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​​TAKEN: THE AGENTS RAIDING COMMUNITIES AND THE PEOPLE TRYING TO STOP THEM

MARIA HINOJOSA:  SO WE’RE GOING ABOUT WHAT? UH, LIKE 10, 12, MAYBE 15 MILES AN HOUR?

CLEMEN: YEAH. MM-HMM.

MARIA HINOJOSA: DOWN, UM, NEIGHBORHOOD STREETS. LIKE THESE ARE HOMES?

CLEMEN: YES. YES. THIS IS HISTORIC SOUTH CENTRAL

MARIA HINOJOSA: IT’S JUST AFTER 6 A.M. THE SUN ISN’T OUT YET ON THIS DEWY MORNING

LUPE:  WE’RE LOOKING RIGHT NOW FOR, UM, LIKE VEHICLES. THEY’RE USUALLY AMERICAN MADE VEHICLES. THEY’RE DEFINITELY LIKE, HAVE SUPER DARK TINTED WINDOWS. // SO YOU’LL FIND THE AGENTS ARE DOUBLE PARKED.

MARIA HINOJOSA: IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT AGENTS.. BORDER PATROL..  ICE.

MEN –BECAUSE THEY’RE MOSTLY MEN– IN UNMARKED CARS, OFTEN IN PLAIN CLOTHES WHO ARE WAITING TO GET OUT AND TAKE PEOPLE.

IT’S BEEN 4 MONTHS SINCE LOS ANGELES SAW AN UNPRECEDENTED ATTACK ON LATINOS AND LATINAS, AND IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES. THE ATTACKS HAVEN’T STOPPED.

AND THIS MORNING LATINO USA’S MANAGING EDITOR FERNANDA ECHAVARRI AND I ARE IN THE BACKSEAT OF THIS RIDE ALONG AS THE UNION DEL BARRIO NEIGHBORHOOD PATROL BEGINS.

CLEMEN: SOME OF THE CARS THAT LOOK ICY TOO, LIKE YOU CAN TELL THAT THEY’RE NOT BECAUSE, UM, SOMETIMES THEY HAVE THAT CUSTOMIZATION, YOU KNOW, LIKE A RAZA, [LAUGHS] IT’S NOT LIKE ICE, BUT THEY LOVE TO GET THAT TINTED LOOK, YOU KNOW?

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: UNION DEL BARRIO, IS A GRASSROOTS COMMUNITY GROUP THAT IS RESPONDING TO THE ICE RAIDS BY PATROLLING NEIGHBORHOODS. LUPE CARRASCO CARDONA IS DRIVING. SHE’S A TEACHER AT A MIDDLE SCHOOL NEARBY. SHE HAS HER HAIR PULLED BACK AND IS WEARING A BRICK-COLORED BLAZER. CLEMEN AVALOS IS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT WEARING THE CLASSIC BLACK AND WHITE CHECKERED VANS. SHE’S THE ONE THAT GETS OUT OF THE CAR TO GET A CLOSER LOOK AT ANY VEHICLE THAT LOOKS SUSPICIOUS. CLEMEN IS A SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST.  THEY EACH HAVE IMPECCABLE MANICURES WITH BRIGHT BLUE AND REDDISH-ORANGE NAIL POLISH

LUPE: WE BECAME LITTLE PRIVATE INVESTIGATORS AND YOU DO YOU KIND OF, RIGHT. YEAH, YEAH.

MARIA HINOJOSA: YEAH. I WOULD SAY BIG, NOT LITTLE, EVERYTHING THAT YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT IS VERY STRATEGIC AND YOU HAVE REALLY HONED THE WORK OF HAVING TO BE, O SEA LO QUE A MI TODAVIA NO ME ENTRA IS THE FACT THAT YOU’RE HAVING TO PATROL YOUR NEIGHBORHOODS AT SIX IN THE MORNING IN LA. THAT’S WHY I’M OMG.

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: THE IDEA HERE IS TO BLOW THE AGENTS’ COVER, TO WARN THE NEIGHBORS WHEN THEY FIND AGENTS ON THEIR STREET, AND TO POST IT LIVE ON INSTAGRAM SO PEOPLE WHO ARE COMMUTING AVOID THE AREA.

THIS MORNING THERE ARE 4 CARS DOING THE SAME THING, EACH TEAM HAS A WALKIE TALKIE. MOST OF THEM ARE EDUCATORS OR WORK IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND THEY’RE DOING THIS BEFORE THEY START THEIR WORK DAY.

MAN (THROUGH WALKIE): CAN YOU REPEAT WHAT YOU SAID COMPAÑERA?

CLEMEN: UH, 10 MINUTE CHECK. ALL CLEAR. ON 25TH AND GRIFFITH.

MARIA HINOJOSA: WE’RE TRYING TO KEEP UP WITH ALL THE CLUES LUPE AND CLEMEN ARE LOOKING FOR.

LUPE: YOU SEE HOW THEY HAVE THE, LIKE THE SUN VISORS? SOMETIMES THEY DO THAT TO HIDE THEMSELVES, BUT YEAH, THERE’S NO ONE IN THERE.

MARIA HINOJOSA:  HOW CAN YOU TELL? THERE’S NO ONE EITHER.

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: YEAH. IT TAKES ME A MINUTE TO HIDE.

MARIA HINOJOSA: I’M LIKE, NOBODY WILL KNOW.

CLEMEN: WE’VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR A WHILE, I FEEL LIKE…

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI:  DO YOU NOTICE A BIG AMERICAN FLAG IN, IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE? YEAH.

LUPE: SO THAT COULD EITHER BE A DECOY, PROBABLY BE A SUPER PATRIOT OR A DECOY. THEY’RE TRYING TO PROTECT THEMSELVES, YOU KNOW?

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: WE’VE BEEN DRIVING FOR ABOUT HALF AN HOUR AND CLEMEN SPOTS A HEAVILY TINTED DODGE CHARGER.

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: LUPE LOOPS AROUND THE BLOCK AND COMES BACK SLOWER,

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: STOPPING RIGHT NEXT TO THE CAR.

CLEMEN: IS ANYBODY NEAR 38TH AND GRIFFITH? THAT CAN COME?

LUPE: LEMME ASK THIS GUY ABOUT THE CAR

CLEMEN: AND DO BACK UP. WE SEE A SUSPICIOUS, UH, SUSPICIOUS CHARGER. SUPER DARK TINTED WINDOWS.

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: CLEMEN GETS OUT AND KNOCKS ON THE WINDOW, THEN PEAKS THROUGH THE TINTED WINDSHIELD

CLEMEN:  IT DOESN’T LOOK LIKE THERE’S ANYBODY INSIDE. GIMME A SECOND.

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: BUT JUST AS THE OTHER DRIVERS START TO MAKE THEIR WAY OVER TO US, CLEMEN CALLS IT OFF. THERE’S NOBODY IN THE CAR.  FALSE ALARM.

CLEMEN: OH, NEVERMIND.

MARIA HINOJOSA: IT’S BEEN ALMOST AN HOUR, AND NONE OF THE VOLUNTEERS HAVE SPOTTED ICE AGENTS. LUPE AND CLEMEN TELL US THAT THIS IS A GOOD THING. BUT UNFORTUNATELY, SHE SAYS, THEY OFTEN RECEIVE PHOTOS OF AGENTS SETTING UP IN AREAS WHERE THEY HAD JUST PATROLLED THE DAY BEFORE. IT’S A MIX OF CHANCE, OF LUCK, AND OF BEING AT THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME.

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: …THEY TELL US THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE WHEN THERE IS PROTECTION IN COMMUNITY.

CLEMEN:  IT FEELS LIKE JUST ANOTHER DAY ON PATROL, BUT THERE’S ALWAYS THAT HEAVINESS IN THE BACK OF OUR MINDS, LIKE THAT OUR COMMUNITY’S UNDER ATTACK AND, UM, WE JUST WANTED TO, WE, WE WANT OUR PEOPLE TO BE SAFE.

SO LIKE I THINK THAT’S ALWAYS IN THE BACK OF OUR MINDS.

LUPE: YEAH, HONESTLY, IT’S EXHAUSTING. // BUT I WOULD BE MORE TIRED AND MORE EXHAUSTED IF THE COMMUNITY WAS LEFT UNPROTECTED, YOU KNOW? /// THIS IS THE MINIMUM THAT CAN BE DONE.

MARIA HINOJOSA:FROM FUTURO MEDIA IT’S LATINO USA I’M MARIA HINOJOSA

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: AND I’M FERNANDA ECHAVARRI

MARIA HINOJOSA: TODAY, WE BRING YOU A SPECIAL EPISODE IN COLLABORATION WITH THE INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING TEAM AT CAL MATTERS.

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: FIRST WE TAKE YOU TO L-A… GROUND ZERO OF THE RAMPED UP RAIDS..

MARIA HINOJOSA: OR AS THE MAYOR OF LOS ANGELES TOLD US RECENTLY …

MAYOR BASS: THE HUNTING OF LATINOS

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: WHAT CAN LOCAL AND STATE OFFICIALS REALLY DO TO STAND UP TO HAVING MASKED AGENTS TAKE OVER THEIR CITIES? WE ASK CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM

GOVERNOR NEWSOM: WE’RE FIGHTING FIRE WITH FIRE. // WE’RE NOT ROLLING OVER TO THIS. // 40 PLUS LAWSUITS..

