Santa Ana, CA – El miércoles 23 de septiembre, se escuchaban consignas como “¡Kingsley, escucha, estamos en la lucha!” en la calle Sullivan.Rain Mendoza, de la Organización de Servicio Comunitario del Condado de Orange (CSO OC), inició la manifestación declarando: “Estamos aquí hoy debido a los años de acoso a los que Kingsley Management Corporation ha sometido a los residentes de Coach Royal, en su mayoría inmigrantes de clase trabajadora”.

Unas 35 personas, entre ellas residentes del parque de casas móviles Coach Royal y miembros de la comunidad, se manifestaron frente al parque para exigir que se detenga el retiro de cercas, que se permita a los residentes conservar sus sistemas de aire acondicionado y que se mantengan las dimensiones originales de los lotes. Kingsley utiliza estas supuestas infracciones y cambios a las reglas para iniciar el proceso de robarles la vivienda a los residentes.

Teresa Osorio, residente del parque, habló sobre su experiencia reciente. “Olivia García [la administradora del parque] vino a mi casa a decirme que quitara mi cerca cuando apenas el año pasado ella misma me dijo que la reparara.”

Irene Rodríguez de Guzmán habló sobre sus interacciones con García: “Ella me está diciendo que quite mis cercas, lo cual contradice el hecho de que ella me dijo que las instalara porque tenía problemas con los vecinos. Ella me dijo dónde debía ponerla y vino a inspeccionarla después de que se instaló y dijo que se veía bien. Me sacrifiqué para pagar esa cerca, ¿cómo la voy a quitar?”

Karla Alvarado habló sobre las tácticas de intimidación y el despojo de viviendas por parte de Kingsley: “Yo fui una de las personas que ayudó a muchos de los residentes a obtener sus títulos de propiedad, y después de eso sufrimos represalias por parte de Kingsley Corporation.”

Alvarado añadió, “Me ofrecieron quedarme como inquilina siempre y cuando renunciara a mis derechos y no volviera a ayudar a nadie de la comunidad. Obviamente rechacé eso y terminé siendo expulsada de mi casa. Mi casa fue retirada de aquí y vendida ilegalmente en una subasta privada, violando todas las leyes, ya que nunca me informaron que la subasta iba a tomar lugar.”

Gabriela Mendoza tuvo una experiencia similar. “Mi abogada confirmó que mi casa fue vendida. Le dije que yo hasta ahora no he recibido ni un dólar. Y no se me hace justo que mi casa nueva que yo trabajé tantos años, ellos robaron mi propiedad. Esto es una injusticia.”

Al señalar más prácticas ilegales, Rain Mendoza añadió, “Kingsley está iniciando el proceso para modificar el tamaño de los terrenos asignados a todos los residentes. Si los residentes no cumplen, se enfrentan a graves consecuencias económicas. Obligar a estos residentes a realizar estos cambios e imponerles consecuencias es ilegal”.

Durante la manifestación, los residentes señalaron los carteles de “se vende” que rodeaban a los manifestantes, indicando que esas casas habían sido robadas de sus dueños. Los transeúntes se detenían al pasar para escuchar los testimonios de los residentes.

Los manifestantes coreaban, “¡No más acoso! ¡No más temor! ¡Los inmigrantes tenemos valor!”.

“Nos están obligando a quitar los aires acondicionados. Es una cosa horrible. Ustedes saben que recientemente estuvimos viviendo un calor insoportable. Si no hubiera sido por nuestro aire acondicionado hubiera habido tragedias aquí en Coach Royal.”, declaró Guadalupe Barragán, residente desde hace 38 años.

Teresa Carrera, otra exresidente, describió el impacto físico y psicológico de las acciones de Kingsley. “Realmente, todo lo que hemos pasado ha sido un abuso traumático. Hemos ido a psicólogos. Hemos tenido noches sin dormir. Me enfermé hasta el grado de que no comí por uno o dos meses. Solo tomaba agua y bajé casi como 25 libras. Tanto estrés, tanto insomnio, tanto pensar por qué esta gente es tan injusta.”

Los manifestantes coreaban, “¡Vivir con miedo no es normal! ¡Queremos justicia en Coach Royal!”

Luis Pedraza Morales Babylon, un exresidente a quien le robaron su casa habló en nombre de CSO OC. “La Organización de Servicio Comunitario respalda firmemente a los residentes de Coach Royal. La CSO está en primera línea de lucha, organizando protestas en la entrada del parque, llenando las salas de audiencias, exigiendo justicia ante los desalojos injustos y sacando a la luz las tácticas engañosas de la administración. Luchan para garantizar que las familias trabajadoras y los inmigrantes no sean expulsados mediante intimidación, barreras lingüísticas o desplazamientos forzosos.”

Si le interesa unirse a CSO OC en esta campaña, puede contactarlos a través del correo electrónico orangecountycso@gmail.com o en Instagram en @CSO.OC.

#SantaAnaCA #CA #PeoplesStruggles #Housing #TrailerPark #CSOOC

Santa Ana, CA – El 12 de septiembre, la Organización de Servicio Comunitario del Condado de Orange (CSO OC) y miembros de la comunidad pusieron una mesa de información frente al conocido restaurante salvadoreño El Salvador Café para distribuir recursos e información cruciales en respuesta al más reciente ataque de Trump que amenaza con poner fin al Estatus de Protección Temporal (TPS) para los inmigrantes salvadoreños.

Los miembros de CSO OC entregaron paquetes informativos primero a los trabajadores del restaurante salvadoreño y luego se dirigieron a los negocios vecinos de propietarios mexicanos y centroamericanos. Conversaron con trabajadores y miembros de la comunidad sobre el último ataque de Trump contra la comunidad inmigrante salvadoreña y sus políticas anteriores, como un paquete de gastos de $170 mil millones para la aplicación de leyes migratorias, la suspensión y revocación de visas para personas de 75 países, entre otras medidas.

