Latest news with #LatinoCommunity
Reuters
13 hours ago
- Politics
- Reuters
LA Dodgers say they denied ICE agents access to Dodger Stadium parking lot
LOS ANGELES, June 19 (Reuters) - The Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday said they had denied U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents access to the parking lot at Dodger Stadium earlier in the day. "This morning, ICE agents came to Dodger Stadium and requested permission to access the parking lots," the team said in a post on X. "They were denied entry to the grounds by the organization. Tonight's game will be played as scheduled." The Department of Homeland Security, which includes ICE and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, said CBP vehicles used the parking lot briefly. "This had nothing to do with the Dodgers. CBP vehicles were in the stadium parking lot very briefly, unrelated to any operation or enforcement," Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement. The Dodgers, whose fanbase includes a large number of Latinos, have come under fire in recent days for not speaking out publicly against raids by ICE agents across the city.
Associated Press
17 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
Nezza's anthem in Spanish at Dodger Stadium ignites debate over team's immigrant support
LOS ANGELES (AP) — As fans removed their caps and stood for the national anthem Saturday night at Dodger Stadium, they were met with a surprising rendition of 'The Star-Spangled Banner.' Latin pop and R&B singer Nezza stood in front of the crowd, closed her eyes and belted the song out — in Spanish. Her 90-second rendition, and a behind-the-scenes video she shared on social media of team representatives discouraging it beforehand, quickly went viral and have become a flashpoint for Dodgers fans frustrated by the team's lack of vocal support for immigrant communities impacted by the deportation raids across the U.S., including numerous neighborhoods in and around Los Angeles. Protests over the arrests made by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have captured international attention and mostly been held in areas a short drive from Dodger Stadium. Nezza says even after the discouragement from the team's representative, she hadn't yet decided whether to sing in English or Spanish until she walked out onto the field and saw the stands filled with Latino families in Dodger blue. Los Angeles Dodgers' Enrique Hernández stands for the national anthem with his daughter before a baseball game against the San Francisco Giants in Los Angeles, Sunday, June 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh, File) 'This is my moment to show everyone that I am with them that we have a voice and with everything that's happening it's not OK. I'm super proud that I did it. No regrets,' the 30-year-old singer told The Associated Press. The team has yet to make a statement on the record regarding the arrests and raids. Manager Dave Roberts has said he doesn't know enough about the issue to comment, but Dodgers hitter Kiké Hernández separately spoke out on Instagram over the weekend. 'I am saddened and infuriated by what's happening in our country and our city,' he said in a post in English and Spanish. 'I cannot stand to see our community being violated, profiled, abused and ripped apart. ALL people deserve to be treated with respect, dignity and human rights.' The response to Nezza's anthem performance In her viral TikTok video, Nezza is shown speaking with an off-camera Dodgers employee who tells her, 'We are going to do the song in English today, so I'm not sure if that wasn't transferred or if that wasn't relayed.' She's received an outpouring of support since Saturday from celebrities like Jason Mraz, Kehlani, Chiquis, Ava DuVernay, The Kid Mero, Becky G and more. 