Harbor Institute for Immigrant & Economic Justice

The Harbor Institute's OC Policymaker Roundtable In 2025, Congress advanced a wave of immigration proposals—some expanding detention and deportation, others protecting Dreamers and due process. Orange County’s representatives didn’t vote the same wa...

With Prop 50's passage yesterday, California voters reaffirmed our overwhelming opposition to the Trump agenda. Now it's more important than ever to hold our elected leaders accountable when they fail to defend the communities they represent.

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Join us for a live webinar and Q&A session breaking down key 2025 immigration votes, and the impact of the newly passed #Prop50 on OC's swing district representatives. We'll hear from Harbor Institute's policy team, as well as guest speakers from CAIR-LA and VietRISE.

Mayor Pro Tem Joe DoVinh and Councilmember Cindy Ngoc Tran ultimately voted yes.

Mayor Klopfenstein, the OC GOP Vice Chair, instead tried to stall the discussion, but the resolution advanced with the majority support.

Councilmember Phillip Nguyen seconded Councilmember Arestegui’s motion to move forward with the resolution and spoke in support of it.

Councilmembers Ariana Arestegui and Yesenia Muñeton led the effort with strong community backing.

The Garden Grove City Council voted 5–1–1 to advance a resolution supporting immigrants and promoting civil liberties — despite racist remarks from Councilmember George S. Brietigam and repeated attempts by Mayor Stephanie Klopfenstein to delay the vote.

During a CNN segment on this issue, a heated debate broke out when one political pundit tried to justify the detentions by claiming most of those arrested were “gang members.”

A recent ProPublica investigation revealed that over 170 U.S. citizens have been detained by ICE during immigration raids this year — including nearly 20 children, two of whom are battling cancer.

Holding the line against authoritarianism means standing up for immigrants.

Fighting for democracy means fighting for all of us.

Earlier this year, the majority of OC’s Democratic delegation voted for the Laken Riley Act, a bill that expands mandatory detention for immigrants convicted of minor offenses and handed Trump a major win on his anti-immigrant platform.

his weekend, we joined the #NoKingsRally in Santa Ana, talking with community members about the immigration voting record of OC's Congressional Dems

While thousands across OC took to the streets to reject Trump’s authoritarian agenda, we expect our representatives to do better.

“Someone who says ‘I am against abortion but I am in agreement with the inhuman treatment of immigrants in the United States,’ I don't know if that's pro-life.”

Pope’s remarks given to media on September, 30, 2025 in clear criticism of Trump’s anti-immigration policies.

In his strongest criticism yet of Trump’s anti-immigrant policies, Pope Leo XIV condemned earlier this week the hypocrisy of claiming to defend life while pushing cruelty against immigrants.

¡Sólo el pueblo salva al pueblo!

Residents cheered from balconies and joined in dancing, reclaiming their neighborhoods.

The action connected local struggles to militarized violence from OC to Palestine.

Led by Los Jornaleros del Norte and NDLON’s Tarima del Pueblo, the march used music and art as tools of resistance, moving through La Calle 4, a historic Latino corridor long impacted by gentrification.

On September 21, the community marched to demand ¡ICE Fuera de OC! in response to the Supreme Court’s ruling on racial profiling.

‘Stop acting powerless,’ Garden Grove officials grilled about immigration response In recent months community members and immigration rights groups have urged the council to take a stance and create programs in support of non-citizen residents.

The remarks surfaced as residents pressed city leaders to respond to recent ICE raids. At an August City Council meeting, officials declined to adopt a resolution reaffirming that local police do not assist ICE.

www.ocregister.com/2025/09/25/s...

Garden Grove Mayor Pro Tem Joe DoVinh (D) said on a Vietnamese YouTube show this summer that he instructed the city manager and police chief to cooperate with ICE, even threatening to fire the chief if he refused.

Statement from Chris Newman of NDLON on SCOTUS decision to Grant Stay in LA Raids Case – NDLON For Immediate Release // Please Excuse Cross Posting Wednesday, September 8th, 2025 Contact: Palmira Figueroa, 425-301-2764; pfigueroa@ndlon.org

"The decision unmasks the outright lie that these raids are about protecting public safety from serious threats. The Supreme Court majority makes clear that average non-white workers are targets" Chris Newman, Legal Director, NDLON
ndlon.org/statement-fr...

YouTube video by MSNBC ‘I feel betrayed’: ICE beat and detained his father. Now this Marine is speaking out.

OPINION:

‘I feel betrayed’: ICE beat and detained his father. Now this Marine is speaking out.

Marine veteran Alejandro Barranco joins @chrislhayes.bsky.social after the violent beating and detainment of his immigrant father by masked U.S. Border Patrol agents.

WATCH:

Since yesterday, federal agents have raided multiple L.A. workplaces in the Fashion District, a Westlake Home Depot, and other locales.

We call on our elected officials to uphold their commitment to all Angelenos, immigrants and non-immigrants alike.

As OC’s only sanctuary city, what happens here sets the tone. Let’s keep the pressure on, and stay tuned for a call to action when this returns to City Council.

#ICEOutofSantaAna #ICEOutOfOC

After a powerful night of public comment by residents and community organizations, council directed staff to explore how our city can notify residents when ICE/DHS alerts are received, while also studying legal concerns before moving forward.

EXCLUSIVE: Santa Ana Police Department Received Forty-Two Alerts From Immigration Agents And Did Not Tell The Community SAPD withheld information about ICE/DHS targeting Santa Ana neighborhoods. New map tool brings transparency to immigration agents' activity in Santa Ana.

This follows a report by @bencamach0.bsky.social at the Inadvertent which uncovered SAPD had been receiving alerts from ICE/DHS and had not disclosed to the community:

"Data shows that ICE/DHS notified SAPD of their plans to be within city limits at least forty-two times since January 20th."

While Mayor Amezcua wants city leaders to keep their head low as Trump ramps up attacks on immigrants, Councilmembers Hernandez and Vazquez are standing up:

“We’re the only sanctuary city in Orange County. We’re going to stand up to the bullies.”
- Councilmember Johnathan Hernandez

Santana: The Art of Standing Up While Laying Low on Immigration Crackdown Amidst advice from Congressman Lou Correa to lay low in unprecedented times, Santa Ana elected officials are slated to consider publicly disclosing ICE activity in town as the Trump Administration eye...

Tonight, Santa Ana City Councilmembers and immigrant rights advocates are calling on the city council to enact an ordinance requiring public disclosure of all ICE courtesy notifications received by the Santa Ana Police Department within 48 hours.

Habrá pérdidas millonarias en el condado de Orange si se sigue entregando a la gente para deportación, estudio - La Opinión Líderes comunitarios insisten en pedir que la oficina del alguacil del condado de Orange deje de cooperar con ICE

“Los miembros de la Junta de Supervisores van a tener que tomar una postura a favor de la comunidad y en contra de las deportaciones, porque si no esto no solamente les va a costar en los bolsillos del condado, sino también políticamente.”