Surge in ICE raids is aimed at discouraging voter turnout, immigration advocates say – Los Angeles Times

Surge in ICE raids is aimed at discouraging voter turnout, immigration advocates say  Los Angeles Times

Amid reports of a surge in federal immigration raids, Los Angeles leaders and immigration advocates said Friday that the efforts appear aimed at discouraging turnout in the midterm elections, and urged voters not to be intimidated. "The timing of these actions, just weeks before the midterm elections, is no accident," said Jeannette Zanipatin, policy director of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles. "These tactics seek to silence immigrant communities, suppress civic participation and divide our neighborhoods." CHIRLA's executive director, Angelica Salas, blamed the Republican Trump administration for seeking to discourage voting and said her organizations and others will send legal observers to the polls across the state as part of the Can’t Stop California campaign.

“As threats of intimidation from the Trump administration continue just 18 days before the election date, do not let anyone convince you that your voice does not matter,” Salas said at a news conference in downtown Los Angeles. “We're protecting our people. We're also protecting our people's ability to participate in the elections. California organizes itself. That is why we are a progressive, pro-immigrant state.” The U.S. Department of Homeland Security oversees Immigration and Customs Enforcement. In a statement, DHS spokesperson Chandler Rebel said that people "who are here legally and are not breaking other laws have nothing to fear." “Our message