'Don't you dare turn your backs on us now. We, as a city, have embraced you and need your support more than ever. Think about who fills up your stadium,' said Becky G, addressing the Dodgers in her Instagram story. The Spanish-language version Nezza sang, 'El Pendón Estrellado,' is the official translation of the national anthem and was commissioned in 1945 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt from Peruvian-American composer Clotilde Arias. Nezza says her manager immediately received a call from an unidentified Dodgers employee saying their clients were not welcome at the stadium again, but the baseball team said in a statement to the AP: 'There were no consequences or hard feelings from the Dodgers regarding her performance. She was not asked to leave. We would be happy to have her back.' Music artist Nezza reacts after singing the national anthem prior to a baseball game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Francisco Giants in Los Angeles, Saturday, June 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh, File) The Dodgers' history with Latinos and immigrants in Los Angeles Dodger Stadium has a long history with immigrant communities in Los Angeles. Many proudly wear Dodger blue jerseys and merchandise as an extension of their love for the city — the team still sells special 'Los Dodgers' jerseys on its official website — and attend the stadium's multiple heritage nights honoring Mexican, Salvadoran, Guatemalan and more immigrant communities, including those from outside Latin America. The Dodgers' fan base is heavily Latino, and the team is among the select few to offer Spanish-language television broadcasts. The franchise is also frequently praised for its history seeking out diverse talent, including Jackie Robinson (baseball's first Black player), Fernando Valenzuela (a Mexican icon who transcended baseball) and Chan Ho Park (the first Korean in the big leagues). But the relationship is not without tension, with some Mexican American and Latino residents resentful of the team's forceful eviction of Latino families in the 1950s to build Dodger Stadium in what is popularly known as Chavez Ravine. Fans have since called for a boycott online, while others say they'd be willing to return if the team spoke out. 'We love you. You've been so much a big part of our lives. … We would like to understand that you love us just the same. Or are we just money to you?' asked Power 106's Brown Bag Mornings host Letty Peniche in an Instagram video. Los Angeles resident Alora Murray is considering a temporary boycott. 'Nobody is messing around about this,' said Murray. 'Los Angeles is built upon the Dodgers. For them to not kind of be with us, I feel like us boycotting or not going to games will send that message.' Fans cheer as Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Tanner Scott prepares to throw during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the San Francisco Giants in Los Angeles, Saturday, June 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh, File) Fans cite inconsistencies about the Dodgers' political stances Many in the Latino community have been sharing videos of stadium security confronting fans who have political signs or messages on their clothing. Longtime Dodger fan Emeli Avalos says she doesn't believe the team is apolitical since they released a statement to condemn Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel. 'If it's really about staying out of politics, then why do they support that? But when people down the street from them are getting taken, kidnapped, why do they stay silent?' she said. Avalos attended Pride Night on June 13 wearing a shirt that said 'Abolish ICE' on the front and 'FDT' — an acronym for an expletive directed at President Donald Trump — on the back. In a popular TikTok video, Avalos is seen speaking with Dodgers security. She says she thought she was going to be asked to leave but was instead asked to cover the back of her shirt with her jersey. 'They told me, 'The front is fine, you just gotta cover the back,'' said Avalos, who said she will not be returning to the stadium. Another video of a fan being confronted by security for holding a banner with 'ICE' crossed out circulated online over the weekend, furthering criticism of the team. When asked about the incidents, a Dodgers spokesperson pointed to the team's stadium guidelines, which state the team 'does not allow signs or banners of any kind.' Also prohibited is any attire the Dodgers deem — at their sole discretion — to be obscene, profane, vulgar, indecent, violent, threatening, abusive or prejudiced against any individual or group. Nezza does not think she will return to the stadium, despite the Dodgers' statement, but says she hopes her performance will inspire others to use their voice and speak out. 'It's just shown me like how much power there is in the Latin community,' she said. 'We gotta be the voice right now.'