MARIA HINOJOSA: WE WILL ALSO MEET “THE” MAN BEHIND THIS EFFORT… BECAUSE IT’S NOT JUST THOSE IN THE WHITE HOUSE… BORDER PATROL’S GREGORY BOVINO IS LIVING FOR THIS MOMENT

GREGORY BOVINO: JUST GO AHEAD AND SELF-DEPORT BECAUSE THE GREEN TEAM IS ON THE JOB AND IT’S GAME ON, GAME ON.

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: WE’LL GO TO CHICAGO WHERE BOVINOS TACTICS HAVE SPREAD

MAYOR JOHNSON: ICE LIES AND PEOPLE DIE

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: WE’LL ALSO GO TO MEXICO TO ASK MEXICAN PRESIDENT CLAUDIA SHEINBAUM ABOUT MEXICO’S ROLE IN ALL OF THIS

MARIA HINOJOSA: SEÑORA PRESIDENTA, CAN YOU PLEASE RESPOND TO THIS QUESTION OF PSYCHOLOGICAL TERROR THAT IS BEING UNLEASHED

CLAUDIA SHEINBAUM: NO ESTAMOS DE ACUERDO CON ESTA FORMA DE TRATO

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: WE FOUND THAT ABOUT 72% OF THOSE IN ICE CUSTODY HAVE NO CRIMINAL RECORD. NONE. SO WHILE THE ADMINISTRATION’S MESSAGING CONTINUES TO BE ABOUT PROTECTING THE COUNTRY FROM…

KRISTI NOEM:  THOSE THAT ARE PERPETUATING MURDER AND RAPE

GREGORY BOVINO: TERRORIST CARTEL MEMBERS

PRESIDENT TRUMP:  THE WORST CRIMINAL, ILLEGAL ALIENS

MARIA HINOJOSA: WHAT WE’RE SEEING IS THAT THIS REALLY IS  ABOUT PICKING UP ANYONE, ANYWHERE, BASED ON HOW THEY LOOK, WHERE THEY WORK, OR THE LANGUAGE THEY SPEAK

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: SOMETHING THE SUPREME COURT HAS SAID IT’S OK TO DO.

ALEX PADILLA THE RACIAL PROFILING SUPPORTED BY THE SUPREME COURT, MY GOD!

MARIA HINOJOSA: SO STICK AROUND BECAUSE IF THERE’S ANYTHING YOU NEED TO HEAR TO GET A FULL PICTURE NOT ONLY OF WHAT’S GOING ON, BUT WHAT’S TO COME, IT’S THIS.

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: WE’RE IN A WORKING-CLASS NEIGHBORHOOD IN LOS ANGELES TO MEET WITH A WOMAN WE’LL CALL “D”. SHE’S UNDOCUMENTED AND ASKED US TO PROTECT HER IDENTITY.

AMBI HELLOS FROM VOICE MEMO RECORDING

MARIA HINOJOSA: SHE GREETS US WITH A SMILE AND WELCOMES US INTO HER SMALL APARTMENT.

AMBI HELLOS FROM VOICE MEMO RECORDING

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: WE’RE HERE BECAUSE HER 31-YEAR-OLD SON MAURICIO WAS ONE OF THE FIRST TO BE DETAINED WHEN THE RAIDS LED BY BORDER PATROL’S GREGORY BOVINO BEGAN IN THE SUMMER.

AND SHE BRINGS THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE MANY MOTHERS, FRIENDS, FAMILY MEMBERS WHO HAVE HAD SOMEONE GO MISSING. WITHOUT ANY INFORMATION ABOUT WHERE THEY MAY BE.

MARIA HINOJOSA: THE TACKLING, THE VIOLENT RAIDS… WE SEE THAT ALL OVER SOCIAL MEDIA AND THE NEWS. BUT WHAT MAURICIO CAN TELL US, IS WHAT HAPPENS AFTER LATINOS, MEXICAN AND CENTRAL AMERICAN MIGRANTS ARE HANDCUFFED.

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: FOR THIS EPISODE WE ARE MAKING A CONSCIOUS DECISION TO NOT PLAY ANY AUDIO OF GUTWRENCHING WEEPS, CRIES FOR HELP, OR DESPERATE SCREAMS FROM THE MANY PEOPLE BEING DETAINED.

MARIA HINOJOSA: IT WAS A SUNDAY. JUNE 8 TO BE EXACT.

THAT PREVIOUS FRIDAY AND SATURDAY CHAOS HAD ERUPTED IN LA.

IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT AGENTS BEGAN VERY PUBLIC, VERY MILITARIZED RAIDS ACROSS THE CITY.

AND “D” HAD BEEN PAYING ATTENTION.

“D”: EMPEZARON LAS REDADAS VIERNES EL TODAVÍA TRABAJO VIERNES Y SÁBADO.

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI:  MAURICIO HAD A BAD FEELING… HE WAS SCARED

MAURICIO:  TENÍA COMO QUE ESE MIEDO DE QUE HIJO ME VAN A AGARRAR

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: BUT HE HAD TO GO TO WORK.

MAURICIO: PORQUE YO LA VERDAD AL FINAL DE CUENTA, TENÍA QUE SALIR A TRABAJAR.

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: HE WORKED CLEANING APARTMENT BUILDINGS AND WAS ON THE PAYROLL…

 MAURICIO: ESTABA PAGANDO IMPUESTOS.

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: PAYING INCOME TAXES.

“D”:  ÉL NO TIENE NINGÚN DELITO. ÉL MÁS VINO A TRABAJA

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: HE HAS NO CRIMINAL RECORD AND HIS MOM TELLS US THAT HE GOES FROM WORK TO HOME AND HOME TO WORK.

“D”:  DE LA CASA, EL TRABAJO Y DE BA DEL TRABAJO A LA CASA,

MARIA HINOJOSA: SO AFTER HIS SHIFT HE HEADED HOME, AS USUAL.

AND AS HE WAITED FOR THE 33 BUS, AN UNMARKED TRUCK PULLED UP IN FRONT OF HIM AND THE OTHER HANDFUL OF PEOPLE.

MAURICIO:  PASÓ UNA CAMIONETA RÁPIDO Y,

MAURICIO: Y SÍ SE HIZO SOSPECHOSO

MARIA HINOJOSA: A COUPLE MEN IN JEANS AND BASEBALL CAPS GOT OUT OF THE TRUCK QUICKLY AND HELD UP A PIECE OF PAPER WITH A MAN’S PHOTO

MAURICIO: DOS, DOS SEÑORES VESTIDOS. ESTE CIVILES NO TRAÍA NI NO SE LEÍAN NI SU PLACA NI NADA CON GORRA TENIS NORMALES.

MARIA HINOJOSA: THE MEN ASKED IF THEY KNEW WHO THE MAN IN THE PHOTO WAS BECAUSE HE WAS A WANTED MAN, BUT NOBODY DID. NOBODY KNEW WHO THAT WAS.

MAURICIO: Y LLEGARON AHÍ ENTRE LA GENTE Y NOS PREGUNTARON QUE SI CONOCÍAMOS UNA TAL PERSONA, TRAÍA UNA HOJA CON UNA FOTO DE UNA PERSONA.

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: WHEN A COUPLE OF THE OTHER PEOPLE WAITING FOR THE BUS RAN, SO DID MAURICIO.

 MAURICIO: ME ATORARON PIE

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: THE MAN CHASING MAURICIO TRIPPED HIM, AND HE FELL ON HIS KNEE.

MAURICIO: Y CAÍ CASI CON TODO MI CUERPO EN LA IZQUI EN LA RODILLA IZQUIERDA.

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: MAURICIO SAYS IT WASN’T CLEAR WHO WAS WHO.NONE OF THE MEN SHOWED HIM A BADGE, NOBODY SAID ANYTHING. ALL MAURICIO HEARD WAS SOME OF THE PLAIN-CLOTHED MEN SPEAKING PRETTY GOOD SPANISH. NO ACCENT. THE MEN TOOK THEM IN BASED ONLY ON THE WAY THEY LOOKED, HE SAYS.

MAURICIO: ESTABAN AGARRANDO COMO POR ASÍ COMO SU VESTIMENTA O…

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: “THEY CAN TELL WE HAVE DARK SKIN AND THAT WE’RE SHORTER” HE SAYS

MAURICIO: SE DA CUENTA QUE ES UNO DE PIEL MORENA O ALGO ASÍ CHAPARRITO…

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI:  “I SAW THIS AS RACIST” MARUCIO TELLS US.

MAURICIO: PUES, COMO PRÁCTICAMENTE LO VI COMO COMO RACISTA…

MARIA HINOJOSA: SO THERE HE WAS, HANDCUFFED, SHACKLES AROUND HIS ANKLES. AGENTS TAKE HIS PHONE AWAY.

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: MEANWHILE AT HOME, HIS MOTHER, “D” STARTS TO WORRY SHE HASN’T HEARD FROM HER SON SINCE SHE LAST MESSAGED HIM TWO HOURS AGO. HE ALWAYS RESPONDED TO HER MESSAGES RIGHT AWAY.

“D”: MI HIJO ES ESAS PERSONAS QUE NUNCA DEJA DE CONTESTARME LAS LLAMADAS Y LOS MENSAJES.

MARIA HINOJOSA: THREE HOURS… FOUR HOURS… AND ACCORDING TO WHATSAPP HER SON HADN’T EVEN SEEN HER MESSAGES.

“D”: Y ENTONCES DIERON LA SIETE DE LA NOCHE, YO TRATANDO DE LOCALIZARLO, NO PUDE …

MARIA HINOJOSA: HER THOUGHTS SPIRALED: HAD HER SON BEEN ROBBED? HURT? WAS HE IN A HOSPITAL?

