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June 10, 2025 06:15-06:58 - CSPAN
42:52
Rally in Protest of Immigration Raids
Participants
Appearances
r
randi weingarten
00:35
Clips
a
alex jones
infowars 00:10
p
pramila jayapal
rep/d 00:17
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Speaker Time Text
unidentified
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Washington State Congresswoman Pramilla Jaipal and union leaders held a rally outside the Justice Department's headquarters in Washington, D.C. to protest the Trump administration's immigration raids in Los Angeles.
This runs about 40 minutes.
Thank you, SCIU.
Thank you, labor movement, for always standing up for workers, for immigrants, for our democracy.
I have one word for you, and I, yes, I'm here as the ranking member of the Immigration Subcommittee, but I am also here as a naturalized citizen and a proud immigrant doing immigrant rights in the streets for 20 years before.
I have one word for you today.
Enough.
Enough of these mass ICE raids that are sweeping up innocent people of every legal status, tearing apart families and our communities.
Do you say enough?
Enough.
And the arrests of community members and leaders like the incredible SEIU president David Huerta.
David is a champion of civil rights.
He is somebody who is simply standing up peacefully for justice.
Someone who is one of the best of our country's labor movement.
Free him immediately.
Enough of the undermining of due process, the blocking of access to legal counsel for the hundreds of people, immigrants who were picked up in LA on Friday.
Don't forget that due process is something that everybody in this country gets despite your legal status.
That's right.
This is, there are plenty of places in the Constitution where it says citizen, the due process clause is not one of them.
It says person.
Every person has access to due process.
And the illegal blocking of members of Congress who have gone to conduct their authority to actually have oversight over these ICE detention centers.
They are prisons.
We have the authority and the responsibility to conduct oversight.
And this weekend, members of Congress that represent the LA area were at the detention center in LA and then at Atalanto and they were denied access to those facilities.
And Donald Trump calling out the National Guard unconstitutionally, illegally, without the governor's authorized approval.
As Jaime said, that's something that has not happened since 1965.
pramila jayapal ▲ ● ▼
And it's hard to imagine that this time the National Guard were sent out to attack protesters that were exercising their constitutional obligation.
unidentified
Now, I want to say something to you.
pramila jayapal ▲ ● ▼
It is actually in the interest of all American people to stand up for these rights.
unidentified
They know, they know that dividing us is what will make them strong.
And they know that when we are united, nobody can divide us.
They want to distract you from their power grab for authoritarian power on the backs of working people.
They want to distract you from the fact that they are trying to strip people of health care and make Americans poorer and sicker also they can give a $5 trillion tax break to the wealthiest billionaires.
We say not on our watch.
And all of the violence and the escalation is core to the Trump administration's authoritarian playbook.
As we see people exercising their constitutional rights to peacefully use their voices to speak out against this injustice, they are being met with tear gas and rubber bullets from this unconstitutional, unlawful administration.
And look, even the LA Police Department said that the protests were peaceful before Trump rolled in with military tanks on the streets of Los Angeles, federal law enforcement from DHS,
ICE, HSI, and the FBI, all to crack down on peaceful protesters who are standing up for immigrant workers, who are standing up for the economy of this country, who are standing up for our communities, for our families, and saying, don't tear us apart.
We are going to stand united against this authoritarian power grab.
I have been working on immigration reform with my friend Jaime, with SEIU, with all these incredible labor unions for decades.
We all know that the immigration system is broken and that the American people want a fair, humane system that actually allows people to be able to work, allows people to be with their families, allows people to have the rights that they deserve for keeping our country going, for doing the work that they are doing every single day.
And instead, we are villainizing and demonizing them under this president.
to stop!
David Werther said it best.
He said, we all collectively have to object to this madness because this is not justice.
This is injustice.
So today we are here to say, free David Huerta.
Free David Huerta.
We are here to say free the immigrants that have been arrested.
We are here to say, end the ice raids.
End the ice raids.
We are here to say, stand up for our protected constitutional rights to free speech.
That's right.
To due process, to a democracy that works for all of us.
Thank you so much, everybody.
Let's keep this up because the people united will never be divided.
The people united, will people united?
That's right.
And the people are united.
Labor is united.
The community is united.
I see Aspen is in the House.
I see NEA is in the House.
I see AFD.
I see ANT.
I see SEIU.
I see NAV.
I see Nova Labor, DC Labor.
And of course, I see GASA here.
And of course, I see SEIU here.
Congresswoman, thank you so much for being here.
It is now my honor to introduce to you the national president of the House of Labor, the national president of the AFL-CAU.
Please welcome Liz Schuller to the stage.
Thank you for your leadership and bringing us together.
Is labor in the House?
Yes!
Is community in the House?
Yes!