National Post
2 days ago
- Politics
- National Post
Nezza's Spanish anthem at Dodger Stadium ignites debate over team's immigrant support
As fans removed their caps and stood for the national anthem Saturday night at Dodger Stadium, they were met with a surprising rendition of 'The Star-Spangled Banner.' Latin pop and R&B singer Nezza stood in front of the crowd, closed her eyes and belted the song out — in Spanish. Article content Her 90-second rendition, and a behind-the-scenes video she shared on social media of team representatives discouraging it beforehand, quickly went viral and have become a flashpoint for Dodgers fans frustrated by the team's lack of vocal support for immigrant communities impacted by the deportation raids across the U.S., including numerous neighborhoods in and around Los Angeles. Article content Article content Article content Protests over the arrests made by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have captured international attention and mostly been held in areas a short drive from Dodger Stadium. Article content Nezza says even after the discouragement from the team's representative, she hadn't yet decided whether to sing in English or Spanish until she walked out onto the field and saw the stands filled with Latino families in Dodger blue. Article content 'This is my moment to show everyone that I am with them that we have a voice and with everything that's happening it's not OK. I'm super proud that I did it. No regrets,' the 30-year-old singer told The Associated Press. Article content The team has yet to make a statement on the record regarding the arrests and raids. Article content Manager Dave Roberts has said he doesn't know enough about the issue to comment, but Dodgers hitter Kike Hernandez separately spoke out on Instagram over the weekend. Article content 'I am saddened and infuriated by what's happening in our country and our city,' he said in a post in English and Spanish. 'I cannot stand to see our community being violated, profiled, abused and ripped apart. ALL people deserve to be treated with respect, dignity and human rights.' Article content Article content In her viral TikTok video, Nezza is shown speaking with an off-camera Dodgers employee who tells her, 'We are going to do the song in English today, so I'm not sure if that wasn't transferred or if that wasn't relayed.' She's received an outpouring of support since Saturday from celebrities like Jason Mraz, Kehlani, Chiquis, Ava DuVernay, The Kid Mero, Becky G and more. Article content 'Don't you dare turn your backs on us now. We, as a city, have embraced you and need your support more than ever. Think about who fills up your stadium,' said Becky G, addressing the Dodgers in her Instagram story. Article content The Spanish-language version Nezza sang, 'El Pendon Estrellado,' is the official translation of the national anthem and was commissioned in 1945 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt from Peruvian-American composer Clotilde Arias. Article content Nezza says her manager immediately received a call from an unidentified Dodgers employee saying their clients were not welcome at the stadium again, but the baseball team said in a statement to the AP: 'There were no consequences or hard feelings from the Dodgers regarding her performance. She was not asked to leave. We would be happy to have her back.'
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
L.A. ICE raids leave people 'scared to leave the house' in Hawthorne
The truck carrying two men suspected of living in the country illegally was pinned between a white rusty fence and two border patrol vehicles near a busy intersection in Hawthorne. Standing by the passenger door, two federal agents were handcuffing a pregnant woman, a U.S. citizen, angering the crowd that had gathered there and prompting masked agents to stand guard with less-lethal weapons and batons. 'Let her go, she's pregnant,' a woman screamed out. 'That girl is pregnant, let her go!' 'Get back!' yelled an agent with a steel baton. 'We are back!' a man responded loudly. The sweep near 120th Street and Hawthorne Boulevard this month was one of several that took place in this working-class city; all part of an immigration enforcement blitz in Southern California that has mostly affected workers living in the country illegally — similar to those that President Trump has employed in the past. The incident, which was captured on video and shared on social media along with subsequent raids in the city, has sparked outrage, fear and anxiety in a town where half the population is Latino. At least 30% of the total population is also foreign born, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Some businesses said the raids have had an impact on them as well. Recently elected Mayor Alex Vargas has not spoken about the immigration issues his city is facing. He did not respond to requests for comment. But two days after the incident at the intersection, a small group of young people gathered to protest the immigration raids. They waved American and Mexican flags as dozens of cars honked in support. The pregnant woman, Cary López Alvarado, told NBC Los Angeles that the agents had been tailing her husband and co-worker when they pulled into the parking lot of a building where they were doing maintenance. She said she opened the gate for her husband to drive in when the