CSO OC organizó este evento informativo como respuesta a la semana de acción de la red Legalización Para Todos (L4A) para detener la agenda de Trump, y en solidaridad con la marcha de la coalición Dallas Against Trump durante la Convención Republicana de Mitad de Mandato (RNC). El periodo del 9 al 13 de septiembre estuvo marcado por ataques como la fecha de vencimiento del TPS para salvadoreños el 9 de septiembre, la promesa de Trump de revocar 200,000 visas y la celebración de la RNC de mitad de mandato los días 9 y 10 de septiembre.

El día en que se suponía que vencería el TPS salvadoreño, ICE envió un anuncio declarando que una decisión sobre el estatus del TPS para los salvadoreños se tomará en el momento apropiado. Aunque técnicamente el TPS no expiró, esta situación deja en el limbo a los 170,000 salvadoreños beneficiarios de dicho programa.

CSO OC continuará realizando sus caminatas por los barrios, en los que distribuye información y recursos importantes sobre ICE y los ataques de Trump contra los inmigrantes.

Si te interesa participar en una acción o reunión de CSO OC, puedes contactarlos en orangecountycso@gmail.com o en Instagram en CSO.OC.

#SantaAnaCA #CA #OrangeCounty #ImmigrantRights #TPS #ElSalvador #CSOOC

Santa Ana, CA – On Wednesday, September 23, chants of “Kingsley escucha, estamos en la lucha!” could be heard on Sullivan Street.

Rain Mendoza with Community Service Organization Orange County (CSO OC) kicked off a rally, stating, “We are here today because of the years of harassment the majority working-class immigrant residents of Coach Royal have been subjected to under Kingsley Management Corporation.”

35 people, including residents of Coach Royal Mobile Home Park and community members, rallied in front of the park to demand a stopping of all fence removals, allowing residents to keep their air conditioning, and maintaining all allotted property sizes. Kingsley uses these bogus violations and changes to the rules to begin the process of stealing homes from the residents.

Teresa Osorio, a resident of the park, spoke about her recent experience. “Olivia Garcia [park manager] came to my house to tell me to remove my fence when just a year before she herself told me to repair it.”

Irene Rodriguez de Guzman spoke about her interactions with Garcia, “She is telling me to remove my fences, which contradicts the fact that she told me to install them because I had issues with the neighbors. She told me where I should put it and came to inspect it after it was installed and she said it looked good. I sacrificed to pay for that fence, how am I going to remove it?”

Karla Alvarado spoke about Kingsley’s intimidation tactics and home theft, “I was one of the people that helped a lot of the residents obtain their titles and after that we were retaliated against by Kingsley Corporation.”

Alvarado added, “I was offered to stay as a tenant as long as I waive my rights and never helped anyone in the community. I obviously refused that, and I was eventually kicked out of my house. My house was taken out of here and sold illegally in a private auction, violating all the laws, because I was never informed of the auction taking place.”

Gabriela Mendoza had a similar experience. “My lawyer confirmed that my house was sold. I told her that to this day I haven't received a single dollar. And I don't think it's fair that my new house that I worked hard for years, they stole my property. This is an injustice.”

Pointing out more illegal practices, Rain Mendoza added, “Kingsley is starting the process of having all residents allotted property sizes changed. If residents don’t comply, they are hit with severe financial consequences. To force these residents to make these changes and enforce consequences is illegal.”

During the rally, residents pointed to for-sale signs surrounding the protesters and that those homes are ones that have been stolen. As people walked by the rally, they stopped to listen to the testimonies of the residents.

Protesters chanted, “No mas acoso! No mas temor! Los inmigrantes tenemos valor!” which translates to “No more harassment! No more fear! Immigrants have bravery!”

“They are forcing us to remove our air conditioners. This is a horrible thing. You know, recently we were living in an insufferable heat. If it hadn't been for our air conditioning, there would have been tragedies here at Coach Royal,” testified Guadalupe Barragan, a resident of 38 years.

Teresa Carrera, another former resident, described the physical and psychological impact of Kingsley’s actions. “In reality, everything we have been through has been a traumatic abuse. We've been to psychologists. We've had sleepless nights. I got sick to the point that I didn't eat for a month or two. I only drank water and I lost almost 25 pounds. So much stress, so much insomnia, so much thinking about why these people are so unjust.”

Protesters chanted, “Vivir con miedo no es normal! Queremos justicia en Coach Royal!” or, “Living in fear isn’t normal! We want justice at Coach Royal!”

Luis Pedraza Morales Babylon, a former resident whose home was stolen, spoke on behalf of CSO OC. “The Community Service Organization stands firmly with the residents of Coach Royal. CSO is on the front lines fighting back, organizing protests at the park entrance, packing hearing rooms, demanding justice for unjust evictions, and shining a harsh light on management's deceptive tactics. They are fighting to ensure that working-class families and immigrants aren't pushed out through intimidation, language barriers, or forced displacement.”

If you are interested in joining CSO OC in this campaign, you can contact them at orangecountycso@gmail.com or on Instagram at @CSO.OC.

#SantaAnaCA #CA #OrangeCounty #PeoplesStruggles #Housing #CoachRoyal #KingsleyCorporation #OppressedNationalities #CSOOC

Santa Ana, CA – El 21 de agosto, miembros de la Organización de Servicio del Condado de Orange (CSO OC) se unieron a familias cuyos seres queridos fueron asesinados por la policía para exigir justicia para Victor Lopez. 16 personas marcharon desde El Centro Cultural de México portando pancartas que exigían: “Justicia para Victor Lopez” y “Publiquen todas las grabaciones sin editar”. Mientras los manifestantes pasaban junto a un partido de fútbol, ahogaron el himno nacional de Estados Unidos con gritos de: “¿Qué queremos? ¡Justicia! ¿Y cuándo la queremos? ¡Ahora!”.

Al llegar frente al Departamento de Policía, Emily López, hermana de Víctor López, dijo: “Lo mataron en el estacionamiento de su casa. Le dispararon tres veces frente a su hijo de un año y a su pareja. Ambos vieron a mi hermano morir y dar su último suspiro. Estamos aquí hoy para exigir las grabaciones sin editar y el nombre del oficial, y queremos que se rindan cuentas. Queremos evitar que esto le suceda a otra familia.”