“D”:  ESTUVIMOS ASÍ ESPERANDO LO BUSCARON EN HOSPITALES EN EN AQUELLA ÁREA, A VER SI HABÍA HABIDO UN ASALTO O UNA. O QUE HABÍA PASADO ALGO MALO O POR ALGO, NO HE ENCONTRADO ABSOLUTAMENTE NADA. NADA, NADA. NADA.

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI:  “D”  DIDN’T SLEEP THAT NIGHT.

“D”: TODA ESA NOCHE ESTUVE EN VELA, NO DORMÍ.

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: SHE REACHED OUT TO A NEIGHBOR WHO TRIED TO FILE A MISSING PERSONS REPORT BUT THE POLICE TOLD THEM IT WAS TOO SOON. THERE WAS NO TRACE OF MAURICIO EVEN IN IMMIGRATION DETENTION RECORDS.

MARIA HINOJOSA: MAURICIO WAS FIRST TAKEN TO A DETENTION CENTER AN HOUR SOUTH OF LOS ANGELES, THEN AT 5 A.M. HE WAS PUT ON A PLANE, SHACKLED. HE HAD NO IDEA WHERE HE WAS GOING.

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI:  Y TE DICEN A DÓNDE VAS?

MAURICIO: NO DICEN NADA, NOS NOS NO SE BUENA UN AVIÓN

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: NO TIENES NI IDEA DE A DÓNDE VAMOS

MAURICIO: A NI NADA, NADA, NADA.

MARIA HINOJOSA:THEY WERE TAKEN TO AN ICE TENT CAMP. MAURICIO’S KNEE WAS CAUSING HIM A LOT OF  PAIN…MAKING IT ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE FOR HIM TO WALK.

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: THREE DAYS PASSED SINCE HE HAD BEEN “LEVANTADO”

MAURICIO:  NOS IBAN A A LEVANTAR OTRA VEZ PARA YANOS A LLEVARNOS A…

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: TAKEN,(PAUSE) KIDNAPPED. A WORD THAT IN MEXICO HAS A HEAVY SIGNIFICANCE. THIS IS THE TERM USED FOR CARTEL-RELATED KIDNAPPINGS, FOR STATE-SANCTIONED DISAPPEARANCES. AND MAURICIO KNOWS THIS… IT’S PRECISELY WHY HE’S USING THAT TERM.

MAURICIO:  A LO MEJOR NO ME EXPRESARÍA COMO QUE HUBIERA SIDO UN ARRESTO CUANDO TRAEN UNIFORME Y EN REALIDAD ELLOS NO TRAEN UNIFORME TABAN DE CIVILES.

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: “I WAS PICKED UP BY PEOPLE IN PLAIN CLOTHES,” HE TELLS US. NO UNIFORMS, NO BADGES, NO ARREST ORDER.

MAURICIO: NUNCA NOS DIJERON QUE TENEMOS PARA UNA LLAMADA….

MARIA HINOJOSA: IT WAS NOW DAY FIVE. HE STILL HADN’T BEEN ALLOWED TO MAKE ONE PHONE CALL.  HIS MOTHER, STILL IN ANGUISH…NO TRACE OF HER SON ANYWHERE.

“D”: NO DORMÍ PORQUE YO NO SUPE DE MI HIJO EN CINCO DÍAS Y ME DIO CASI SEIS DÍAS

MARIA HINOJOSA: FINALLY, MAURICIO SAYS IMMIGRATION AGENTS AT THE EL PASO DETENTION FACILITY TELL HIM AND THE OTHER MEN IN THE HOLDING CELL THAT THEY CAN MAKE ONE PHONE CALL. BUT ONLY AFTER THEY SIGN A DOCUMENT THAT SAYS THEY’RE VOLUNTARILY DEPORTING THEMSELVES.

LAW EXPERTS HAVE CALLED THIS CONDITIONING OF PHONE ACCESS BLATANTLY ILLEGAL, SAYING THE GOVERNMENT IS ESSENTIALLY PRESSURING PEOPLE IN DETENTION TO GIVE UP THEIR RIGHTS TO DUE PROCESS. WAIVING THEIR OPPORTUNITY FOR AN ASYLUM HEARING OR A DATE IN FRONT OF AN IMMIGRATION JUDGE.

MAURICIO SHOWED US THE DOCUMENT HE WAS TOLD TO SIGN. IT’S IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH. AND MAURICIO CHECKED THE BOX THAT SAID:

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: I DENOUNCE MY RIGHT TO A HEARING IN AN IMMIGRATION COURT AND I WISH TO GO BACK TO MY COUNTRY AS SOON AS MY DEPARTURE IS AVAILABLE.

MARIA HINOJOSA: GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS ARE ESSENTIALLY DANGLING A CARROT OF A PHONE CALL…THEY WARN DETAINEES THAT EVEN IF THEY TRY TO FIGHT THEIR DEPORTATION, THEY COULD BE HELD IN TERRIBLE CONDITIONS FOR MONTHS AND MONTHS.

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: SO, ON JUNE 10, FIVE DAYS AFTER HE WAS TAKEN MAURICIO SIGNED THE FORM.

AND SO DID MOST OF THE OTHER PEOPLE WHO WERE DETAINED WITH HIM.

MAURICIO: TODO LOS MUCHACHOS CON LOS QUE YO QUE CONOCÍ, TODOS FIRMARON

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: THAT DAY HE WAS RELEASED IN JUAREZ… AND IT WAS THEN HE GOT HIS PHONE BACK.

MAURICIO:  PRENDÍ MI TELÉFONO.YA TENÍA VARIAS LLAMADAS PERDIDAS

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: HE TURNED IT ON TO MANY MISSED CALLS AND MESSAGES.

MAURICIO:  LE MARCA A MI MAMÁ LE DIGO, SABE QUÉ, EMMA?

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: THEN HE CALLED HIS MOM.

MAURICIO: PUES ESTOY BIEN.

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: “D” ANSWERED THE PHONE.

“D”: ME LLAMÓ Y ME DIJO. MAMÁ. YA NO TE PREOCUPES, ESTOY BIEN.

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: SHE GOT TO HEAR HER SON’S VOICE TELLING HER THAT HE WAS OK AND NOT TO WORRY.

MAURICIO: ESTOY ACÁ EN JUÁREZ. ESTOY EN MÉXICO.

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: “IM IN JUAREZ MOM, IN MEXICO”

MAURICO: SE ROMPIÓ EN LLANTO Y EMPEZÓ A LLORAR, VERDAD?

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: THAT’S WHEN HIS MOM BROKE DOWN AND STARTED CRYING. SHE WAS RELIEVED TO KNOW HE WAS AT LEAST OK.

“D”: ME SOLTÉ A LLORAR. ME SOLTÉ A LLORAR DE ALIVIO. SENTÍ QUE ME LLEGÓ UN ALIVIO DE DE OÍRLO, DE ESCUCHAR LO QUE ESTABA BIEN.

MARIA HINOJOSA: COMING UP AFTER THE BREAK WE MEET THE MAN BEHIND THIS NEW REIGN OF TERROR…

GREGORY BOVINO: IF THEY CROSS THE BORDER ILLEGALLY THEY’RE COMING WITH US

MARIA HINOJOSA: AND LATER WE’LL GO TO THE PRESIDENTIAL PALACE IN MEXICO TO ASK PRESIDENT CLAUDIA SHEINBAUM ABOUT MEXICO’S ROLE IN ALL OF THIS

STAY WITH US, NO TE VAYAS.

MARIA HINOJOSA: WELCOME BACK TO LATINO USA I’M MARIA HINOJOSA

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: AND I’M FERNANDA ECHAVARRI. BEFORE THE BREAK, WE HEARD HOW THESE SEEMINGLY RANDOM ICE RAIDS ARE SOWING UNCERTAINTY IN IMMIGRANTS AND THEIR FAMILIES.

MARIA HINOJOSA: THE WAY ICE AND BORDER PATROL HAVE BEEN CONDUCTING THESE DETENTIONS, SHOWS THAT THEY’RE WORKING FROM A NEW PLAYBOOK. ONE THAT RELIES ONLY ON THE THINNEST PRETEXT FOR TAKING PEOPLE. AND THEN ON SEPT 8 THIS YEAR, SCOTUS ESSENTIALLY MADE THAT LEGAL. NOW OFFICERS CAN LEGALLY STOP PEOPLE BASED ON THE “TOTALITY OF CIRCUMSTANCES” THINGS LIKE WHERE YOU ARE, WHERE YOU ARE, THE LANGUAGE YOU SPEAK, EVEN THE JOB SITE. CIVIL RIGHTS LAWYERS SAY IT ADDS UP TO RACIAL PROFILING

SERGIO OLMOS: AND THIS RULING BASICALLY TURNED THE ACTIONS OF A ROGUE BORDER PATROL CHIEF, INTO POLICY. GREGORY BOVINO HAD PREVIOUSLY USED KERN COUNTY CALIFORNIA AS A TEST RUN AND THE SUPREME COURT GAVE HIM GREEN LIGHT TO KEEP IT GOING.

MARIA HINOJOSA: THIS IS SERGIO OLMOS. HE IS INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER WITH CAL MATTERS, AND OUR PARTNER IN ALL OF THIS.  LA IS HIS HOME, AND HE HAS BEEN COVERING THIS NONSTOP FOR MONTHS.

