on Chavez, who died two days later from his wounds.

Police pinned Freddie Washington to the floor using their arms and knees for several minutes. They handcuffed him and put him in a restraint device called “the WRAP.” Fully immobilized, Washington asked for tea to drink, and several officers smirked and mocked him. Police hoisted Washington onto a gurney and he yelled as his cuffed wrists were driven into its surface. That is the moment Isaac Ibarra finally decided to offer Washington his tea, but he ultimately withheld it.

This small, sadistic gesture captures the heart of the incident. Throughout the arrest, Freddie Washington refused to surrender his dignity or his right to decide. And while police cited charges like “trespass” and “defrauding an innkeeper” to justify the violence, the truth is that the racist violence speaks for itself. It also speaks to the larger trend of police violence against Black people in the U.S. In California alone in 2025, Black people were 55% times more likely to be killed by police than white people, and Washington’s arrest resembled countless other police crimes that emerged before, during and after the George Floyd Rebellion.

Santa Ana City Attorney Sonia Carvalho said the city would release more records on or about July 8. These records should include materials related to Washington’s in-custody death on January 16, 2025. But SAPD has not released additional records. If it continues its pattern of delaying the release of records, Community Service Organization Orange County (CSO OC) and the Peace and Justice Law Center will resume with the lawsuit.

CSO OC fights for families impacted by police violence and for community control of the police. The fact that the community had to threaten a lawsuit to get more clarity on Freddie Washington’s death reflects SAPD’s culture of impunity, but it also shows the power and necessity of taking action ourselves. The community should also have the right to decide how officers are disciplined for misconduct and excessive use of force, especially when they have histories of violence. In the meantime, you can help support the family of Freddie Washington by donating here.

#SantaAnaCA #CA #OrangeCounty #CSOOC #CSO #FreddieWashington #InjusticeSystem

Santa Ana, CA – On Saturday June 27, Community Service Organization, Orange County (CSO OC) held a rally on Main and 4th for Santa Ana Pride. Despite the hot temperatures, the energy was still high with chants of “No cops at Pride!” starting things off.

CSO OC Police Accountability Committee member Matthew Compton kicked the rally off stating, “On June 28, 1969, the New York Police Department raided the Stonewall Inn, which led to the Stonewall Riots.” Compton continued, “Outside Stonewall, the people fought back. Yelling and protesting police for arresting those inside the Inn. They threw bottles and debris at them as they pushed the Stonewall attendees into police vans. LGTBQ people do not go down quietly.”

Khue Bui from CSO OC’S Immigration Committee stated “There are nearly 300,000 queer and trans undocumented immigrants, who face additional oppression within the immigration system. On average, trans immigrants are kept in detention twice as long, where they are misgendered and often kept in isolation.” Bui continued with, “Queer immigrants are 97 times more likely to be sexually assaulted in detention centers. While trans detainees face constant transphobic harassment, assault and mistreatment from ICE officers.”

Throughout the day, two Santa Ana Police Department officers kept circling the rally. Compton highlighted over the megaphone that the SAPD recently killed a 15-year-old Chicano named Jaden Michaca while he was having a mental health crisis. He stated that cops are not welcome at Pride due to their killing of Chicanos. Protesters followed with chants of “Fuck SAPD!” and calling them murderers. One officer stated over his intercom “Thank you for those kind words.”

After the fiery speeches and confrontation with police, chanting became even louder. Protesters screamed, “Hell no we won’t be quiet! Stonewall was a riot!” and “Transphobe cops! Off our streets!” as many onlookers joined in on the chants as they were passing by.

Pearl Arzola, the older sister of Albert Arzola, whose life was taken by Anaheim PD, stated “Pride is about more than celebrations and parades. It is about acceptance, respect, and the freedom to live and be yourself. It reminds us that everyone deserves to feel safe, valued and included, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.”