A principios de este año, el Departamento de Policía de Santa Ana publicó un llamado “informe para la comunidad” que incluía grabaciones parciales de la cámara corporal del agente que mató a Víctor López. La policía ha afirmado que Victor intentaba alcanzar un arma que fue recuperada en el lugar, pero eso no se ve en las grabaciones. En cambio, lo que se ve es cómo el agente apunta inmediatamente su arma hacia López, quien se acercó al agente con las manos arriba antes de darse la vuelta para acostarse en el suelo. Segundos después, el agente alegó que López estaba intentando alcanzar un arma y le disparó hasta matarlo.

El público tiene derecho a ser escéptico ante estas afirmaciones, ya que el Departamento de Policía de Santa Ana tiene antecedentes de mentir para justificar su brutalidad y sus asesinatos. Por ejemplo, en 2024, los agentes Luis Casillas e Isaac Ibarra mintieron diciendo que Noe Rodriguez estaba agitando y apuntando una escopeta hacia ellos para justificar haber disparado casi 30 balas contra un hombre desarmado que sostenía un juguete.

Emily Lopez continuó: “Mi hermano era un joven de 18 años que se esforzaba por mejorar la vida de su familia. Era un trabajador incansable que siempre ayudaba a los demás y ponía a los demás antes que a sí mismo. Era un joven divertido, extrovertido y cariñoso al que le encantaba hacer reír a los demás y siempre se aseguraba de que quienes le rodeaban estuvieran bien. Mi hermano no merecía morir de la manera en que murió. ¡Exijo justicia para mi hermano, Victor Lopez!”

Los manifestantes coreaban: “¡Exigimos justicia! ¡Exigimos respuestas! ¡Una placa no es una licencia para matar!”.

A continuación habló Pearl Arzola, hermana de Albert Arzola, un joven chicano de 19 años: “Perdí a mi hermano un mes antes de que Victor Lopez falleciera, así que cuando me enteré de su trágica muerte, me tocó muy de cerca. No es justo que estemos de luto. Tampoco es justo que la familia Lopez esté de luto. ¡Siento que estos policías deben rendir cuentas y ver por lo que estamos pasando y que los metan a la cárcel!”.

Albert Arzola fue asesinado por el agente Nathan García, del Departamento de Policía de Anaheim. Quedó documentado que García acosó a Arzola desde una patrulla semanas antes del 6 de diciembre, cuando persiguió a Arzola hacia su casa y le disparó en la espalda y el cuello. García también estuvo involucrado en el brutal arresto de un joven chicano desarmado de 14 años en 2024.

Mientras los manifestantes exigían justicia cerca de la entrada del departamento, dos agentes en un vehículo de la Unidad de Pandillas (la unidad número 920) redujeron la velocidad para burlarse de sus consignas, dejando al descubierto la crueldad de la policía. Los manifestantes siguieron el vehículo con carteles y pancartas, gritándoles a los oficiales hasta que se alejaron.

David Pulido, miembro de CSO, habló en último lugar y dijo: “¡Esto es un patrón de violencia racista! Este año vimos cómo la policía arrebataba la vida a chicanos adolescentes. Vimos el asesinato de Jaden Michaca, de 15 años, mientras sufría una crisis de salud mental. Vimos el asesinato de Victor Lopez, un joven padre de 18 años. ¡Tenemos trabajo por hacer! Debemos organizarnos. Somos nosotros quienes debemos llevar a estos agentes ante la justicia. Por eso luchamos por el control comunitario de la policía. Tenemos el derecho democrático fundamental de decidir sobre todos los asuntos policiales”.

Si te interesa luchar contra los crímenes policiales y trabajar junto a familias afectadas por la violencia policial, comunícate con CSO OC a través de Instagram, Facebook o enviando un correo electrónico a orangecountycso@gmail.com.

#SantaAnaCA #CA #OrangeCounty #CSOOC #VictorLopez #AlbertArzola #OppressedNationalities #Chicano

Santa Ana, CA – On September 12, Community Service Organization Orange County (CSO OC) and community members tabled in front of the well-known Salvadoran restaurant, El Salvador Café, to hand out crucial resources and information in response to Trump’s latest attack threatening to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Salvadoran immigrants.

CSO OC members handed out packets first to the Salvadoran restaurant workers and then branched out to the neighboring Mexican and Central American shops. Members spoke with workers and community members about Trump’s latest attack on the Salvadoran immigrant community and his previous policies, such as a $170 billion immigration enforcement spending package, suspensions and revocations of visas for individuals from 75 countries, and more.

CSO OC mobilized this tabling action as a response to the Legalization 4 All Network’s (L4A) week of action to Stop Trump’s Agenda and in solidarity with the Dallas Against Trump Coalition’s March on the Republican Midterm Convention (RNC). September 9-13 posed attacks such as Salvadoran TPS being set to expire on September 9, Trump’s vow to revoke 200,000 visas, and the Midterm RNC on September 9 and 10.

On the day Salvadoran TPS was set to expire, ICE sent out an announcement stating that a decision on the status of TPS for Salvadorans will be made at an appropriate time. Although TPS did not technically expire, this leaves the 170,000 Salvadoran TPS recipients in limbo.

CSO OC will continue to do their Barrio Walks in which they hand out important information and resources regarding ICE and Trump’s attacks on immigrants.

If you are interested in joining a CSO OC action or meeting, you can contact them at orangecountycso@gmail.com or on Instagram at CSO.OC.

#SantaAnaCA #CA #ImmigrantRights #Salvadorans #TPS #CSO #CSOOC #L4A

Santa Ana, CA – On August 21, members of Community Service Organization, Orange County (CSO OC) joined families whose loved ones were killed by police to demand justice for Victor Lopez. 16 people marched from El Centro Cultural de Mexico carrying signs that demanded, “Justice for Victor Lopez” and “Release all unedited footage.” As marchers passed a soccer game, they drowned out the U.S. national anthem with cries of “What do we want? Justice! And when do we want it? Now!”

Arriving in front of the police department, Emily Lopez, sister of Victor Lopez, said, “He was killed in the parking lot of his home. He was shot three times in front of his one-year-old son and partner. They both watched my brother die and take his last breath. We’re here today to demand the unedited footage, the officer’s name, and we want accountability. We want to prevent this from happening to another family.”