SERGIO OLMOS: NONSTOP IS RIGHT

NEWS TAPE:  JOINING ME NOW IS SERGIO OLMOS // I WANT TO BRING SERGIO OLMOS INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD INVESTIGATIVE  // SERGIO OLMOS // LAST SUNDAY HE WAS STRUCK WHILE FILMING AN OFFICER OPEN FIRE

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: SERGIO HAS BEEN AT THE CENTER OF THE PROTEST, IN COURTROOMS, AND ALL OVER SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REPORTING ON THIS STORY. AND WHEN MARIA AND I WERE IN LA. THE THREE OF US WENT TO A PRESS CONFERENCE WITH CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM.

[CLAPS] NEWSOM

SERGIO OLMOS: NEWSOM WAS SIGNING INTO LAW A BUNCH OF MEASURES MEANT TO PUSH BACK AGAINST TRUMP’S IMMIGRATION AGENDA…

LIKE BANNING THE MASKS THAT IMMIGRATION AGENTS WORE AROUND LA. I MEAN, THE PUBLIC SEES THAT NEWSOM AND LAWMAKERS IN CALIFORNIA ARE STANDING UP TO TRUMP, BUT IN THIS CASE IT’S NOT A POWER THEY HAVE. FEDERAL OFFICIALS SAID THEY’LL JUST IGNORE THE MASK LAW.

MARIA HINOJOSA:  IT’S ONLY NINE MONTHS IN UNDER PRESIDENT TRUMP. CAN YOU TELL US WHAT YOU’RE EXPECTING AND WHAT ARE YOU PREPARING TO DO FOR WHAT MIGHT BE COMING?

GOVERNOR NEWSOM: WELL, LOOK, I MEAN, // HE DOESN’T BELIEVE IN THE RULE OF LAW HE BELIEVES IN THE RULE OF DON, PERIOD. FULL STOP.// WE’RE PUSHING BACK. WE’RE USING OUR FORMAL AUTHORITY, UH, AND WE’RE USING OUR MORAL AUTHORITY IN A STATE THAT CAN PUNCH ABOVE ITS WEIGHT.

SERGIO OLMOS: CALIFORNIA’S GOVERNOR HAS BECOME A NATIONAL POLITICIAN RESISTING THE TRUMP AGENDA.. HE’S TAKEN THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TO COURT MORE THAN JUST ABOUT ANY OTHER GOVERNOR.

AND IS WINNING THE CASE CHALLENGING TRUMP’S DEPLOYMENT OF THE CALIFORNIA NATIONAL GUARD TO THE STREETS OF LA.

FERNANDA ECHAVRRI: WE ASKED LOS ANGELES MAYOR KAREN BASS ABOUT THIS WHEN WE SAT DOWN TO SPEAK WITH HER.

MAYOR BASS: WE ABSOLUTELY ARE LIMITED. HOWEVER, WE STILL MUST PUSH BACK //

MARIA HINOJOSA: SO IS, IS THERE MORE A REIGN OF TERROR, FEAR, TERROR TO GET, I, I DON’T KNOW TO WHAT END, BUT TO CREATE A STATE OF TERROR IN YOUR CITY?

MAYOR BASS: WELL, I MEAN, THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT IT HAS BEEN. I MEAN, WHEN YOU HAVE MASKED MEN DRIVING UP AND DOWN THE STREET, UH, CARS, TINTED WINDOWS, JUMPING OUT. UH, WITH RIFLES AND JUST SNATCHING PEOPLE OFF THE STREET. THAT ABSOLUTELY, UH, CREATES A SENSE OF TERROR WHEN YOU HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE AFRAID TO GO TO SCHOOL, PEOPLE WHO ARE AFRAID TO GO TO WORK. YOU HAVE ENTIRE SECTORS OF OUR ECONOMY THAT HAVE BEEN CRIPPLED BECAUSE THEY ARE DEPENDENT ON IMMIGRANT LABOR. // ALTHOUGH IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT HAS ALWAYS HAPPENED, IT’S NOTHING NEW. I DO NOT RECALL IN MY LIFETIME SEEING IT AS THIS BRUTAL.

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: SO AS WE WERE WRAPPING UP OUR CONVERSATION WITH MAYOR BASS WE ASKED NOT ABOUT THE POLITICS OR HER ACTIONS BUT ABOUT HOW THIS INVASION OF HER CITY MAKES HER FEEL.

MAYOR BASS: IT FEELS TERRIBLE THAT I CANNOT PROTECT PEOPLE TO THE EXTENT THAT I WOULD LIKE TO. ON THE OTHER HAND, IT MAKES ME FEEL ANGRY BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD NEVER HAPPEN, BUT IT ALSO FILLS ME, FILLS ME UP WITH ALL OF THE STRENGTH AND THE RESILIENCE TO KNOW THAT OUR CITY STANDS UNITED.

MARIA HINOJOSA: AND HER RESPONSE TO THE SEPTEMBER 8TH SUPREME COURT’S RULING WE’VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT:

MAYOR BASS: THAT BASICALLY LEGALIZED RACIAL PROFILING OR AS I SAY, THE HUNTING OF LATINOS

MARIA HINOJOSA: SERGIO I THINK THIS IS A GREAT MOMENT TO PASS THE MIC OVER TO YOU BECAUSE OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS YOU HAVE BECOME A SORT OF EXPERT ON ONE MAN:

ARCHIVAL: GREGORY // GREGORY // GREGORY BOVINO

SERGIO OLMOS: SO I FIRST CAME ACROSS BOVINO BACK IN JANUARY, BEFORE TRUMP HAD TAKEN OFFICE FOR THE SECOND TIME. WHEN IMMIGRATION AGENTS HAD JUST STORMED INTO KERN COUNTY, CA’S AGRICULTURAL HEARTLAND. BOVINO WAS THE BORDER PATROL CHIEF LEADING THESE RAIDS. HE STARTED POSTING ON X AND COMMENTING ON FACEBOOK ABOUT IT. I HAVE TO SAY FROM THAT MOMENT IT BECAME CLEAR TO ME THAT BOVINO WAS AUDITIONING FOR A BIGGER ROLE.

SERGIO OLMOS:  UH, THANKS SO MUCH FOR INVITING US [FADE UNDER]

SERGIO OLMOS: I INTERVIEWED HIM IN HIS OFFICE

GREGORY BOVINO: WELL, SERGIO, THANK YOU FOR COMING.

SERGIO OLMOS:… AND THERE WERE A HANDFUL OF ARMED AGENTS BEHIND ME THE WHOLE TIME.

GREGORY BOVINO: WE DO CALL OURSELVES THE PREMIER SECTOR SO, PLEASE LET THOSE OTHER CHIEFS KNOW THAT WE SAID THAT.

SERGIO OLMOS: I WANTED TO KNOW IF KERN COUNTY WAS A TARGETED RAID OR A MORE INDISCRIMINATE RAID OF PEOPLE.

SERGIO OLMOS:  WHAT WAS THE GOAL OF THAT OPERATION?

GREGORY BOVINO: WE HAD A PREDETERMINED LIST OF TARGETS, MANY OF WHICH, AS YOU SAY, WERE PRIOR DEPORTS, UM, ALREADY HAD IMMIGRATION HISTORY, CRIMINAL HISTORY.

SERGIO OLMOS: THE QUESTION OF GOING TO THE GAS STATION WHERE FIELD WORKERS SHOW UP, THE HOME DEPOT WHERE LABORERS ARE, WHEN SOMEONE LIKE A, YOU KNOW, A GROWERS ASSOCIATION SAYS THAT THEY FEEL LIKE LABORS WERE TARGETED. THESE ARE PLACES WHERE PEOPLE GATHERED TO GO TO WORK OR LOOK FOR WORK. IS THIS THAT YOU ARE ALSO LOOKING FOR? JUST GENERALLY PEOPLE WHO MIGHT BE IN THE COUNTRY LEGALLY.

GREGORY BOVINO: WE DIDN’T GO TO THE CITRUS FIELDS, WE DIDN’T GO TO THE, ANY OF THE OTHER FIELDS. WE DID NOT CONDUCT FARM AND RANCH CHECK. SO, UH, I THINK FOR US, TARGETING AGRICULTURAL WORKERS AT THEIR JOB, ABSOLUTELY NOT. THAT HAS NO MERIT. BUT WHEN BOARD OF PATROL COMES INTO CONTACT WITH THE ILLEGAL ALIENS, YOU’RE GONNA GET ARRESTED.

SERGIO OLMOS: OUT OF THE PEOPLE YOU ARRESTED, UH, HOW MANY OF, UM, OF THOSE PEOPLE HAD, UH, CRIMINAL CONVICTIONS?

GREGORY BOVINO: EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THE 78 THAT WE ARRESTED WERE CRIMINALS WHEN YOU CROSS THE BORDER ILLEGALLY. 8USC 1325 ILLEGAL ENTRY INTO THE UNITED STATES. SO THEY WERE ALL CRIMINALS. LET’S GET THAT ONE OUT OF THE WAY HERE. UM, RIGHT OUT OF THE BOX, SERGIO, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM WERE, WERE CRIMINALS //MANY OF THOSE DID HAVE PRIOR CRIMINAL CONVICTIONS APART FROM THEIR ILLEGAL ENTRY IN OUR COUNTRY. [28.6]

SERGIO OLMOS: IT TURNS OUT THAT WASN’T TRUE…ACCORDING TO DOCUMENTS WE OBTAINED FROM CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION THEY HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF CRIMINAL OR IMMIGRATION HISTORY FOR 77 OUT OF THE 78 PEOPLE THEY ARRESTED. ONLY ONE PERSON HAD A PRIOR DEPORTATION ORDER.