agents pulled up. She said she refused to let the agents into the property. In a video she recorded and shared with the news station, Alvarado tells the agents to leave and that they were on private property. She said the agents then took her into custody for obstruction but later released her. Soon after that, she began experiencing pain in her belly and went to the hospital. Alvarado could not be reached for comment. The Department of Homeland Security did not respond to questions about the operation. The white Toyota Tundra that had been stopped that day remains in the small parking lot of the building that is home to a Live Scan business. The driver side window was broken and shattered glass lay nearby. It's been a week of upheaval in Hawthorne, the South Bay suburb where the Beach Boys got their start in the 1960s and came to epitomize the postwar beach culture of Southern California. Over the last 50 years, the city of nearly 90,000 has become much more diverse, with a sizable Latino immigrant community. Standing outside her apartment complex at the corner of Acacia Avenue and 120th Street, just across from where the truck had been stopped, Maria Perez, 68, a Cuban and American citizen, smoked a cigarette with a neighbor. She expressed anger over the incident and the raids that have been taking place in the city and Greater Los Angeles. 'I cried when I saw what happened here,' she said. 'I was hurting like everybody else and now there's fear not just here but all over the city.' Her neighbor Ruben Esquivel, 43, said the raids have caused some people to go into hiding. 'I don't see anyone,' he said. 'People who are trying to make a living are scared to leave the house. It's horrible.' Jimmy Butler, 59, was home when he started to hear honking. By the time he traced the noise to the intersection, he saw Border Patrol agents taking the two men into custody as well as the pregnant woman. 'I was upset about what happened that day,' he said. 'How do you take someone who hasn't committed a crime?' Since then he said he has been more alert in an effort to protect his neighborhood, a street lined with apartment buildings where Samoans, Africans, Latinos and Black Americans live. When he heard honking again recently, he feared federal agents had returned but he was relieved when he learned it was related to the group of young demonstrators. 'People are living in anxiety,' he said. At the corner of 119th Street and Acacia Avenue, where Spanish Mass at St. Joseph Catholic Church can pull in about 1,000 parishioners, Father Arturo Velascos said it was unclear what effect the June 1 incident, and other immigration raids, will have on attendance. 'The fact that they were here has us asking ourselves: How is this Sunday going to be?' he said. 'I know people are scared. Anyone who is undocumented has that basic fear that if they go to church or leave their home they'll be captured by ICE and get deported.' Velascos said the church has told people to remain vigilant and has held know-your-rights workshops to inform parishioners and the community. He said some people have expressed to him that they're afraid that immigration agents will enter the church to grab people. 'If they ever tried to come into our church packed with parishioners it will go bad for them because people will not tolerate that,' he said. 'You don't want 1,000 people angry at you.' Elsewhere in the city, the raids seem to be keeping people away. On Hawthorne Boulevard, some businesses said there are fewer shoppers. At 132nd Street, Gilberto Alvarez, 32, general manager at Denny's, said he was expecting a boost in sales recently after another diner in the area burned down. 'Right away we saw a bump in sales,' he said. But after Sunday's incident, he saw the number dip again. 'I was expecting to have $13,000 in sales instead I got $9,000,' he said. He said daily sales have also decreased from 500 to about 300. Business owners in the area said they too have noticed a decline in sales. They said workers have called in sick, fearing they will be detained by federal agents. However, some smaller stores said they haven't noticed a difference yet. On a recent Wednesday afternoon, Sergio Hernandez, 49, stood at the mouth of his driveway, contemplating life. For more than 30 years, Hernandez has been living illegally in the country. But now, amid the immigration raids, he's considering self-deporting to Mexico. He said the raids have left him in a constant state of fear and anxiety. They've also placed an economic burden on him. Four years ago, he said, he suffered a stroke and lost the movement of his right arm and therefore his job as a polisher at a metal shop. Since then, he's been selling used items at a local swap meet. But the presence of Border Patrol vehicles has forced him to stay home. They've scared customers away as well and the few times he's taken the risk to sell items at the swap meet, he's noticed half the stalls are empty. Unable to work, he's had to dip into his savings and is afraid he'll run out of money soon. He said if he's unable to pay the $1,300 in rent and bills, he'll return home. Hernandez paused for a moment, spotting a white Chevy Escalade with tinted windows at the intersection nearby. 'See, that's the second time that vehicle has passed by here, it's immigration, you can see the lights,' he said. He said it's moments like those that cause him to be on high alert whenever he has to go to the store. 'Before you could go out and be out and about, you know — living life,' he said. 'But now people are always telling you when they spot immigration and whether it's true or not, you'd rather not find out.' Hernandez said he doesn't know when he'll return to Mexico. What's delaying his decision is the simple fact that he's become accustomed to living his life in the U.S. 'I don't understand,' he said. 'There are people living in the streets, getting drugged up and I'm here trying to work. Why are they coming after me?' Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Dodger Stadium singer confirms she performed national anthem in Spanish to protest ICE, in defiance of team