Earlier this year Santa Ana PD released a so-called “Community Briefing” that included partial bodycam footage of the officer who killed Victor Lopez. Police have claimed that Lopez was reaching for a gun that was recovered at the scene, but that is not visible in the footage. Instead, we can see the officer immediately drawing his gun on Lopez, who approached the officer with his hands up before turning around to lie on the ground. Seconds later the officer claimed Lopez was reaching for a gun and shot him to death.

The public has a right to be skeptical of these claims, since Santa Ana PD has a history of lying to justify their brutality and killings. For example, in 2024 officers Luis Casillas and Isaac Ibarra lied about Noe Rodriguez waving around and pointing a shotgun at them to justify shooting almost 30 bullets at an unarmed man holding a toy.

Emily Lopez continued, “My brother was an 18-year-old young man who strived to do better for his family. He was a hard worker who always helped others and put others before himself. He was a funny, outgoing, loving young man who loved making others laugh, and always made sure everyone around him was okay. My brother did not deserve to die the way he did. I demand justice for my brother, Victor Lopez!”

Protesters chanted, “We demand justice! We demand answers! A badge is not a license to kill!”

Pearl Arzola, sister of 19-year-old Chicano Albert Arzola, spoke next, “I lost my brother a month before Victor Lopez passed away, so when I heard about his tragic passing, it really hit home. It’s not fair for us to be grieving. It’s not fair for the Lopez family to be grieving as well. I feel like these cops need to get held accountable and to see what we are going through, and to put them in jail!”

Albert Arzola was killed by Anaheim PD officer Nathan Garcia. Garcia was documented harassing Arzola from a patrol car weeks before December 6, when he chased Arzola towards his home and shot him in the back and neck. Garcia also was involved in the brutal arrest of an unarmed 14-year-old Chicano in 2024.

As protesters demanded justice near the entrance of the department, two officers in a Gang Unit car – vehicle number 920 – slowed down to mock their chants, exposing the cruelty of the police. Protesters followed the vehicle with signs and banners, shouting at the officers until they drove away.

CSO OC member David Pulido spoke last, saying “This is a pattern of racist violence! We saw police steal the lives of teenage Chicanos this year. We saw the killing of 15-year-old Jaden Michaca while he was suffering a mental health crisis. We saw the killing of Victor Lopez, a young, 18-year-old father. We have work to do! We have to get organized, and we are the ones responsible for bringing these officers to justice. That is why we fight for community control of the police. We have a basic, democratic right to decide on all police matters.”

If you are interested in fighting back against police crimes and working alongside families impacted by police violence, reach out to CSO OC on Instagram, Facebook, or email at orangecountycso@gmail.com

#SantaAnaCA #CA #OrangeCounty #InjusticeSystem #KillerCop #VictorLopez #AlbertArzola #OppressedNationalities #Chicano

Santa Ana, CA – On Saturday, August 29, approximately 80 people gathered at El Centro Cultural de Mexico to commemorate the 56th Chicano Moratorium. As the event kicked off, the crowd chanted, “Chicano power!”

Griselda Ruiz, a member of Community Service Organization Orange County (CSO OC) started, “This event is held every year to commemorate the Chicano Moratorium of the 1970s in East LA. On August 29, 1970, over 20,000 Chicanos and Chicanas marched peacefully to protest the Vietnam War and the large number of Chicanos dying in it. The protest turned violent when sheriff's deputies attacked, causing chaos, several injuries, and three deaths, including journalist Ruben Salazar, who was killed by a tear gas canister fired by police. So, we are united here and throughout the Southwest to honor all the past Chicanos and Chicanas who have fought for our rights.”

Diana Terreros from CSO OC’s immigration committee stated that since Trump took office, “Undocumented immigrants are living with the daily fear of raids, deportation, family separation, and even death at the hands of an ICE agent. Immigrants that have some sort of legal status such as TPS or DACA face that status either being terminated or delayed, both throwing people into uncertainty and financial instability.”

Terreros added, “Along with the attacks from the federal government, here in Santa Ana we have seen that corporations are taking advantage of the fear that immigrants are facing.” She was referencing Kingsley Management, a multi-million dollar corporation based in Utah, that is harassing and stealing homes from mobile home residents.

Abe Quintana, a member of CSO OC’s police accountability committee, spoke on the families impacted by police violence that they work with. “What we want to say about these cases is that racist police killings and brutality against Chicanos are features of national oppression. They are based on the oppression of the Chicano nation Aztlan.” Quintana added, “The objectives of our campaigns are designed to put more power into the hands of those directly impacted by police misconduct and violence.”

Francis Co. and the Lusitanos then performed some songs “from Santa Ana, for Santa Ana.” His songs included lyrics like “Show me the warrant, show me your badge, I want my lawyer. And ICE can kiss my ass!” and “They don’t take the farmer, just the workers on the farm. And what do we tell their children when their parents can’t be found?”

During the event, attendees visited tables from different organizations, enjoyed Oaxacan food, and enjoyed activities set out for children.

This was followed by a speech by Rain Mendoza of Freedom Road Socialist Organization. After speaking about Chicanos facing police and ICE killings all while living under poverty, she stated, “None of this is by accident. The oppression we face here is the national oppression of Chicanos. We are a nation carved from the theft of Mexican territory and the 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.”

Mendoza ended with a solution: “As a communist I understand that the horrors we are up against cannot be reformed or voted out. To achieve change and liberation for our people we must overthrow the ruling class and fight for socialism.”

A member of the International League of People’s Struggle told the crowd, “Today we see the same vicious war machine intensifying, waging war and aggression on countries who stood against U.S. political control and plunder of their resources – war on Iran, murdering thousands of people, aggression against Venezuela and Cuba, and genocide in Palestine.”

This was followed by a statement by Vinny Mansoor of the U.S. Palestinian Community Network being read, “It means asking, every time we are told that another war is necessary: necessary for whom? Paid for by whom? And who gets buried when it’s over? Palestinians know this intimately. We know what it means when somebody else’s geopolitical ambition is paid for with our blood.”