GREGORY BOVINO: WE’RE GOING AFTER BAD PEOPLE AND BAD THINGS AS HARD AS WE CAN POSSIBLY GO AND WE’RE GOING TO DO THAT ON OUR TIME.

SERGIO OLMOS: TALKING I THINK THE GENERAL PUBLIC DOES SEE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE PALETERO AND THE CITRUS WORKER AND THE FENTANYL DEALER, THEY ARE NOT BOTH ON THE SAME FIELD.

GREGORY BOVINO: IF THEY CROSS THE BORDER ILLEGALLY THEN THEY’RE COMING WITH US THEY’RE UNDER ARREST AND THEY’RE COMING WITH US… EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM WAS ARRESTED FOR ONE CRIME OR ANOTHER WHETHER THEY WERE CONVICTED OR NOT IS A MOOT POINT. THAT’S NOT IMPORTANT.

MARIA HINOJOSA: THIS BECOMES THE BASIS FOR ALL THESE SWEEPS WE’VE SEEN. THE US GOVERNMENT ISN’T USING THESE VIOLENT RAIDS TO GO AFTER VIOLENT CRIMINALS. THEY’RE USING THIS FORCE TO GO AFTER … ANYONE THEY *THINK* MAY HAVE CROSSED THE BORDER WITHOUT PERMISSION.

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: AND WE SAW THIS PLAY OUT WHEN BOVINO AND HIS TEAM WENT TO LA WITH FULL FORCE.

LA PROTESTS: [BANGS] //  TACTICAL OFFICERS ON THINGS LIKE BEARCAT VEHICLES //

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: PATROL ON HORSES, TANKS.

[HONKING SCREAMING]

GREGORY BOVINO: A LOT OF BAD THINGS ARE IN OUR COUNTRY INCLUDING LOS ANGELES

MARIA HINOJOSA: HE’S TRULY TAKEN A VERY PUBLIC ROLE AS THE LEADER OF THESE ATTACKS.

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: AND WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT SOCIAL MEDIA, ABOUT THE OFFICIAL VIDEOS AND IMAGES PRODUCED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY.

MARIA HINOJOSA: EFFORTS PAID FOR WITH OUR TAX DOLLARS

SERGIO OLMOS: CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION WON’T TELL US HOW MUCH THEY’RE SPENDING ON THAT EFFORT. .. WE’VE ASKED. BUT ONE THING IS CLEAR…BOVINO IS CULTIVATING THIS IMAGE OF A HARDLINE, BUT RIGHTEOUS ENFORCER.

VIDEO: THERE IS SO SUCH THING AS A SANCTUARY CITY, NO SUCH THING AS A SANCTUARY STATE

SERGIO OLMOS: THESE ARE HIGHLY POLISHED HYPE VIDEOS OF MASKED AND HEAVILY ARMED OFFICERS

VIDEO: I GOT I GOT I GOT….

SERGIO OLMOS: SET TO SONGS LIKE KENDRICK LAMAR’S DNA.

VIDEO: ….I GOT ROYALTY, GOT ROYALTY. INSIDE MY DNA

SERGIO OLMOS: IN ANOTHER VIDEO, BOVINO IS DARTH VADER. HE SLASHES THE REBELS, WHO ARE LABELED AS SANCTUARY CITIES, FAKE NEWS AND HUMAN SMUGGLERS.

….VIDEO POP

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: THESE ARE WILD. AND THEY ARE INCREDIBLY DAMAGING; THEY ARE ADDING TO THE DEPICTION OF IMMIGRANTS AS THE ENEMY. THEY ENDANGER EVERYDAY WORKING PEOPLE WHO ANTI-IMMIGRANT FOLKS MAY THINK LOOK OR SOUND FOREIGN. WE’VE REPORTED ON THE DAMAGE THIS TYPE OF RHETORIC HAS DONE. IT’S VERY REAL.

….WE’RE TAKING THIS SHOW ON THE ROAD TO A CITY NEAR YOU

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: WHILE NEWSOM, BASS AND EVEN FEDERAL JUDGES SEEM ALMOST HELPLESS, BOVINO IS THE ONE WITH THE POWER. THE SUPREME COURT THEN MADE IT OFFICIAL.

MARIA HINOJOSA: AND BOVINO HAS TAKEN THAT POWER TO CHICAGO.

IN AN INTERVIEW THERE WITH A WBEZ REPORTER, BOVINO BASICALLY ADMITTED TO RACIAL PROFILING

GREGORY BOVINO: [FADE UP] THEN OBVIOUSLY THE PARTICULAR CHARACTERISTICS OF AN INDIVIDUAL, HOW THEY LOOK. HOW DO THEY LOOK COMPARED TO, SAY, YOU? WHAT’S YOUR NAME AGAIN?

CHIP: CHIP.

GREGORY BOVINO: CHIP. HEY CHIP!  UH, YOU OR OR OTHER FOLKS, HOW DO THEY APPEAR, UH, IN RELATION TO WHAT YOU OR OTHER PEOPLE LOOK LIKE?

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: BY THE WAY WE REQUESTED ANOTHER INTERVIEW WITH BOVINO AND AFTER A COUPLE OF EMAILS WE DIDN’T GET IT.

SERGIO OLMOS: BAKERSFIELD WAS THE TEST RUN. LA WAS GROUND ZERO. CHICAGO FOLLOWED THE PLAYBOOK.  BUT IT DOESN’T END THERE. TRUTHFULLY, WE DON’T KNOW HOW IT ENDS. FEDERAL AGENTS ARE NOW ROVING ACROSS WASHINGTON DC…PORTLAND. AND THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION HAS SAID THEY’RE JUST GETTING STARTED.

DONALD TRUMP:  WE SHOULD USE SOME OF THESE DANGEROUS CITIES AS TRAINING GROUNDS FOR OUR MILITARY NATIONAL GUARD, BUT MILITARY.

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: ACCORDING TO THE LATEST DATA, IMMIGRATION AGENTS HAVE ARRESTED MORE THAN SEVEN-THOUSAND PEOPLE IN THE LA AREA SINCE THE RAIDS BEGAN THIS SUMMER.

MARIA HINOJOSA: IMMIGRATION IS THE VENEER TO EXERT POWER.

SEGIO OLMOS: ILLINOIS IS NICE. I WAS JUST TELLING YOU, I THINK ILLINOIS’S NICE.

MARIA HINOJOSA: HE’S LIKE, ILLINOIS’S NICE. IT’S PRETTY.

SERGIO OLMOS: I DIDN’T  EXPECT IT TO BE SO SUNNY?

MARIA HINOJOSA: WE’RE IN CHICAGO NOW, WHICH IS THE SECOND MAJOR CITY WHERE BOVINO TOOK HIS TROOPS.

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: AND IN CHICAGO, IT STARTED WITH A DEATH.

ARCHIVAL: HOST CNN: HOMELAND SECURITY OFFICIALS SAY, AN ICE OPERATION LEFT AN ENFORCEMENT OFFICER SEVERELY INJURED //  THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY INITIALLY CLAIMED THE AGENT FIRED THE GUN OUT OF A FEAR FOR HIS LIFE. THE AGENCY ADDING THE OFFICER WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED. YET IN THAT FOOTAGE, THE AGENT HIMSELF CAN BE HEARD TELLING POLICE HIS INJURIES WERE, QUOTE, NOTHING MAJOR.

AGENT: NOTHING MAJOR.

MARIA HINOJOSA: WE’RE WE’RE ACTUALLY LIKE ON A MAJOR THROUGHWAY IN FRANKLIN PARK, AND IT WAS ON THIS MAJOR THROUGHWAY THAT SILVERIO UM, WAS SHOT BY ICE.

SERGIO OLMOS: 38-YEAR-OLD SILVERIO VILLEGAS GONZALEZ WAS SHOT AND KILLED ON SEPTEMBER 12.

MARIA HINOJOSA: HE WAS A WORKING MAN, A FATHER.

MARIA HINOJOSA: AND A MEXICAN IMMIGRANT FROM THE STATE OF MICHOACAN. SILVERIO WAS REPORTEDLY DRIVING TO WORK AFTER DROPPING OFF HIS TWO CHILDREN AT DAYCARE WHEN HE GOT PULLED OVER BY ICE.

SERGIO OLMOS: THE MAKESHIFT VIGIL FOR SILVERIO IS ALONG THE HIGHWAY.

MARIA HINOJOSA: THERE ARE CANDLES THAT ARE LIT. THERE’S ROSES, FLOWERS, CARNATIONS, WHITE FLOWERS, MEXICAN FLAGS, A MEXICAN FLAG INTERTWINED WITH AN AMERICAN FLAG. [FADE UNDER]

SERGIO OLMOS: IT’S A SMALL VIGIL. PERHAPS A SIGN OF THE TIMES.

MARIA HINOJOSA: THAT PROBABLY IF HE HAD BEEN KILLED UNDER ANY OTHER CIRCUMSTANCE, MORE PEOPLE MIGHT HAVE SHOWN UP, BUT THAT I THINK PEOPLE ARE AFRAID. I THINK PEOPLE ARE AFRAID TO COME OUT.

CHANTS:  ICE MURDERED HERE! ICE MURDERED HERE!ICE MURDERED HERE! ICE MURDERED HERE!

SERGIO OLMOS: ELECTED OFFICIALS IN THE U.S. AND EVEN MEXICO DEMANDED ANSWERS ABOUT THIS KILLING. ILLINOIS GOVERNOR, JB PRITZKER, CONDEMNED IT.