Rachel Pozos from AlianzaTransLatinx stated,“We are living in a moment when many of our communities are living in fear.” She continued. “But I want to make something clear. We are not going to disappear, we are not going to hide, and we will not be silent. Because every time an immigrant is attacked, they are attacking an entire family. Every time they attack a trans woman, they are attacking our dignity. Every time they try to sow fear, we sow hope and resistance!”

Emma Gottfried of Freedom Road Socialist Organization told the crowd, “We've all seen how the Trump administration has escalated their anti-trans and other anti-LGBTQ executive orders and reactionary legislation.”

Gottfried continued, “These heightened attacks by the Trump administration are a part of the accelerating decline of the U.S. empire as a means to oppress us and prevent real change, revolutionary change. Oppression, bigotry and inequality are not a natural constant in our world, it’s a product of a system and that system is monopoly capitalism.”

Despite taunting by the SAPD, the rally did not stop. With loud chanting continuing and insults being hurled at the two SAPD officers each time they passed by. Chants of “Pride was a riot!” and “No ICE at Pride!” echoed throughout downtown Santa Ana.

#SantaAnaCA #CA #LGBTQ #CSOOC #Pride

Santa Ana, CA – 28 personas, incluyendo residentes del parque de casas móviles Coach Royal, familias afectadas por muertes a manos de la policía y miembros de la Organización de Servicio Comunitario del Condado de Orange (CSO OC) fueron al Concejo Municipal de Santa Ana el martes 19 de mayo.

Fuera del salón del concejo, el Comité de Inmigración de CSO OC se manifestó para exigir que Kingsley Corporation se retire del parque de casas móviles Coach Royal.

Dentro del salón, el Comité de Responsabilidad Policial de la CSO entregó su petición exigiendo que los agentes del Departamento de Policía de Santa Ana, Luis Casillas e Isaac Ibarra, sean despedidos por haber matado a Noe Rodríguez. El 19 de mayo coincidía con el cumpleaños de Rodríguez.

Karla Alvarado, residente de Coach Royal, declaró, “Tuvimos nuestra reunión sobre la estabilización de alquileres hace casi un mes, y estamos solicitando el video de ese evento, ¡y la ciudad está tratando de negarnos acceso!”. En dicha reunión, Kingsley negó a los residentes el acceso a servicios de interpretación al español o a la designación de testigos, y prohibieron la entrada de observadores a la sesión. Sin embargo, las protestas de los residentes obligaron al personal municipal a “darse cuenta” de que los residentes tenían derecho a esas garantías.

Dentro del salón de sesiones se escuchaban los cánticos de “¡Fuera Kingsley! ¡Fuera Kingsley!”, mientras que en el exterior la gente se manifestaba. El personal de la ciudad de Santa Ana intentó a callar las voces subiendo el volumen del televisor situado en el exterior; la estrategia resultó contraproducente y provocó que los residentes gritaran aún con más fuerza.

Dentro del salón, la alcaldesa Valerie Amezcua intentó silenciar a los residentes leyendo una declaración del abogado de la ciudad, en la que se afirmaba que no había nada que la ciudad pudiera hacer con respecto a Kingsley. Los abucheos del público la interrumpieron. Amenazando con suspender la sesión, Amezcua difamó a los residentes de Coach Royal, alegando, sin presentar prueba alguna, que estos “habían recurrido a proferir amenazas y a actuar con agresividad física hacia nuestro personal municipal”.

El concejo municipal votó a favor de limitar el tiempo de comentarios del público a un minuto. Los abucheos llenaron el salón mientras los concejales Valerie Amezcua, Jessie Lopez, Phil Bacerra y Thai Viet Phan votaban para silenciar al público.

Matthew Compton, miembro de CSO OC, declaró, “Ustedes están realmente jodidamente asustados de los residentes de Coach Royal, y es verdaderamente jodidamente vergonzoso que hayan decidido reducir el tiempo a un minuto. ¡Incluida tú, Jessie! Los Arzolas están sentados justo ahí y han sido testigos de sus mierdas. Fueron tocando puerta a puerta por ti y te brindaron su apoyo”.