The crowd then marched to the Ronald Reagan Federal Building. The protesters filled the streets with chants of “Raza si! Migra no!” “Jail killer cops!” “No boots on the ground, no bombs in the air! U.S. out of everywhere!” and more.

When they arrived at the federal building, Terreros stated, “This is where our sister Nadia Topete, a Chicana immigrant rights organizer, was summoned for a grand jury just last month. The feds targeted her for being an activist in our sister CSO chapter in Boyle Heights and she bravely resisted this grand jury as CSO members and community members rallied for her outside where we are standing here today.” The crowd then chanted “Hands off Nadia Topete!” and “Fuck Trump!” while flipping off the building.

The event was organized by CSO OC and included endorsers such as MEChA from Cal State Fullerton, United Domestic Workers, and more.

#SantaAnaCA #CA #OrangeCounty #ChicanoMoratorium #OppressedNationalities #Chicano #CSO #ImmigrantRights

Santa Ana, CA – On Saturday, August 9, community members gathered in front of the Santa Ana Federal Building to demand Trump stop his attacks on Haitian immigrants. This protest was a response to a call to action from the Legalization 4 All Network to resist Trump’s racist attack on Haitian immigrants with the ending of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitian and Syrian immigrants.

The rally started with the chant os “Defend TPS! Defend TPS!” by Jay Perez from the immigration committee of the Community Service Organization Orange County (CSO OC).

“TPS once protected roughly 3 million people providing lifesaving protection from deportations and the ability to work and provide for their families. Since then, Trump’s regime has slowly gutted these protections, country by country: Honduras, Venezuela, now Haiti,” Perez continued.

“With the Supreme Court ruling, over 300,000 Haitians have lost their protected status overnight. This attack on TPS is an act of violence against our immigrant community and we will stand up and fight back! This administration is using every means at its disposal to ramp up its deportation machine and the Haitian community is now on the front lines of family separation and deadly deportations. We must show up for our neighbors!” Perez stated.

Diana Terreros of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) took the mic, “The termination of TPS is happening after Trump and Vance made disgusting racist comments about Haitian immigrants eating neighborhood pets in Ohio during their campaign that resulted in harassment and threats. It also comes after the U.S. has intervened in Haiti in an attempt to control their politics and economy for more than a century.”

“As a communist, I know that these destabilizing attacks will continue to happen under capitalism. That’s why I’m in FRSO, fighting to bring socialism forward every day. Whether you are a Chicana whose parents are at risk of deportation or a Haitian immigrant being forced to wear an ankle monitor, our enemy is the same and we must unite to fight against them!” Terreros concluded.

“Hands off TPS! Let Haitians stay!” chanted the protesters as they faced the federal building.

“We saw during the Biden administration, Haitians were whipped by a U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agent while crossing a river to get to Texas. This was under Biden, and now things are worse. We are seeing how both sides of the ruling class function the same way in oppressing the colonized people of the world,” stated Paulo Cruzalgui of the Latin American Committee of the Hands off Uhuru! Hands off Africa! Fightback coalition.

Community members were encouraged to speak on the immigration organizing they do in Santa Ana. Joellez Lopez from CSO OC said, “Through CSO I have been exposed to the barrio walks. We go into the community, we educate people on how to identify ICE, give out resources, and also hear from them. We have been able to work closely with the Coach Royal residents who have been facing racist harassment from Kingsley management.”

“Let’s continue the work and let Santa Ana hear us! ICE out of OC! Hands off TPS!” stated Lopez.

This protest was organized by Community Service Organization Orange County alongside other community organizations. If you’d like to learn more or get involved with CSO OC. You can contact them on Instagram on CSO.OC or by phone at 714-367-6350.

#SantaAnaCA #SantaAna #CA #CSO #CSOOC #Immigration #TPS #ImmigrantRights

Santa Ana, CA – El viernes, 17 de julio, varios miembros de la Organización de Servicio Comunitario del Condado de Orange (CSO OC) entregaron una petición en el Tribunal de Inmigración de Santa Ana. En mayo de 2025, este tribunal fue uno de los primeros lugares donde el Servicio de Inmigración y Control de Aduanas (ICE) comenzó a arrestar personas. Desde entonces, CSO OC ha llevado a cabo una campaña para presionar a los jueces de inmigración a que trasladen todas las audiencias a un formato virtual, para evitar así que las personas que asisten a sus audiencias tengan que enfrentarse a ICE en el tribunal. Recopilaron más de 1000 firmas en apoyo a esta medida.

Aunque en junio de 2026 un juez de California dictaminó que ya no se permitirían arrestos dentro ni fuera de los tribunales de inmigración, los miembros de CSO OC mantuvieron sus exigencias.

Diana Terreros declaró, “CSO OC descubrió que los jueces contaban con una política, la PM21-03, que les permite realizar audiencias remotas cuando lo deseen. Al optar por no implementar audiencias virtuales universales, los jueces de este tribunal de inmigración han sido cómplices de los arrestos ilegales de ICE y han permitido que la agencia destruya a familias. Incluso ahora, persiste el riesgo de que ICE continúe deteniendo a personas en el tribunal a pesar del fallo judicial. ICE ha demostrado un desprecio total por la ley y por los derechos de las personas.”

Los miembros de CSO OC marcharon hacia el tribunal de inmigración portando dos carteles grandes con fotos de personas fallecidas bajo custodia de ICE y la consigna “Detención = Muerte”. Sostenían una pancarta que decía, “¡Alto a los arrestos de ICE en el tribunal!” Coreaban consignas como “¡Fuera ICE de nuestros barrios!” y “¡Sin justicia no hay paz! ¡Fuera ICE de nuestras calles!”

Steven Ayoub declaró, “Piensen en lo que eso le hace a una persona. Te ves obligado a tomar una decisión imposible: presentarte ante el tribunal y arriesgarte a ser arrestado, o faltar a la audiencia y ser deportado automáticamente por no comparecer. No existe una opción segura. Y quiero ser franco con ustedes sobre la gravedad de la situación, porque ya no se trata solo de detenciones. Tan solo el mes pasado, en Texas, un hombre llamado Lorenzo Salgado Araujo perdió la vida. Era un padre de tres hijos, de 52 años y originario de México, que llevaba décadas viviendo en Estados Unidos. La mañana del 7 de julio, fue baleado y asesinado por un agente de ICE en Houston.”