An interesting national anthem was performed at Dodger Stadium on Saturday — and not because the team wanted it. Rather than sing the traditional "The Star-Spangled Banner," Vanessa Hernández, who performs under the name Nezza, sang 'El Pendón Estrellado,' the official Spanish version of the anthem commissioned by the U.S. government under Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1945. Advertisement She apparently did so in defiance of the Dodgers' instructions, as she posted a TikTok following the performance showing an unidentified employee explicitly telling her the song should be in English. "We are going to do the song in English today, so I don't know if that wasn't translated — er, communicated," the employee said. Nezza's caption: "Watch the Dodgers tell me I can't sing the Spanish Star Spangled Banner that Roosevelt literally commissioned in 1945 — so I did it anyway." Wearing a shirt with the flag and colors of her native Dominican Republic, an emotional Nezza paused for tears before delivering the song's final line. In a different video, Nezza confirmed that she performed the song as a protest on the part of the Latino community as the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency continues to carry out raids in Los Angeles: "I didn't think I would be met with any sort of 'No,' especially because we're in L.A. with everything happening. I've sang the national anthem many times in my life, but today I could not. I'm sorry ... I just could not believe, when she walked in and told me 'No,' but I just felt like I needed to do it, para mi gente [for my people]. "My parents are immigrants. They've been citizens my whole life at this point, they got documented really early, but I just can't imagine them being ripped away from me, even at this age, let alone a little kid. Like, what are we doing?" Despite Nezza saying "Safe to say I'm never allowed in that stadium ever again," The Athletic's Fabian Ardaya reports that she was not punished or ejected from Dodger Stadium and is not expected to be banned from the stadium. The team reportedly declined comment on her videos. Advertisement The Dodgers won Saturday's game 11-5. Nezza ignored a request from the Dodgers amid a protracted dispute over ICE raids in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh) (ASSOCIATED PRESS) How have Los Angeles teams responded to the ICE raids? ICE has been raiding locations throughout Los Angeles since June 6, triggering protests across the city and major political disputes between local politicians and President Donald Trump's administration, most notably the arrest of Sen. Alex Padilla while confronting Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Both California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles mayor Karen Bass have urged ICE to leave, but Trump has gone as far as mobilizing the California National Guard and deploying hundreds of Marines in the city. Advertisement A federal judge ruled Friday that Trump's federalization of the National Guard was illegal, but the order to return control to Newsom has been paused pending an appeal this week. Trump himself has somewhat backtracked amid the chaos, directing officers to halt arresting employees at farms, hotels and restaurants. Arrests have continued at other locations. The Dodgers and many of the other major teams in the Los Angeles area have largely remained silent about the current events, though exceptions include MLS's LAFC and the NWSL's Angel City. LAFC released a statement expressing solidarity with the community amid "fear and uncertainty," while Angel City went a step further with shirts reading "Immigrant City Football Club." Individual members of the Dodgers organization have spoken out on Instagram as well. Advertisement Veteran utility man Kiké Hernández said he is "saddened and infuriated by what's happening in our country and our city," and that he "cannot stand to see our community being violated, profiled, abused and ripped apart." Former Dodgers first baseman Adrián González, who now works for the team as a broadcaster, called the raids "unconstitutional" and "illegal," urging the government to stop separating families. Meanwhile, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, who has spoken on social justice issues in the past, pleaded ignorance about the issues on Friday, per The Athletic: 'Honestly, I don't know enough, to be quite honest with you. I know that when you're having to bring people in and deport people, all the unrest, it's certainly unsettling for everyone. But I haven't dug enough and can't speak intelligently on it.' Perhaps Hernández can give him some details.