La familia de Albert Arzola, quien fue asesinado por el agente de la policía de Anaheim, Nathan Garcia, el 1 de diciembre de 2025, han apoyado durante semanas la candidatura de Lopez a la Asamblea Estatal, dado que su oponente, el concejal de Santa Ana David Penaloza, es un leal servidor de la policía.

Erika Armenta, viuda de Noe Rodriguez, se dirigió al podio. A ambos lados de ella, miembros de CSO OC sostenían carteles que exhibían cientos de firmas de una petición. Al 21 de mayo, la petición sumaba ya 638 firmas. Puede firmar aquí.

Armenta declaró, “Han pasado ya 504 días desde el 1 de diciembre de 2024, que los oficiales asesinos Luis Casillas e Isaac Ibarra le quitaron la vida al padre de mis hijas, Noe Rodríguez, en una lluvia de balas; sin embargo, ustedes no han hecho nada. La alcaldesa, en particular, se encarga de protegerlos, ofreciendo públicamente su apoyo a estos supuestos ‘agentes de la paz’ sin consideración alguna el dolor que esto nos causa a nosotras, quienes hemos perdido a un ser querido.”.

Armenta acercó su teléfono al micrófono y reprodujo una grabación de la voz de su hija. Su hija decía, “Me siento triste porque hoy es el cumpleaños de mi papá y no puedo abrazar. Me siento frustrada porque le arrebataron la vida, y los quienes hicieron esto todavía siguen libres”. Mientras la grabación continuaba, Armenta alzó un dibujo, “Le hice este dibujo para recordar su bonita memoria”.

Mientras Armenta hablaba, la concejala Thai Viet Phan miraba al vacío y comía yogur.

David Pulido, miembro del CSO OC, declaró, “Estamos aquí hoy para presentar los resultados preliminares de nuestra petición de justicia para Noe Rodríguez”. Pulido continuó diciendo, “¡Hoy habría sido su cumpleaños! ¡Y ustedes le robaron ese tiempo!”. Mientras la ciudad le cortaba el micrófono, Pulido exigió al jefe de policía, Robert Rodríguez, que despidiera a los policías asesinos y encabezó los cantos, “¿Luis Casillas? ¡Encierrenlo! ¿Isaac Ibarra? ¡Enciérrenlo!”. Los cánticos llenaron el salón y el público ahogó la voz de la alcaldesa, obligándola a guardar silencio.

Guadalupe Barragán, residente de Coach Royal que lleva años luchando contra los abusos de Kingsley, refutó las declaraciones calumniosas de la alcaldesa sobre los residentes de Coach Royal. Señaló directamente a Amezcua y exclamó, “¡Ojala que tengas pruebas de todo lo que acaba de decir ahorita acusando a mi familia! Tu me conoces y somos gente trabajadora. ¡Sí, estamos enojados! ¡Porque Kingsley están robando las casas!”.

Diana Terreros, miembro del CSO OC, tomó el micrófono y dijo, “Es una vergüenza que intenten calumniar a los residentes de Coach Royal, alegando que están amenazando al personal municipal. Tenemos un video que demuestra que, durante su audiencia, el personal de la ciudad intentó ponerles las manos encima y trató de expulsar a los testigos”. Terreros continuó, “Ustedes no dejan de decirles que demanden a Kingsley, que presenten sus peticiones y que hagan esto y aquello de manera individual. Lo que nosotros exigimos es que esto se aborde como el problema sistémico que realmente es. En todos los lugares del país donde opera Kingsley, se están produciendo estos mismos problemas. Esto no se resolverá con una demanda individual. ¡Qué vergüenza les debería dar no hacer absolutamente nada al respecto!”.

Mientras el público se retiraba, personal de la ciudad notificó vergonzosamente a Karla Alvarado una orden de restricción presentada por una empleada municipal llamada Maricela Márquez, quien estuvo presente en la reunión de la División de Estabilización de Alquileres del pasado 29 de abril. Alvarado deberá comparecer ante el tribunal el 29 de mayo.

