On Monday, June 9, hundreds of community members, labor unions, and elected leaders joined in powerful shows of solidarity at the Stop Deportations, Citizenship for All rally in Sacramento and at rallies in San Francisco. The energy was high as people from all walks of life spoke out against the inhumane immigration policies tearing families and communities apart.

Organized by Northern California for Just Immigration Reform, the Sacramento Central Labor Council, and a broad coalition of allies, the Sacramento rally sent a clear message: Our communities will not be silent in the face of injustice.

Union members from SEIU 1021, SEIU 2015, SEIU 1000, SEIU-USWW, UFCW, CSEA, AFSCME, and many others stood shoulder-to-shoulder with community activists and immigrant families. Their presence sent a clear message: labor stands with immigrant communities.

Elected officials also joined in solidarity, emphasizing that this fight is urgent and deeply personal. Assemblymembers Liz Ortega and Mark Gonzalez, Sacramento Councilmember Mai Vang, and several local leaders delivered passionate remarks calling for an immediate halt to deportations, accountability for ICE, and a just path to citizenship for all.

The stakes of this fight were made all the more clear by the deeply troubling incident involving SEIU California and SEIU-USWW President David Huerta, who was injured and arrested while exercising his constitutional right to observe law enforcement. While he has since been released on bail, his violent and unnecessary detention underscores the urgency of the movement to challenge unchecked power and defend civil liberties.

SEIU 1021 member leader and SCUSD classified professional Bruce Boyer captured the spirit of the day with a powerful call to action, saying, “It’s important to show unity with other unions and our community and immigrants. We have to stand together against this fascist regime. They’re kidnapping people! We have to fight back together.”

A similarly broad coalition of labor and community groups gathered at noon in front of the California State Building in downtown San Francisco to demand the release of David Huerta and an end to the ICE raids tearing families and communities apart.

“Every individual deserves to feel secure in their own home, at work, within their community,” said SEIU 1021 San Francisco Vice President Kristin Hardy at the SF rally. “Yet the brutal military-style ICE raids that are instilling fear in our friends, our communities, our coworkers, our neighbors — this wave of terror must stop. Not now, but RIGHT now. Every person in America should feel safe and protected by the U.S. Constitution when exercising their First Amendment rights. But ICE’s actions against a union leader and workers and families is another fear tactic aimed at silencing workers and anyone who dares speak out against injustice.”

“I want to thank you all for your strong advocacy and show of solidarity for brother David Huerta and all our siblings who are being labelled ‘illegal immigrants’ and who are under attack by the Trump administration,” said SEIU 1021 President Theresa Rutherford, who spent Monday in Los Angeles with other SEIU leaders to show support for David Huerta and demand his release.

“Because of our powerful actions yesterday, we were able to get due process for Brother Huerta and get him released on bail. This is proof of OUR POWER as labor. Let us take a moment and celebrate then get right back into the fight. Our work has just begun.

“We must turn this painful event into an opportunity to galvanize our coworkers and our communities to join the fight for all our other siblings who are being disappeared, jailed and deported without due process.  We know that these attacks on ‘immigrants’ are an attack on all of us. It is a ploy to take away our civil rights and our democracy. Let us continue to stand up and fight back. Do not be afraid. We have the POWER. We will WIN.”