ARCHIVAL: JB PRITZKER: OUR PEOPLE HAVE BEEN SUBJECTED, SUBJECTED TO VIOLENCE, INTIMIDATION, AND HARASSMENT. THEY HAVE STRUCK FEAR IN OUR COMMUNITIES, INCLUDING NOTABLY FEAR IN THE HEARTS OF US CITIZENS. TRUMP, AND THE THUGGERY THAT HIS AGENTS HAVE BROUGHT. HAS ACTIVELY MADE US LESS SAFE.

MARIA HINOJOSA: SERGIO, YOU KNOW HOW YOU SAID THAT LA IS YOUR CITY?. . I FEEL THAT WAY ABOUT CHICAGO. I GREW UP HERE. THIS IS A PLACE OF GRASSROOTS ORGANIZING. THINK MULTICULTURAL COALITION THAT ELECTED THE CITY’S FIRST BLACK MAYOR, AND THE LEAD UP TO THE OBAMA “YES WE CAN” ERA. CHICAGO IS IN MANY WAYS SIMILAR TO LOS ANGELES BUT IT’S GOT ITS OWN WAY YOU KNOW?

SERGIO OLMOS: I’LL SAY THAT WE SAW THAT IN THE PEOPLE IN CHICAGO THAT WE TALKED TO. LIKE SERVER TRACY QUIÑONES WHO SAYS THEY’RE NOT GOING DOWN QUIETLY.

TRACY QUINONES: WE’RE NOT ONLY BEING HUNTED DOWN BY THE WAY WE LOOK AND THE WAY WE SPEAK AND OUR CULTURE, BUT NOW WE’RE BEING MURDERED FOR IT IN COLD BLOOD BY HIS GESTAPO // I WILL FIGHT FOR THE RIGHTS OF MYSELF ALWAYS AND FOR THE IMMIGRANTS IN MY COMMUNITY WHO ARE WELCOME HERE, WHO MAKE AMERICA A GREAT COUNTRY. WITHOUT OUR IMMIGRANTS, THIS COUNTRY WOULDN’T BE ANYTHING

SERGIO OLMOS: BOVINO BROUGHT CAMERA CREWS TO DOCUMENT THEIR MISSION IN CHICAGO.

ARCHIVAL: SOLDIERS: GO PUSH, GET OUTTA THE, FOR THE, FOR THE.

SERGIO OLMOS: AND THEY PRODUCED WHAT CAN ONLY BE DESCRIBED AS A TRAILER FOR A BIG ACTION FILM,.

[MORE VIDEO SOUND]

MARIA HINOJOSA:  IN THE WEEKS SINCE WE LEFT CHICAGO, TEXAS DEPLOYED THE NATIONAL GUARD TO THE CITY UNDER THE URGING OF THE WHITE HOUSE.

TRUMP: IT’S PROBABLY WORSE THAN ANY CITY IN THE WORLD

MARIA HINOJOSA: AND ILLINOIS IS NOW FIGHTING THOSE ORDERS IN THE COURTS.

GOVERNOR PRITZKER: THERE IS NO INVASION HERE, THERE IS NO INSURRECTION HERE

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: PROTESTERS ARE STILL OUT IN THE STREET, CLASHING WITH BORDER PATROL AGENTS.

CLASHES

MARIA HINOJOSA: AND MUCH LIKE IN LA AND CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY,  ACTIVISTS ARE BLOWING THE WHISTLE EVERY TIME THEY SEE ICE THREATENING THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS.

MAN 1: WHEN I SEE ICE I BLOW THE WHISTLE

MARIA HINOJOSA: QUITE LITERALLY BLOWING WHISTLES.

MAN 2: SO WHEN PEOPLE HEAR THE WHISTLE BLOW [WHISTLE] WE KNOW THAT I

MARIA HINOJOSA: BUT THE BOVINO MACHINE CONTINUES TO PLOW THROUGH CHICAGO…

GREGORY BOVINO: THOSE ASSAULTS, THOSE RIOTS, THAT VIOLENCE AGAINST FEDERAL OFFICERS, THAT HAPPENS EVRYDAY HERE IN CHICAGO

MARIA HINOJOSA: MORE THAN A THOUSAND IMMIGRANTS, AND EVEN SOME AMERICAN CITIZENS, HAVE BEEN DETAINED THERE SO FAR.

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: THE MESSAGE FROM THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION SEEMS TO BE: WATCH, WE’RE COMING FOR YOU NEXT. BE IT CHICAGO, LA, IN NEW YORK IT DOESN’T MATTER TWEET

MARIA HINOJOSA: …AND THE TRAUMA CAUSED BY THE TERROR IS CONTINUING. AFFECTING NOT JUST PEOPLE’S US CITIZENSHIP, BUT THEIR FAMILIES…MANY OF THE HAVE US CITIZEN CHILDREN.

[AMBI OF DRIVING AROUND AND WALKIE TALKIE]

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: THIS TRAUMA IS SOMETHING LUPE AND CLEMEN TALKED ABOUT DURING THE NEIGHBORHOOD PATROL IN SOUTH CENTRAL LA. CLEMEN, REMEMBER, IS THE SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST WITH THE BLACK AND WHITE CHECKERED VANS.

CLEMEN:  WHAT I’VE NOTICED IS THAT WE’RE GETTING A LOT OF REFERRALS FOR OLDER KIDS COMING TO SCHOOL // UM THEY’RE LIKE ACTING UP AND TEACHERS ARE LIKE, THIS IS WEIRD BECAUSE THEY WEREN’T LIKE THIS LAST YEAR. WHAT’S GOING ON? // ONE PARENT WAS LIKE, OH, YOU KNOW WHAT, LIKE HE, HIS GRANDFATHER HASN’T LEFT THE HOUSE IN MONTHS ‘CAUSE HE’S SCARED, RIGHT? SO THAT’S ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WE SUSPECT HE’S STARTING TO ACT UP AND WANTS TO GO HOME. ANOTHER LITTLE GIRL, UM, HER MOM ES ON THE STREET. AND SHE WAS LIKE, I WANNA CALL MY MOM. I WANNA CALL MY MOM. LIKE, I NEED TO HEAR MY MOM. AND SO LIKE, YOU KNOW, LIKE, OUR KIDS ARE COMING TO SCHOOL. LIKE THEY’RE WORRIED. THEY DON’T HAVE THE WORDS TO BE ABLE TO SAY LIKE, OH, I’M WORRIED BECAUSE YOU KNOW, ICE IS ON THE STREETS.

MARIA HINOJOSA: COMING UP WE’RE GOING TO MEXICO. TO SPEAK WITH PRESIDENT CLAUDIA SHEINBAUM TO ASK HER HOW THE MEXICAN GOVERNMENT IS REACTING TO THESE TERROR TACTICS.

CLAUDIA SCHEINBAUM: PUES PROVOCAN MIEDO Y ZOZOBRA EN EH, LAS MEXICANAS Y LOS MEXICANOS QUE VIVEN ALLÁ.

MARIA HINOJOSA: AND TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS AFTER ICE SENDS PEOPLE BACK

“D”: ASI COMO ESTÁN TRATANDO A LA GENTE, ES MEJOR IRNOS.

MARIA HINOJOSA: IS THIS NEW REALITY MAKING MORE PEOPLE WANT TO LEAVE BEFORE RISKING BEING TAKEN? STAY WITH US, NO TE VAYAS

MARIA HINOJOSA: WELCOME BACK TO LUSA I’M MH

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: AND I’M FE. AND WE’RE GOING TO TAKE YOU TO MEXICO CITY NOW

CITY AMBI

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: TO THE PRESIDENTIAL PALACE TO BE EXACT. IN THE CITY’S ZOCALO.

MAÑANERA AMBI

MARIA HINOJOSA:  EVERY MORNING, MEXICO’S PRESIDENT CLAUDIA SHEINBAUM HOLDS A PRESS CONFERENCE, KNOWN AS LA MAÑANERA DEL PUEBLO “THE MORNING OF THE PEOPLE”. AFTER WEEKS OF DEALING WITH BUREAUCRACY WE WERE TOLD THAT WE WOULD BE ALLOWED IN, BUT THAT DIDN’T GUARANTEE THAT WE’D BE ABLE TO ASK A QUESTION.

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: WE WERE PRETTY FAR BACK AND DESPITE MARIA STANGING UP AND WAVING HER HAND, NO LUCK UNTIL SHE YELLED:

MARIA HINOJOSA: FROM US MEDIA! A QUESTION ABOUT IMMIGRANTS. BUENOS DÍAS. SOY MARÍA HINOJOSA. SEÑORA PRESIDENTA, REPRESENTANDO LATINO USA DE ESTADOS UNIDOS CON SU PERMISO. LE HARÉ LA PREGUNTA EN INGLÉS Y DESPUÉS EN ESPAÑOL.

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: MARIA TOLD THE PRESIDENT THAT WE’D BE ASKING OUR QUESTIONS FIRST IN ENGLISH AND THEN IN SPANISH.

MARIA HINOJOSA:   I DID WITNESS THE UNLEASHING OF A REIGN OF PSYCHOLOGICAL TERROR THAT TRUMP HAS UNLEASHED ON LATINO IMMIGRANTS, SPECIFICALLY MEXICAN COMMUNITIES.CAN YOU PLEASE RESPOND TO THIS QUESTION OF PSYCHOLOGICAL TERROR THAT IS BEING UNLEASHED ON LATINOS AND LATINAS?