Ayoub continuó, “Menciono esto porque ilustra de qué estamos hablando realmente. Cuando la aplicación de la ley es tan agresiva y tan sin rendición de cuentas, una persona común que realiza actividades cotidianas—como conducir hacia el trabajo o acudir a una cita judicial— puede terminar detenida, o peor.”

Luis Morales Pedraza Babylon compartió su experiencia, “Actualmente estoy en el sistema de la corte solicitando la residencia permanente por matrimonio y desde que comenzaron todos estos asuntos de ICE, a veces es lo único en lo que pienso al irme a dormir. ¿Qué pasaría si me arrestan y me mandan a México? Me trajeron aquí cuando tenía cuatro años, así que realmente no sabría qué hacer allá.”

Al llegar al tribunal, entraron marchando portando sus pancartas y se encontraron con medidas de seguridad y detectores de metales. Una vez dentro, entregaron las peticiones en la ventanilla de atención. Habían impreso y dirigido una petición específica para cada uno de los 22 jueces. Al principio, el empleado no quería aceptarlas y tuvo que consultar a dos supervisores para obtener la autorización, a pesar de que la entrega de documentación de este tipo no es algo inusual. Al final, las peticiones fueron aceptadas y entregadas a los jueces.

CSO OC lucha por los derechos de los inmigrantes y por la rendición de cuentas de la policía. Si desea ponerse en contacto con CSO OC, puede hacerlo a través de Instagram en CSO.OC o por correo electrónico en orangecountycso@gmail.com.

#SantaAnaCA #ImmigrantRights #InJusticeSystem #CSOOC

Santa Ana, CA – El miércoles por la tarde, 15 de julio, cerca de 70 manifestantes tomaron la esquina de las calles Bristol y 1st en Santa Ana con el grito de “¡Justicia para Lorenzo Salgado Araujo! ¡Justicia para Joan Sebastian Guerrero!” y “¡Manos fuera de Nadia!”. Esta protesta se llevó a cabo durante una semana de acción nacional convocada por la Red de Legalización para Todos para exigir justicia para Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, Joan Sebastian Guerrero y la activista por los derechos de los inmigrantes Nadia Topete.

“Hoy estamos aquí porque en tan solo una semana, el Servicio de Inmigración y Control de Aduanas (ICE) ha matado a tres personas. ¡Qué vergüenza!”, declaró Diana Terreros de la Organización de Servicio Comunitario del Condado de Orange (CSO OC).

Terreros continuó describiendo a los dos hombres conocidos que fueron asesinados por ICE, “Lorenzo fue asesinado en Houston y había vivido en los Estados Unidos por 35 años. Simplemente estaba en camino al trabajo después de recoger a su equipo cuando ICE decidió detenerlo y asesinarlo. Estaban en vehículos sin identificación y no llevaban cámaras corporales. Joan Sebastian Guerrero era un colombiano de 26 años que vivía en Maine. También fue asesinado después de que ICE comenzara una parada de tráfico. Le dispararon y lo mataron mientras su pareja y su hija de tres años miraban”.

Luego se guardó un minuto de silencio por todas las víctimas de ICE.

“Estamos aquí para exigir el fin de los asesinatos de ICE, el fin de las deportaciones, que ICE se vaya de nuestros barrios y la legalización para todos”, exclamó Terreros al cerrar.

“¡Sin justicia no hay paz!” y “¡Fuera ICE de Santa Ana!”, coreaban los manifestantes.

Luis Morales Pedraza Babylon, del comité de inmigración de CSO OC, declaró, “El intento de silenciar a Nadia no es solo un ataque contra ella; es una táctica calculada para mantenernos a todos en la ignorancia. Los mismos sistemas que temen la voz de Nadia son los mismos que tomaron las vidas de Lorenzo Salgado Araujo y Joan Sebastian Guerrero. Estas no son tragedias aisladas. Son el resultado de un sistema que trata a nuestras familias como desechables”.

Babylon habló sobre la represión que enfrenta Nadia Topete, activista por los derechos de los inmigrantes de Centro CSO en Los Ángeles. El FBI la ha citado en dos ocasiones para comparecer ante un gran jurado, y en ambas ocasiones ella ha resistido.

Rachel, de AlianzaTransLatinx, tomó la palabra, “Hoy alzamos la voz por las víctimas y por aquellos que aún permanecen detenidos por ICE. Nuestra humanidad no termina cuando cruzamos una frontera. ¡Exigimos transparencia y una investigación cuando una persona muere en detención o a manos de ICE!”.

“Se me rompe el corazón y me lleno de rabia cada vez que otra familia, otra vida, es destruida por la crueldad inimaginable de ICE. ¡Debemos honrar a Lorenzo, a Joan y a cada vida arrebatada por ICE presentándonos en esta lucha y ganando!”, declaró Jenna Pérez, miembro del comité de inmigración de CSO OC.

Pérez continuó, “También luchamos junto a nuestros vecinos inmigrantes de la comunidad local, aquí mismo en Santa Ana. Los residentes y las familias del parque de casas móviles Coach Royal han sufrido abusos, acoso, y los residentes inmigrantes han sido amenazados con llamar a ICE. Incluso la empresa Kingsley Corporation les ha robado ilegalmente sus hogares. ¡Únanse con nosotros para luchar junto con los residentes de Coach Royal y decir fuera Kingsley!”.

A continuación, los manifestantes marcharon alrededor de la gran intersección de cuatro vías portando pancartas que decían, “ICE asesino, fuera de nuestras calles”, “Alto a las deportaciones” y “Justicia para los asesinados por ICE”.

Rain Mendoza, de la Organización Socialista Camino de la Libertad, tomó el micrófono y declaró, “Lorenzo Salgado y Joan Sebastian son la décima y la undécima persona asesinada durante una operación relacionada con ICE bajo el gobierno de Trump. La violencia inhumana ejercida contra los inmigrantes no es nada nuevo, ya que los esfuerzos de deportación han sido históricamente fatales”.

