The protests in Los Angeles, ignited by the arrest of union leader David Huerta, showcase the evolving role of unions amidst Trump’s immigration crackdown. As members of the Service Employees International Union and other labor organizations rallied for Huerta's release, they also expressed their opposition to the administration's aggressive immigration policies. This incident underscores a significant shift in union attitudes toward immigration, as many immigrant workers have increasingly joined unions since the 1990s, marking a departure from the labor movement's past stance on immigration restrictions.
The scenes were striking given how, decades ago, the U.S. labor movement largely opposed immigration, at one point helping impose restrictions against employers who hired undocumented workers.
In a statement after Huerta's release Monday, AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler said that the groups who demanded his release had 'shown the power of the union.'
The protests highlight how unions have become a bulwark against Trump's immigration agenda, challenging his administration's intensifying enforcement tactics.
Huerta was taken into custody after he allegedly resisted against officers carrying out an immigration raid at a warehouse near downtown Los Angeles.
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