Hundreds of SEIU members from around North America gathered for two days in San Juan, Puerto Rico for the SEIU International Latino Caucus Convention. SEIU 1021 members from Oakland, San Francisco, Stockton, and Fairfield assembled with members from Puerto Rico, New York, Chicago, Seattle, Minneapolis, and Los Angeles to plan a course of action against the Trump administration policies that are terrorizing Latino communities.

The Latino Caucus Convention couldn’t come at a more important time. Across the country and in Puerto Rico, Latino communities are under attack. Politicians are weaponizing fear. Corporations are exploiting workers. And the courts —our last defense—are rolling back our rights.

SEIU International President April Verrett set the scene: “The three cities I call home—Los Angeles, Washington DC and Chicago—are literally being occupied by the military. I can’t tell you what it does to my heart to see my brother (SEIU CA President David Huerta) literally be taken down by ICE in the streets of Los Angeles. Or watch men in masks throw themselves into the window of high-rise apartment building to snatch people out of their beds in Philadelphia. Or now when I go down 8th Street— that’s just two blocks from where I live—I watch the military parade up and down the streets of Washington, DC. This does not look like the country I call home. It does not look or feel like the place that so many immigrants think about or run to for refuge. It’s not OK. It’s not American. It’s not democratic. It’s not humane to treat people this way. We are not going to do anything until we stand up to it and stop to it. And prevent from it happening again.”

The convention attendees heard testimonials from union members defending patients from unjust ICE raids at hospitals in Los Angeles. 

“Healthcare workers in L.A. don’t just have to protect union members at our hospitals; we also have to protect our patients from unjust ICE raids,” said Mayra Castañeda, a Kaiser Permanente healthcare worker in Los Angeles. “Patients that are unjustly detained are coming into our hospitals with fractured limbs, fractured craniums, and broken noses. And ICE agents are also trying to intimidate patients in our waiting rooms.”

The issues discussed at the convention include labor rights, public health policy, immigration policy, and the political relationship between the United States and Puerto Rico.

“The SEIU has political and social power. We impact the lives of millions of workers. We defend the rights of the Latino and migrant community, which is why we strongly condemn the anti-immigrant policies of President Donald Trump’s administration, the attacks on the healthcare system, working families, democracy, and the international violence it is fomenting against the people of Latin America,” said Jaime Contreras, SEIU Latino Caucus president and executive vice president for SEIU 32BJ in Maryland.

Rocio Saenz, SEIU secretary-treasurer and the highest-ranking Latina in the organization, spoke about the importance of maintaining a united front against policies that affect working-class and migrant communities. “Our Latino Caucus represents the best of SEIU and reflects the power of collective work, solidarity, and unity. Together, we represent labor and political power. We have built this power to overcome these dark times. Power to denounce the colonial relationship between the United States and Puerto Rico and unite all workers in the Puerto Rican diaspora. Power to demand a fair seat at the federal table. Power to demand stronger infrastructure for Puerto Rico. Power to stand united for our working families and not back down.”

Angel Valdez, SEIU 1021 Latino Caucus chair and La Clinica employee in Oakland, attended the convention and was eager to get to work on a plan of action. “We need to resist the Trump administration. And one of the tools that we have at our disposal right now will be to make sure that we pass Proposition 50, because it’s important that we don’t let this colonial administration try to rig or steal our elections. We want to make sure that we fight back. It’s important that we get out the vote for yes on Prop 50.

“The other work that we need to do is to recruit more 1021 members to join our Latino Caucus so that we bring our different ideas and our expertise together to fight back against this racist administration that is targeting our communities.”