Thousands of union members and immigrant rights advocates are gathering in downtown Los Angeles today for a series of rallies and marches marking International Workers’ Day, also known as May Day. The Los Angeles May Day Coalition, representing nearly 90 labor unions along with thousands of workers and residents, is anticipating its largest turnout to date
The march was organized by the Los Angeles May Day Coalition, This year’s rally emphasized solidarity with immigrant communities, amid growing concerns over the federal government’s increasingly harsh immigration policies. In a city home to one of the nation’s largest immigrant populations, organizers said the march aimed to amplify their concerns and demand action from policymakers. Protesters carried signs and chanted slogans calling for justice and reform.
Civic groups warned that the government’s aggressive deportation efforts have spiraled out of control, noting that today, anyone—regardless of birthplace or citizenship status—faces the threat of detention and removal unless they are white.
Among the cases fueling outrage is that of Kilmar Armando Ábrego García, a lawfully present Maryland resident, union member, and father with no criminal record, who was mistakenly deported to El Salvador due to a paperwork error. His case has sparked fear throughout immigrant communities.
“He was given no due process. He never got to see a judge or having any hearing. The federal courts and the Supreme Court have unanimously ordered Trump to immediately facilitate his return to the United States,,” one demonstrator said. the administration has so far refused to comply, prompting widespread legal and political criticism.
Court documents show that the government has acknowledged his deportation was unlawful and has presented no conclusive evidence linking García to MS-13 or any other gang, despite an anonymous informant’s claim identifying him as a member of MS-13’s western clique under the alias “Chele.”
While a small number of pro-Palestinian demonstrators also attended the rally, many avoided showing their faces or publicly expressing their views amid growing tensions.