CLAUDIA SHEINBAUM:  NO ESTAMOS DE ACUERDO CON ESTA FORMA DE TRATO, NI TAMPOCO CON LAS REDADAS QUE SE HAN ESTADO LLEVANDO A CABO QUE ADEMÁS, EN EFECTO, PUES PROVOCAN MIEDO Y ZOZOBRA EN EH, LAS MEXICANAS Y LOS MEXICANOS QUE VIVEN ALLÁ.

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: PRESIDENT SHEINBAUM SAID SHE DOESN’T AGREE WITH THE WAY MEXICAN IMMIGRANTS ARE BEING TREATED IN THE US AND WITH THE WAY THE RAIDS ARE BEING HANDLED. WHICH AS SHE PUT IT “ARE CAUSING A FEAR EFFECT”.

CLAUDIA SHEINBAUM: QUÉ HEMOS HECHO A PARTIR DE ESTO? TANTO COMUNICADOS A PARTIR DE NOTAS DIPLOMÁTICAS

MARIA HINOJOSA: WHAT ARE WE DOING ABOUT IT, SHE SAYS? EXPRESSING HER CONCERNS BY SENDING DIPLOMATIC NOTES TO US SECRETARY OF STATE MARCO RUBIO AND TALKING TO HIM ABOUT IT IN PERSON.

CLAUDIA SHEINBAUM:  HASTA PERSONALMENTE LO HE PLANTEADO CUANDO ESTUVO MARCO RUBIO. SE LO DIJE PERSONALMENTE…

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: PRESIDENT SHEINBAUM SAYS SHE HAS ALSO STRENGTHENED RESOURCES AT MEXICAN CONSULATES IN THE U.S. AND BUILT UP A 24/7 HOTLINE TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO THOSE CAUGHT UP IN THE RAIDS.

CLAUDIA SHEINBAUM: ESTÁN LOS TELÉFONOS Y TODO LO QUE SE REQUIERE PARA EL APOYO, SI ES QUE ASÍ LO DECIDEN CONSULAR EN CASO DE SER DETENIDOS.

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: NOW… FROM WHAT WE’VE SEEN IN OUR REPORTING, PEOPLE WHO ARE DETAINED HAVE NOT HAD ACCESS TO CONSULAR HELP AT ALL. REMEMBER MAURICIO, THE 31-YEAR-OLD IN LA WHO WAS TOLD THE ONLY WAY TO MAKE A PHONE CALL WOULD BE AFTER SIGNING A VOLUNTARY DEPORTATION ORDER?

WELL, WHILE THE MEXICAN GOVERNMENT HAS THESE EXTRA RESOURCES AVAILABLE, THE US GOVERNMENT MAKES IT REALLY HARD FOR PEOPLE TO ACCESS THEM.. NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE.

MARIA HINOJOSA:   PERSONALLY, PERSONALLY IN YOUR HEART, HOW ARE YOU PROCESSING ALL OF THIS? COME IS QUE USTED ESTÁ PROCESANDO ESTO… QUÉ PASA EN SU CORAZÓN CON ESTO?

CLAUDIA SHEINBAUM: PUES ES UNA INJUSTICIA Y POR SUPUESTO QUE DUELE

MARIA HINOJOSA: “IT’S AN INJUSTICE” SHEINBAUM TELLS ME. “OF COURSE IT HURTS.”

CLAUDIA SHEINBAUM: Y PERSONALMENTE TAMBIÉN SABEN QUE LOS ABRAZAMOS.

FERNAND ECHAVARRI: SHE WANTS MEXICAN CITIZENS IN THE U.S. TO KNOW THAT HER ADMINISTRATION, AND HER PERSONALLY, ARE TRYING TO SUPPORT THEM AND IF/WHEN THEY COME BACK TO MEXICO THAT THEY WILL BE WELCOMED WITH OPEN ARMS.

CLAUDIA SHEINBAUM: HAY UN PROGRAMA ESPECIAL QUE SE LLAMA MÉXICO TE ABRAZA. EN DONDE SE LES DA UN APOYO INMEDIATO

“MEXICO TE ABRAZA.” “MEXICO EMBRACES YOU” IS WHAT THE OFFICIAL NAME OF THE PROGRAM WOULD TRANSLATE TO.

CLAUDIA SHEINBAUM: SE LES DA ACCESO A VIVIENDAS, SE LES DA ACCESO A LOS PROGRAMAS DE BIENESTAR A EMPLEO Y A QUE PUEDAN REGRESAR A SUS HOGARES DE LA MEJOR MANERA.

MARIA HINOJOSA: MUCHAS GRACIAS.

MARIA HINOJOSA: TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THIS PROGRAM WE CAN LOOK AT MAURICIO’S EXPERIENCE AFTER BEING IN ICE CUSTODY FOR 5 DAYS. HE TOLD US THAT ONCE HE WAS SENT ACROSS THE BORDER IN EL PASO TO JUAREZ, HE WAS ABLE TO FINALLY HAVE WARM MEALS, SHOWER, AND GET ASSISTANCE FROM MEXICAN OFFICIALS.

MAURICIO:  SÍ, NOS TRATAN BIEN. NO HASTA ESO LA VERDAD NO, NO, NO, ME PUEDO QUEJAR. LE DIGO QUE NOS DIERON COMIDA. ESTE, NOS DIERON ROPA, ROPA. NOS DIERON HIGIENE PERSONAL PARA BAÑARSE Y TODO ESO.

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: THEY TREATED US WELL, HE SAYS. AND THAT’S WHAT WE’VE GATHERED FROM OUR REPORTING TOO. …

HE RECEIVED $120 DOLLARS IN PESOS TO MAKE HIS WAY HOME, WHICH FOR HIM WAS IN THE OUTSKIRTS OF MEXICO CITY… IT’S ABOUT AS FAR AS FLORIDA IS FROM NEW YORK.

MARIA HINOJOSA: AND WHILE THE MEXICAN GOVERNMENT IS TRYING TO PROVIDE SOME ASSISTANCE, THERE IS PLENTY OF CRITICISM THAT IT’S NOT DOING ENOUGH.

WE SPOKE TO REPRESENTATIVES FROM A COUPLE OF NON-PROFIT GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONS IN MEXICO WORKING WITH FOLKS WHO HAVE RECENTLY BEEN DEPORTED. THEY TOLD US THAT WHILE THE GOVERNMENT IS PROVIDING IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE AT THE BORDER, THERE IS A LOT MORE THAT THEY CAN DO LONG TERM.

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO ADDRESSING MENTAL HEALTH..

MARIA HINOJOSA: OTHER GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS WE SPOKE TO IN MEXICO, ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THEIR PROGRAM DOES NOT INCLUDE ANY COUNSELING OR ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH CARE LONG TERM. BUT THEY DO HAVE A PSYCHOLOGIST ON SITE AT THE BORDER TO HELP PEOPLE AS SOON AS THEY’RE DEPORTED. .

MOLINA: HAY PSICÓLOGOS PSICÓLOGAS QUE ATIENDEN A LAS PERSONAS PARA CONTENER A QUIENES LLEGAN EN CRISIS EMOCIONALES.

MARIA HINOJOSA: THOSE THERAPISTS ARE THEY ON LOCATION 24/7 AT THE RESGUARDOS?

MOLINA: TODOS LOS SERVICIOS ESTÁN 24 SIETE COMO ESTE CENTRO DE ATENCIÓN PARA ATENDER LAS EMERGENCIAS…

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: THE LA MAYOR, THE GOV OF CAL AND THE MEXICAN PRESIDENT, THEY’RE ALL SAYING SOMETHING SIMILAR, THAT THEY’RE TRYING TO DO WHAT THEY CAN. BUT HOW EFFECTIVE ARE THEIR EFFORTS?

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: ONE THING THAT KEPT COMING UP IN THE REPORTING FOR THIS STORY IS THE VERY …VERY REAL TRAUMA THAT THE CURRENT BOVINO-STYLE MACHINE IS CAUSING. AND AS THE SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST TOLD US AS WE WERE DRIVING THROUGH SOUTH CENTRAL LA, KIDS AND TEENS ARE LOST IN THE ANGUISH, CONFUSION …THE MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES AND TRAUMA OF SEEING THEIR COMMUNITIES, THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS, BEING HUNTED.

MARIA HINOJOSA: WE SAW, AND FRANKLY FELT, THIS TRAUMA IN TALKING TO MAURCIO AND HIS MOM “D.” THE HARROWING FIVE DAYS NOT KNOWING WHERE HER SON WAS, AND THE PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL TORMENT MAURICIO EXPERIENCED WHEN HE WAS PICKED UP AT THE BUS STOP.

“D”: SÍ, PSICOLÓGICAMENTE UNO QUEDA MAL YO QUE HE QUEDADO MAL. LE DIGO YO SALGO, O SEA, YO LO LOGO VIENDO PA TODOS LADOS. YO HAY NOCHES QUE NO DUERMO.

MARIA HINOJOSA: SHE SAYS THAT PSYCHOLOGICALLY SHE’S NOT OK. SHE’S EXTREMELY PARANOID AND HAS TROUBLE SLEEPING.

“D”: QUE VAN A ENTRAR A LOS APARTAMENTOS QUE VAN A ENTRAR A LA A LA CASA.

MARIA HINOJOSA: SHE’S AFRAID OF AGENTS KICKING HER DOOR DOWN.

“D”:  O QUE SI YO SALGO A LA CALLE EN LA TIENDA, ME VAN A AGARRAR, EH?

MARIA HINOJOSA: SHE’S TRYING TO STAY HOME AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

“D”: MIRE, YO HE NECESITADO ALGO DE HOME DEPO YO NO ME PRESENTO AHÍ

MARIA HINOJOSA: THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES SHE’S NEEDED SOMETHING FROM HOME DEPOT BUT WON’T STEP FOOT THERE.

