LA Dodgers pledge $1 million to support families impacted by ICE raids
By Rory Carroll
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) -The Los Angeles Dodgers have committed $1 million toward direct financial assistance for families of immigrants impacted by the surge in detentions and deportations in the region, the team announced on Friday.
The Dodgers will partner with the city to get the money to those in "critical need," with more announcements expected in the coming days involving local community and labor organizations. The baseball team, which has a large Latino fanbase, aims to expand its outreach through these partnerships.
The news comes two weeks after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents began raids across the city, leading to calls from some Dodgers fans for the team to take a stand against the federal government's mass deportation efforts.
"What's happening in Los Angeles has reverberated among thousands upon thousands of people, and we have heard the calls for us to take a leading role on behalf of those affected," Dodgers President and CEO Stan Kasten said in a statement.
"We believe that by committing resources and taking action, we will continue to support and uplift the communities of Greater Los Angeles."
The team stopped short of calling for an end to the raids, something a coalition of over 50 community, labor, faith, and immigrant rights leaders had asked for them to do in a petition sent to the ball club earlier in the day.
LA Mayor Karen Bass thanked the Dodgers for supporting the city's immigrant community.
"These last weeks have sent shockwaves of fear rippling through every neighborhood and have had a direct impact on our economy," Bass said in a statement.
"My message to all Angelenos is clear: We will stick together during this time and we will not turn our backs on one another — that's what makes this the greatest city in the world."
Friday's announcement comes a day after the Dodgers said they had denied ICE agents access to the parking lot at Dodger Stadium.
A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, which includes ICE and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, said on Thursday that CBP vehicles used the parking lot briefly and that their presence "had nothing to do with the Dodgers."
The raids have sparked street protests, which in turn prompted U.S. President Donald Trump to send in the National Guard and U.S. Marines to protect federal personnel and property, fueling more protests and tension.
The Dodgers, coming off a World Series championship in 2024, are a cultural icon in Los Angeles. Their Latino fan base has been a large part of the team's identity at least since the "Fernandomania" craze surrounding Mexican-born pitcher Fernando Valenzuela in the early 1980s.
The professional soccer clubs LAFC and Angel City FC have issued statements of support for immigrants but otherwise the city's sports franchises have refrained from commenting.
The Dodgers said they hoped that their action would "encourage organizations in a similar position to use their resources to directly support the families and workers who have suffered economic hardship."
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