Are working people in the House?
Yes!
Listen, we know this word, don't we?
In the labor movement, we were built on this word.
And that word is solidarity.
Solidarity.
And solidarity is what our brother David Huerta was showing up for last Friday when he stood up for immigrant workers in his community and when he was legally exercising his constitutional rights.
And when he was violently detained in violation of his constitutional rights and freedoms that every one of us hold dear, by the way, it was a signal.
It was a wake-up call.
And we know exactly what that wake-up call was designed to do.
And so that's why I'm here bringing the voices of 15 million working people in the AFL-CIU standing strong together to support our brother David Huerta, to demand his release and end these unjust ICE raids right now, ahora.
What this administration is doing makes no sense.
It makes no sense.
Our country suffers when these military raids tear families apart.
Our country suffers when we see weapons of war used against peaceful protests in the streets.
Shame!
Shoot!
Our country suffers when working people who come here and are contributing to our economy and our communities are targeted simply for trying to build a better life for them and their families.
But one thing this administration should know about the labor movement and this community collaboration and partnership and allyship that we have built together is that we do not leave anyone behind.
That's right.
And we will be here as long as it takes until they free our brother David, until they end these raids, that they are doing nothing but tearing our communities apart.
And we will not stop.
We will not stop until every worker, no matter your race, your gender, your orientation, your religion, your identity, your immigration status, has the dignity and respect they deserve.
That's right.
So let's keep that word solidarity at the front of our minds.
Let's keep marching.
Let's keep exercising our voices and doing it peacefully and doing it together.
Thank you so much.
Thank you for being here and showing solidarity.
I think I see.
She was considering who's going to speak on the second point.
Sorry.
I see.
I see APWU.
I see NEA.
Free David now.
Free David Now.
Hey!
Free David Now!
What?
Free David Now!
What?
Free David Now!
Hey!
Free David now!
That's right!
That's right!
I am now going to ask, first of all, thank you, President Schuler, for being here.
I'm going to ask the president of the National Education Association to come up here and say a few words.
Do I need to push it?
Who are we freeing now?
Who are we freeing now?
Association.
I bring you their solidarity.
I bring you their voice.
I bring you their power.
And I say to you, 32BJ, you are not alone.
Thank you.
You are not alone.
Take a look around at what we did in just 24 hours.
And I need you to, I need you to make a commitment that when we send out the call, whoever it's for, because it's going to be us, that you will answer that call like you did today.
You see unions around you.
You see working people around you.
You see concerned citizens around you all standing up and saying enough.
NOOOOO Enough.
Enough.
Of the cruelty and the hate.
Enough of the division and the disrespect.
Enough.
Enough.
We know what this administration is doing.
So we are saying to Donald Trump and all of his allies, we will not, we will not scapegoat immigrants.
That's right.
We will not.
The people who help build this country, we will not stand by and allow you to do that.
I have no doubt that those of you gathered here today will embrace the words of Andre Lord as we come off of a huge pride celebration.
Deliberate.
David would be the first one to say this isn't just about him.
But what we gonna do?
We're gonna free David?
Yeah.
Let me hear you.
nation and We win.
When we fight.
We win.
When we fight.
Thank you.
As I was saying earlier, we are not alone.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you for such a powerful message.
Now it is my honor to welcome the national president and president of the National Coalition for Black Civic Engagement, Melanie Campbell, to the stage.
When we fight, we win.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I tell you, it's really, really powerful just how God works.
Right?
And you said, 24 hours later, we are here standing here in solidarity because we are not going nowhere.
I actually have a meeting happening right now, but there was no way I was going to not come here and stand in solidarity.
And so I'm going to be very brief, but I just had to think about this moment.
And y'all know this quote.
First, they came for the socialists.
That's right.
And I did not speak out because I was not a socialist.
Then they came for the trade unionists and I did not speak out because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me And there was no one left to speak for me.
So we speak for David.
Free David.
We are not going no damn where.
I don't care what's happening over there or what's happening over there or what's happening down the street.
This is our country that we built.
This is our country.
And we ain't going nowhere.
God bless you.
Peace and power.
I will stand with you.
I will go to jail with you.
I will do whatever I can as long as I got breath in my body to stand in solidarity with you.
God bless you.
I got a new church for y'all.
I got a new church.
You repeat after me.
As long as it takes, whatever it takes will be in your face.
As long as it takes, we'll be in your face.
We'll be in your face.
That's right.
Next.
Thank you, President Pringo.
Thank you, Melanie.
Thank you, Liz.
Now it is my honor to introduce to you the president of the American Federation of Teachers, President Randy Wine Gordon.
Please come up and please.
Okay.
Can you hear me?
We ended, Pramila Jayapol ended by saying the people United will never be defeated.
