LA Dodgers to donate $1M to help immigrants hit by ICE raids
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Demonstrator gather outside the Dodger Stadium to protest the presence of ICE and Border Patrol agents at the stadium parking lot, ahead of the baseball game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres. Photo: Zin Chiang/picture alliance via Getty Images
The Los Angeles Dodgers announced it will donate $1 million to assist immigrant families recently affected by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids in the Los Angeles area.
Why it matters: The announcement came after the reigning World Series champions had come under criticism earlier this month for failing to speak out against the ICE raids and for unsuccessfully pressuring a singer not to perform a Spanish version of the national anthem at a Dodgers game.
- It also came on the heels of a petition signed by a group of activists, faith and labor leaders, urging the team to speak out more.
Zoom in: The Dodgers said the team will commit $1 million toward assistance for families of immigrants affected by the recent events in the city.
- The team also announced plans for further initiatives, which are set to be unveiled in the coming days.
- It was the first public response to the immigration raids that have struck Los Angeles over the last two weeks.
What they're saying: "What's happening in Los Angeles has reverberated among thousands upon thousands of people, and we have heard the calls for us to take a leading role on behalf of those affected," Stan Kasten, Dodgers president & CEO, said in a statement.
- "We believe that by committing resources and taking action, we will continue to support and uplift the communities of Greater Los Angeles.
- LA Mayor Karen Bass thanked the Dodgers in the same team statement.
- "These last weeks have sent shockwaves of fear rippling through every neighborhood and have had a direct impact on our economy. My message to all Angelenos is clear: We will stick together during this time and we will not turn our backs on one another," she said.
Context: Protests broke out earlier this month near a Home Depot in the LA County city of Paramount, after ICE agents carried out a deportation operation targeting day laborers.
- The Trump administration then ordered National Guard troops and hundreds of Marines to quell protests over the objections of local and state officials.
- The event generated solidarity protests by Latinos in other cities, from Houston to Atlanta.
State of play: Latino fans — especially Mexican Americans — comprise a large percentage of the Dodgers' fan base, a trend that has been ongoing since the late 1980s, when Mexican-born left-handed pitcher Fernando Valenzuela played for the team.
- The initial lack of response from the Dodgers has angered many Latino fans who have protested outside the stadium and posted social media photos of ICE and Border Patrol agents near the Dodgers' grounds.
- Other LA-area professional teams, including LAFC and Angel City FC, issued statements about "fear and uncertainty" being felt throughout the city.
The intrigue: The Dodgers said on Thursday that they refused to grant ICE access around the stadium before their game with the San Diego Padres, another team with a large Mexican American fan base.
- "This morning, ICE agents came to Dodger Stadium and requested permission to access the parking lots. They were denied entry to the grounds by the organization. Tonight's game will be played as scheduled," the Dodgers posted on X.
Yes, but: ICE denied on X that agents were at Dodger Stadium.
- "False. We were never there," ICE posted.
- "This had nothing to do with the Dodgers. CBP vehicles were in the stadium parking lot very briefly, unrelated to any operation or enforcement," the Department of Homeland Security also posted on X.
- "This had nothing to do with the Dodgers. CBP vehicles were in the stadium parking lot very briefly, unrelated to any operation or enforcement," DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told Axios.
Go deeper: LA Dodgers weighing how to help immigrants after barring ICE agents from grounds