Mendoza continuó, “Durante las deportaciones masivas de la Gran Depresión y la Operación Espalda Mojada, inmigrantes y chicanos fueron deportados y también murieron en centros de detención o durante operaciones de inmigración. Por eso soy un comunista que lucha por la revolución socialista y por derrocar a la clase dominante. Solo una revolución socialista que ponga fin a la clase dominante que nos pisa el cuello y permite que policías asesinos y agentes de ICE nos disparen puede traer un cambio”.

“¡Justicia para Lorenzo Araujo! ¡Justicia para Joan Sebastian Guerrero!”, corearon los manifestantes mientras ocupaban ambos extremos de la esquina y más autos tocaban sus bocinas en apoyo.

La acción fue organizada por la Organización de Servicio Comunitario del Condado de Orange en respuesta a un llamado a la acción de la Red Legalización Para Todos. Si desea ponerse en contacto con CSO OC, puede hacerlo a través de Instagram en CSO.OC o por correo electrónico en orangecountycso@gmail.com.

#SantaAnaCA #CA #ImmigrantRights #DerechosDeLosInmigrantes #CentroCSO

Santa Ana, CA – El 8 de julio, más de 50 chicanos se manifestaron afuera de la corte federal en apoyo a Nadia Topete, una activista chicana por los derechos de los inmigrantes de Centro CSO que estuvo dentro compareciendo ante un gran jurado. Solo días antes, el 1 de julio, agentes federales llegaron a la casa de Nadia con otra citación del gran jurado, amenazándola con que, si no se presentaba, podría ser declarada en desacato.

Nadia Topete salió de la corte federal con la frente en alto y declaró que había ejercido su derecho a la Quinta Enmienda. Fue recibida con gritos de “Hands Off Nadia Topete!” [¡Manos fuera de Nadia Topete!], “¡Chinga la migra!”, y “DOJ Hands Off Nadia!” [¡Departamento de Justicia, manos fuera de Nadia!] que fueron lo suficientemente altos como para oírse dentro del edificio federal.

“¡Protestar contra ICE no es un crimen!” dijo Verita Topete, hermana de Nadia y organizadora chicana. “Nuestras comunidades son más fuertes que Trump y los intereses de la clase dominante del Departamento de Justicia. Los ataques contra Nadia son parte del patrón de represión política del gobierno federal.”

Jasia Topete, hermana mayor de Nadia y Verita dijo, “Hoy fue una acción muy conmovedora de unidad y apoyo hacia mi hermana bebé, Nadia. Ver el enorme respaldo que ha recibido a nivel nacional, a través de las convocatorias en línea de distintas organizaciones, fue muy reconfortante de ver. Ver que tantas personas tomaron el tiempo para salir y mostrar su cariño fue muy reconfortante y alentador para nuestra familia. Nosotros sabemos que ella no hizo nada malo. Amplificar la voz de nuestra gente no es un crimen. Ella seguirá con la frente en alto, como la persona segura y resiliente que es. Nadia, te queremos. Muchísimas gracias a todos los que están apoyando a Nadia.”

Mick Kelly del Comité para Detener la Represión del FBI le dijo al público, “Quiero saludar a Nadia, una mujer de valentía poco común que se está levantando por todos nosotros. Esto ciertamente no terminará aquí. Estaremos con Nadia en cada paso del camino.”

Emiliano Martin Del Campo, miembro de Centro CSO, dijo, “Veo este ataque del Departamento de Justicia y del gobierno de Trump no solo como un ataque directo contra nuestra hermana Nadia, sino como un golpe directo contra todos nosotros que luchamos contra esta administración. ¡Un ataque contra uno es un ataque contra todos!”

Participaron oradores de Centro CSO, CSO OC, CLUE, ILPS, la Organización Socialista Camino de la Libertad y Legalización Para Todos quienes hablaron en defensa de Topete y condenaron la represión política contra activistas de derechos de los inmigrantes.

No está claro qué sigue, pero si la cacería del Departamento de Justicia continúa, Centro CSO y sus aliados estarán listos para defender a los suyos, a Nadia Topete, una hija de Aztlán.

#SantaAnaCA #CA #ImmigrantRights #NadiaTopete #CentroCSO

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 July 8, over 50 Chicanos rallied outside a federal courthouse in support of Nadia Topete, a Chicana immigrant rights activist with Centro CSO who was inside with a grand jury. Just days before, on July 1, federal agents showed up to Nadia's home with another grand jury subpoena, threatening that, if she did not appear, she could be held in contempt.

Nadia Topete walked out the federal courthouse with her head up high and stated she had exercised her Fifth Amendment right. She was greeted by chants of “Hands off Nadia Topete,” “Chinga la migra” and “DOJ hands off Nadia!” that were loud enough to be heard inside the federal building.

“Protesting ICE is not a crime!” said Verita Topete, Nadia’s sister and fellow Chicana organizer. “Our communities are stronger than Trump and the DOJ’s ruling class interests. The targeting of Nadia is a pattern of political repression from the federal government.”

Jasia Topete, older sister of both Nadia and Verita, stated, “Today was a very moving gesture of unity and support for my baby sister, Nadia. Seeing the tremendous support she has gained on a national level through the calls to action online by different organizations was very heartening to see. Witnessing how many people took the time to come out and show her love was very heart warming and reassuring to our family. We know she did nothing wrong. Amplifying the voices of our people is not a crime. She will continue to hold her head high like the confident resilient that she is. Nadia, we love you, Thank you so much to everyone that is rooting for Nadia!”

Mick Kelly of the Committee to Stop FBI Repression told the crowd, “I would like to salute Nadia, a woman of uncommon courage who is standing up for all of us. This will certainly not end here. We will stand with Nadia every inch of the way.”

Emiliano Martin Del Campo, member of Centro CSO, stated, “I see this attack from the DOJ and the Trump administration as not only a direct attack on our sister Nadia but a direct blow to all of us fighting against this administration. An attack on one is an attack on all!”