“D”: PORQUE YO NO QUIERO IR A ESTOS LUGARES, EH?

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: AND HER SON, MAURICIO… IS 18-HUNDRED MILES SOUTH..

MAURICIO:  HABÍA OCASIONES QUE SOÑABA COMO QUE ME PERSEGUÍAN

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: HE HAS NIGHTMARES OF COP CARS AND HELICOPTERS CHASING HIM IN LA

MAURICIO: QUE ME PERSEGUÍA UN HELICÓPTERO O PATRULLAS Y COMO QUE ME RECREABA QUE ANDABA ASÍ LA CIUDAD ALLÍ DE LOS ÁNGELES.

[AMBI OF MAURICIO WITH DAUGHTER AND DOGS]

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: WE VISIT MAURICIO’S MODEST AND SPARKLY CLEAN HOME WITH HIS WIFE AND TWO KIDS IN A SMALL RURAL TOWN ABOUT 2 HOURS NORTH OF MEXICO CITY.

[AMBI FROM SCENE]

FERNANDA ECHAVARRII: IT’S ABOUT 11 AM AND MAURICIO HASN’T GONE TO BED YET, HE WORKS AN OVERNIGHT SHIFT.

[AMBI]

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: THROUGHOUT OUR VISIT IT SEEMED TO US THAT MAURICIO IS BOTH, VERY MATTER OF FACT ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM, AND ALSO VERY HURT. HE MENTIONED THAT HE HAD LEFT HIS WIFE AND KIDS IN MEXICO TO BE ABLE TO WORK IN THE US AND SEND HIS FAMILY MONEY TO FINISH BUILDING THEIR HOME.

MAURICIO: YA NO PUDE CUMPLIR MIS SUEÑOS. LE DEFRAUDÉ A MIS HIJAS A MI ESPOSA.

MARIA HINOJOSA: HE WASN’T ABLE TO FULFILL HIS DREAMS AND FEELS LIKE HE LET HIS FAMILY DOWN.

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: BUT AT LEAST, HE SAYS, HE’S WITH HIS DAUGHTERS AND WIFE AGAIN.

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: AND WITH THE 5 DOGS THAT ARE ALSO PART OF THEIR FAMILY.

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: THE TALL HOUND DOG, THE NOISY PUG, THE VERY CHILL BLACK LAB, THE EXTRA FLUFFY MUTT, AND THE TINY CHIHUAHUA-WEINER DOG MIX CHIQUILIN… WHO MAURICIO’S DAUGHTER SAYS, IS THE MOST MISCHIEVOUS OF ALL.

BACK IN LA, IN MARUICIO’S OLD APARTMENT WHERE HE LIVED WITH HIS MOM “D” , SHE TELLS US THAT SHE HAS LOST A BIG PART OF HER INCOME OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS. SHE CLEANS HOMES BUT MANY TIMES SHE HASN’T FELT SAFE ENOUGH TO MAKE THE COMMUTE TO WORK.

“D”: PERDÍ EL TRABAJO. NADA MÁS. TENGO UNOS CUANTOS DÍAS DE IR A LIMPIAR CASAS CUANDO ME SIENTO SEGURA.

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: “IF THIS COUNTRY DOESN’T WANT US HERE,” SHE SAYS, THEN WE’LL LEAVE

“D”: SI ESTE PAÍS, PUES ESTE GOBIERNO NO NOS QUIERE, MIRE, AHÍ TENGO MI CAJA.

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: AS SHE POINTS TO A BOX NEAR THE TV STAND, BIG ENOUGH TO FIT A STOVE.

“D”: THAT BOX ES ESA CAJA ES GIGANTESCA.

MAMA YA. YA LE METÍ MUCHAS COSAS AHORITA PERSONALES. LLEVAS ZAPATOS, ROPA, ESTE TRASTES QUE YO HE COMPRADO AQUÍ.

MARIA HINOJOSA: THE BOX IS FILLED WITH CLOTHING, SHOES, DISHES…

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: THIS CONSTANT PHYSICAL GIANT REPRESENTATION OF WHAT HAPPENED TO HER SON AND WHAT COULD HAPPEN TO HER.

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: A DÓNDE LA VA A MANDAR

“D”: A MÉXICO? A MI CASA A MÉXICO?

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: SHE’S GOING TO MAIL THIS BOX TO HER SON’S HOME IN MEXICO, WHERE WER VISITED MAURICIO AND WHERE SHE ONCE LIVED 20 YEARS AGO.

MARIA HINOJOSA:  IF THINGS DON’T GET BETTER, SHE SAYS, MAYBE I SHOULD GO.

“D”: SI ESTO NO SE PONE MEJOR, ES MEJOR QUE YO ME VAYA POR MI PROPIO PIES PORQUE YO NO QUIERO CAER AHÍ, VERDAD?

“D”: ASI COMO ESTAN TRATANDO A LA GENTE. ES MEJOR IRNOS.

MARIA HINOJOSA: “D” SAW WHAT HAPPENED TO HER SON: HOW QUICKLY AND WITHOUT ANY WARNING HE WAS PICKED UP BY MASKED MEN AT A BUS STOP ON HIS WAY HOME FROM WORK … DISAPPEARED FOR 5 DAYS WITH NO COMMUNICATION WITH FAMILY, LAWYERS, OR MEXICAN CONSULAR OFFICIALS.

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: SHE HAS BEEN IN THE U.S. FOR ABOUT 20 YEARS, SHE DOESN’T HAVE ANYTHING IN MEXICO ANYMORE. SO IF SHE’S TAKEN, SHE WANTS THIS BOX TO BE THERE SO SHE AT LEAST HAS SOME OF HER BELONGINGS.

[AMBI OF BEING BACK IN THE CAR]

MARIA HINOJOSA: WE WANT TO END THIS EPISODE WHERE WE STARTED…PATROLLING THE STREETS OF SOUTH CENTRAL LA WITH UNION DEL BARRIO AND THE VOLUNTEERS WITH THE PERFECTLY MANICURED BRIGHT NAILS.

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: IT’S JUST AFTER 7 A.M. TIME TO GO TO THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS WHERE MOST OF THEM WORK.

LATER TODAY, OTHER GROUPS ARE GOING TO TAKE OVER THE AFTERNOON SHIFT.

MARIA HINOJOSA: BUT REALLY, FOR LUPE, CLEMEN, AND THE OTHER FOLKS HERE THIS MORNING, THEIR WORK CONTINUES AT THEIR SCHOOLS, IN THEIR OWN NEIGHBORHOODS… IN A SENSE, THEY ARE CONSTANTLY ON PATROL. AND THEY’LL CONTINUE TO DO SO, TO PROTECT THEIR COMMUNITIES.

FERNANDA ECHAVARRI: BECAUSE IN A TIME WHEN POLITICIANS AT EVERY LEVEL ARE RUNNING UP AGAINST THE FULL FORCE OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WITH THE BACKING OF THE US SUPREME COURT.. IT’S YOUR COMMUNITY THAT PROTECTS YOU.

LUPE: AND THERE ARE TIMES WHEN, LIKE WHEN THE SUN IS, IT STARTS TO GO UP. AND IF WE’RE AT, YOU KNOW, THE GROCERY STORE, PARKING LOT, ET CETERA, SOMETIMES YOU’LL SEE PEOPLE, THEY’LL HONK, THEY’LL CHEER, THEY’LL, THEY’LL TELL YOU, OH, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW WHO YOU ARE. THE COMMUNITY REALLY. DOES, UM, FEEL SAFER? UM, OF COURSE NOT TO THE DEGREE THAT IS NECESSARY TO 100%. UM, DID YOU SEE THAT TAHOE?

MARIA HINOJOSA: THAT’S IT FOR TODAY:

THIS EPISODE IS THE WORK OF FERNANDA ECHAVARRI, REBECCA IBARRA, SERGIO OLMOS, PENILEY RAMIREZ, ANDREW DONOHUE, WENDY FRY, MARY FRANKLIN HARVIN AND MYSELF.

IT’S A COLLABORATION BETWEEN LATINO USA AND CAL MATTERS. AND IT COMES TO YOU VIA FUTURO INVESTIGATES

AND WE HAVE A SPECIAL VERSION OF THIS EPISODE IN SPANISH, ASÍ QUE SI QUIERES ESCUCHAR EN ESPAÑOL, PUEDES ENCONTRAR ESTE EPISODIO EN DONDE ESCUCHES TUS PODCASTS.

NOW BACK TO OUR CREDITS…

THIS WAS MIXED BY JULIA CARUSO AND LEAH SHAW DAMERON

SPECIAL THANKS TO GUILLERMO TEJEDA AND CRISTOPHER ROGEL BLANQUET

THE REST OF THE LATINO USA TEAM INCLUDES: ROXANA AGUIRRE, JESSICA ELLIS, REYNALDO LEAÑOS JR., STEPHANIE LEBOW, ANDREA LÓPEZ-CRUZADO, LUIS LUNA, GLORIMAR MARQUEZ, JULIETA MARTINELLI, MONICA MORALES-GARCIA, ADREANNA RODRIGUEZ, AND NANCY TRUJILLO.

PENILEY RAMIREZ AND I ARE EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS

I’M YOUR HOST MARIA HINOJOSA.

FIND LATINO USA ON YOUR PODCAST FEED AND ON OUR WEBSITE: LATINO USA DOT ORG.

THANK YOU AND UNTIL NEXT TIME.

CIAO!

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