Estos ataques no impedirán que CSO OC siga luchando codo con codo junto al pueblo. ¡Exigimos que Kingsley se vaya de Santa Ana! ¡Exigimos el despido de los policías asesinos Luis Casillas e Isaac Ibarra!

#SantaAnaCA #CA #OrangeCounty #CSOOC #Kingsley #CoachRoyal #PeoplesStruggles

Santa Ana, CA – Sixteen people, including members of Jaden Michaca’s family, lawyers with Carillo Law Firm, and members of Community Service Organization Orange County (CSO OC) crowded outside Santa Ana Police Department (SAPD) to demand justice for Jaden Michaca on Tuesday, June 23. Michaca was only 15 years old and suffering a mental health crisis when he was killed by police just nine days before.

Maribel Michaca, Jaden's mother, explained how SAPD distorted the incident. Police statements made it sound like they were responding to a call about a family disturbance that resulted in a stabbing. Maribel explained that she called 911 to respond to a mental health crisis, and that in the past she called 911 to have a psychiatric team de-escalate these situations. Additionally, Maribel said her partner was not stabbed but accidentally scratched trying to take away a knife from Jaden during his crisis.

But this time two police officers were sent. When police broke into her apartment Maribel said, “Please do not shoot! Please do not shoot! My son is having a mental health crisis!” At the press conference Maribel explained, “I was standing next to him and they did not care. They just started shooting – one bullet after another bullet. They didn’t even care about my own life being in danger.” Maribel’s hand was shot and her right thumb was immobilized in a brace. She said, “I was not in danger from my son. I was more in danger from the police shooting at me and killing my son.”

Michael Carillo, one of the lawyers representing the family, said they were filing a government claim against the city of Santa Ana and SAPD, accusing the officers of negligence and a failure to de-escalate the situation. The way SAPD responded to Jaden Michaca was similar to other police killings, such as that of Henry Gonzalez Junior and Noe Rodriguez, who were also suffering a mental health crises and then criminalized and killed by police.

Family members held large photos of Michaca, where he was shown cradling his pet cat, embracing family in front of a cake for his birthday, and standing with his mother. Others held CSO OC signs that read, “Justice for Jaden Michaca,” “Release the body camera footage,” “Release the autopsy report” and “Jail killer cops.”

Jasmine Michaca, Jaden’s aunt, said “Jaden was always such a loving kid. I spent most of my childhood growing up with him. Jaden started developing a liking for Pokémon, and every time he would come home, he would show me his collection.”

In the last two years Jaden began experiencing bipolar disorder. His mother pulled him from public school, and he began taking online classes and receiving help. Jasmine shared her last memory of her nephew, saying “I just came back recently from UC Santa Barbara. Spending the weekend together, he was just so excited to see me. He had called me two weeks prior. I remember one day we were sitting in the living room, and he was telling me he didn’t get to finish high school. He wanted to go to college and pursue a career as a mechanic. I told him if he ever needs help, I will be there with him.” She wept and embraced Jaden’s mother.

Maribel Michaca said, “What I’m asking for today is justice for my son. He did not deserve to die the way he did. He was a loving child. He had plans! He had a future!”

The crowd chanted, “Justice for Jaden! Justice for Jaden! Justice for Jaden!”

CSO OC demands community control of the police, and we fight alongside families impacted by police. If you are interested in joining our work, please reach out on Instagram or Facebook, or email at orangecountycso@gmail.com.

#SantaAnaCA #CA #OrangeCounty #CSOOC #OppressedNationalities #InjusticeSystem #JadenMichaca

Santa Ana CA – The afternoon of Saturday, June 19, 25 people, including members of Community Service Organization Orange County (CSO OC) and concerned community members, gathered to demand accountability and transparency after yet another resident was killed by Santa Ana Police Department (SAPD) earlier that week.

Chants of “Justice for Jaden Michaca!” and “¡Basta policías asesinos!” could be heard over rush hour traffic at the intersection of the apartment complex where Jaden Michaca was killed.