Speakers from Centro CSO, CSO OC, CLUE, ILPS, Freedom Road Socialist Organization and Legalization for All spoke in defense of Topete, condemning the political repression of Immigrant Rights activists.

It is unclear what is next, but if the DOJ witch hunt continues, Centro CSO and their allies will be ready to defend their own, Nadia Topete, a daughter of Aztlan.

#SantaAnaCA #CA #InJusticeSystem #GrandJury #PoliticalRepression #ImmigrantRights #CentroCSO #NadiaTopete #CSFR #Feature

Santa Ana, CA – On the morning of July 8, immigrant rights activist Nadia Topete went before a grand jury at the Ronald Reagan Federal Courthouse. Topete was inside for a short time before reappearing out of the courthouse to state that she exercised her Fifth Amendment right to stay silent.

The crowd of over 50 supporters from Los Angeles and Orange County cheered her on, chanting, “DOJ: Hands off Nadia!” and “What do we want? Hands off Nadia! When do we want it? Now!”

Nadia Topete is a 21-year-old who twice had FBI agents show up at her door. Topete is a proud Chicana and immigrant rights activist. She has done nothing wrong and continues mobilizing to beat the attacks the Trump administration is enacting on immigrants.

Among those gathered outside were members of Centro CSO in Los Angeles and CSO Orange County. Others present were also with the Committee to Stop FBI Repression, Freedom Road Socialist Organization, Gabriela – LA, ILPS, Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice (CLUE), and others.

“We applaud the tremendous strength of my sister Nadia Topete and will be ready to fight back for her if she is summoned once again,” said Verita Topete, a member of Centro CSO and chair of the CSO immigration committee.

#SantaAnaCA #CA #OrangeCounty #LosAngelesCA #ImmigrantRights #NadiaTopete #PoliticalRepression #GrandJury #CentroCSO #Feature

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 – Dieciséis personas, entre ellas familiares de Jaden Michaca, abogados del bufete Carillo Law Firm y miembros de la Organización de Servicio Comunitario del Condado de Orange (CSO OC), se congregaron frente al Departamento de Policía de Santa Ana (SAPD) para exigir justicia para Jaden Michaca el martes 23 de junio. Michaca tenía solo 15 años y estaba sufriendo una crisis de salud mental cuando fue asesinado por la policía apenas nueve días antes.

Maribel Michaca, la mamá de Jaden, explicó cómo el SAPD distorsionó el incidente. Las declaraciones de la policía dieron a entender que estaban respondiendo a una llamada por un altercado familiar que terminó en un apuñalamiento. Maribel explicó que llamó al 911 para que atendieran una crisis de salud mental, y que en el pasado había llamado al 911 para que un equipo psiquiátrico calmara estas situaciones. Además, Maribel dijo que su pareja no fue apuñalada, sino que se hizo un rasguño accidentalmente al intentar quitarle un cuchillo a Jaden durante su crisis.

Pero esta vez enviaron a dos agentes de policía. Cuando la policía irrumpió en su departamento, Maribel dijo, “¡Por favor, no disparen! ¡Por favor, no disparen! ¡Mi hijo está pasando por una crisis de salud mental!”. En la conferencia de prensa, Maribel explicó, “Yo estaba parada junto a él y a ellos no les importó. Simplemente comenzaron a disparar, una bala tras otra. Ni siquiera les importó que mi propia vida estuviera en peligro”. Maribel recibió un balazo en la mano y su pulgar derecho quedó inmovilizado con una férula. Ella dijo, “Mi hijo no representaba ningún peligro para mí. Estaba más en peligro por los disparos de la policía, que podrían haberme matado a mí y a mi hijo”.

Michael Carillo, uno de los abogados que representa a la familia, dijo que estaban presentando una demanda contra el gobierno de la ciudad de Santa Ana y el SAPD, en la que acusan a los oficiales de negligencia y de no haber logrado calmar la situación. La forma en que el SAPD respondió ante Jaden Michaca fue similar a la de otros casos de muertes a manos de la policía, como los de Henry González Jr. y Noe Rodríguez, quienes también estaban sufriendo una crisis de salud mental y luego fueron criminalizados y asesinados por la policía.

Los familiares sostenían fotos grandes de Jaden, en las que se le veía acunando a su gato, abrazando a su familia frente a un pastel de cumpleaños y de pie junto a su madre. Otros sostenían pancartas de CSO OC en las que se leía, “Justicia para Jaden Michaca”, “Publicen las grabaciones de las cámaras corporales”, “Publicen el informe de la autopsia” y “Encarcelen a los policías asesinos”.

Jasmine Michaca, la tía de Jaden dijo, “Jaden siempre fue un niño muy cariñoso. Pasé la mayor parte de mi infancia junto a él. A Jaden le empezó a gustar Pokémon y cada vez que venía a casa, me mostraba su colección”.

En los últimos dos años, Jaden comenzó a sufrir trastorno bipolar. Su mamá lo sacó de la escuela pública y empezó a tomar clases en línea y a recibir ayuda. Jasmine compartió su último recuerdo de su sobrino, diciendo, “Acababa de regresar de la Universidad de California en Santa Bárbara. Pasamos el fin de semana juntos y él estaba tan emocionado de verme. Me había llamado dos semanas antes. Recuerdo que un día estábamos sentados en la sala y me contaba que no había podido terminar la preparatoria. Quería ir a la universidad y seguir una carrera como mecánico. Le dije que si alguna vez necesitaba ayuda, yo estaría ahí para apoyarlo”. Ella lloró y abrazó a la madre de Jaden.

Maribel Michaca dijo, “Lo que pido hoy es justicia para mi hijo. No merecía morir de esa manera. Era un niño cariñoso. ¡Tenía planes! ¡Tenía un futuro!”.

La multitud coreó, “¡Justicia para Jaden! ¡Justicia para Jaden! ¡Justicia para Jaden!”.

CSO OC exige el control comunitario de la policía, y luchamos junto a las familias afectadas por la policía. Si te interesa unirte a nuestro trabajo, ponte en contacto con nosotros en Instagram, Facebook, o correo electrónico a orangecountycso@gmail.com.

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

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