Michaca was only 15 years old when SAPD officers shot him to death the night of June 14. Early reports from the department offer no details of the officer-involved shooting but justified the officer’s actions by stating that the “suspect” had a knife and was under the influence when they responded to a domestic call. Community members immediately called out SAPD’s statements online and in person, condemning the department for the killing and advocating for stronger community oversight of the department.

David Pulido, a member of CSO OC, opened the event with “We’ve seen enough of these police statements and met enough of their victims to know that we should not trust the police! They criminalize the victim by focusing on drug use and property damage to mark them for death!”

A school counselor who knew Jaden Michaca attended the protest and countered early attempts by police to paint him as a criminal. She stated Michaca “had the biggest heart of any kid I’ve worked with, he was sweet and kind, but he happened to be in a body that looked a little bit older, and that of a Chicano male. I can’t deny that that was a factor in what happened.” Michaca’s death is one of many cases of Chicanos being killed by police across Orange County, including three teenage police shooting victims in the last seven months.

The protesters waved signs that demanded justice for the victim, including others that read “Release the names! Release the tapes!” They demanded the immediate publication of all unedited body camera footage, the full autopsy report, and the names of the officers who killed Michaca.

Attendees marched around the intersection of South Main and West Macarthur Boulevard, chanting “Jail killer cops!” while people driving by honked in support. A white cross decorated with fresh flowers and handwritten messages from the family had been set up near the intersection earlier that week to honor Jaden Michaca’s life.

Family members of Albert Arzola, a 19-year-old killed by Anaheim Police Department (APD) in December 2025, attended to show their support for Jaden Michaca’s family. Albert’s sister Pearl Arzola emphasized, “Jaden Michaca was a young kid, and instead of de-escalating the situation, the cops chose more violence! We need more accountability over Santa Ana PD, a young 15-year-old boy should not die because cops are trigger-happy.”

“I don’t know if you saw that the mayor of Santa Ana, she brushed this shooting off like it was nothing. What the fuck?” yelled CSO OC member Luis Herrera. The community booed and responded “Shame!” He then encouraged the crowd, “We need to unite and organize ourselves to fight for justice, because only through organized struggle can we win community control of the police!”

Abe Quintana of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) brought a historical perspective, stating “We know that there is a long history of racist police killings and violence that targets Chicano communities and immigrants from Mexico and Central and South America. The racism and exploitation we experience exist because they are rooted in the oppression of Aztlan, so we need to fight for our self-determination!”

CSO OC organized the protest, which was also attended by PSL, members of Union Del barrio (UDB), and community members who knew Jaden Michaca. CSO is a grassroots, working-class organization that fights for community control of the police and legalization for all the undocumented. They hold general meetings every third Thursday in Santa Ana and can be reached on Instagram @cso.oc or on Facebook, CSO Orange County. Their police crimes hotline is 714-367-6350.

#SantaAnaCA #CA #OrangeCounty #CSOOC #JadenMichaca #OppressedNationalities #InjusticeSystem

Santa Ana, CA – On Monday, June 15, Community Service Organization Orange County (CSO OC) served a demand letter to the Santa Ana Police Department (SAPD) and the city of Santa Ana threatening to sue if they do not immediately start producing records of the in-custody death of Freddie DeAngelo Washington.

Despite multiple public records act requests, SAPD has only produced a tiny handful of records, and none in over a year. This is far fewer records than SAPD has released in other cases. These delays give the impression that SAPD is hiding something, because what the public already knows about the brutality of the case is shocking.

Back on January 15, 2025, six SAPD officers broke into Washington’s hotel room and arrested him. As two officers pinned him to bed, one officer punched Washington in the back of the head twice. Police wrestled him to the ground, threatened to tase him, and tied down his arms and legs using a restraint device called “the wrap.” According to the police report, later that night Washington was put in a restraint chair and placed in a cell at Santa Ana Jail.

At least one officer with a prior history of violence can be identified in the arrest footage: Isaac Ibarra, who helped with the arrest and helped prepare the restraint device for Freddie Washington. Ibarra was one of the officers who k