I want to start that way.
The people will never be defeated.
The people united will never be defeated.
You've already heard from some amazing speakers, and you'll hear from more.
I start that way because even in a moment like this, where we don't have the amplification of the modern era, the amplification that we have is our voices standing together in unison, not being divided.
And when we do that, standing together in unison, not divided, people can hear us blocks away.
We can do that without amplification if we're standing together, if we're listening to each other, if we are in, as Liz said, solidarity with each other.
Now, there's three things I want to say.
Number one, David Rutta was standing bearing witness to an ICE raid of workers.
Workers who were working for a living.
Workers who have been terrified because of this ICE, these ICE raids.
randi weingarten ▲ ● ▼
Workers who are only in America, like my grandfather, I am a third generation immigrant who came to America for a better life.
If one wants to fix the immigration laws, which they should be fixed, fix the goddamn immigration laws.
unidentified
Don't arrest workers.
Sorry, God.
I like you.
Sorry.
I like you.
Sorry, God.
Number two, the kind of fear and terror that is going on is rifling through so many of our families.
Becky represents the NEA.
I represent the AFT.
We are the fastest growing union in the country.
We hear it from our members.
We hear it from our members all the time.
We do not want ICE in hospitals.
We do not want ICE in schools.
We do not want ICE in churches.
We do not want ICE in workplaces.
randi weingarten ▲ ● ▼
These are places where people are trying to create the promise of America.
unidentified
And what Donald Trump is doing is the fear of America, not the promise of America.
randi weingarten ▲ ● ▼
And what David was doing was bearing witness to fight the fear of America and to try to create the promise of America.
unidentified
So this is the third thing and the last thing.
This is not a battle that's going to be won or lost by this rally today.
There is something, this is Pride Month.
You said Pride Day is now Pride Month.
Wait, wait, wait.
That started just like in the civil rights movement in the Jim Crow era when people had to keep fighting and fighting and fighting.
In the AIDS era, people had to keep fighting and fighting and fighting.
So the last thing I will say is this.
Silence equals death.
We must not only be in solidarity today, but each and every day together because silence equals death.
That is what Mr. Trump wants.
He wants to silence us.
He wants to create fear.
He wants to create apathy.
So I am asking you, are we going to be silent?
No.
Are we going to work to get David freed?
Yes.
We're going to work every day for the promise of America.
Yay.
For the promise for immigrants?
Yes.
For the promise for schoolchildren.
Yes.
For the promise for freedom.
Yes.
For the promise for justice.
Yes.
Because what's the saying from the beginning of this speech?
will never be defeated.
alex jones ▲ ● ▼
The people united will never be defeated.
unidentified
The people united.
The people united will never be defeated.
Why do we want free favourites?
When do we want it?
No.
Why do we want free favourites?
When do we want it?
Now.
When do we want it?
And if we don't get it, shut it up.
And if we don't get it, shut it up.
And if we don't get it down.
If we don't get it, shut it down.
That's right.
They're going to hear us.
that's why we're here today in front of the departments of injustice which is on that side under this president now like i said i think i saw some ashby people here I think I saw the president of Better Mason Union here.
It is my honor to introduce the international president of the American Federation of State and County Municipal Employers, Lisa Bears.
Is labor in this house?
Is labor in this house?
Partners in this house.
You're ready to raise some hell.
Are you ready to raise some hell?
Are you fired up?
You're fired up.
Now, let me say this.
On behalf of the 1.3 million members of my union ask me, providing public services all across this country, we stand.
We stand with David and we demand this right now.
Free David.
Now, just think about this.
This is America.
Supposedly the home of the free.
Well, I've got a question about that right now.
It's not the home of the free when you stop people from demonstrating and fighting for what they believe in, fighting for their rights, making their voices heard.
It's not the home of the free.
It's becoming a country that we don't even want to think about.
And what we've got to do, what all of us have got to do, is to come together and say, hell no, it's not happening here.
Hell no, it's not happening here.
Hell no, it's not happening here.
It's up to all of us.
It's up to all of us.
And we just can't do it one hour of one day.
We've got to do it every day.
24 hours, making our voices heard.
We are a force.
We care about our country.
We care about the people who live in this country.
We care about providing them the ability to make an honest day's living for an honest day's work.
That's what it's all about.
That's what David is all about.
That's what we're fighting for every single day.
Because that is who we are.
We are labor.
And we move the agenda to support working families all over the country.
And if somebody gets in our way, shame on them because we're going to run right over them, aren't we?
It's time to make your voices heard.
It is time to fight.
You've heard all these speakers talking about the need for us to support David.
That's right.
Support SCIU to support those workers.
Not only in California, but across this country.
This is an attack on all of us.
And shame on us if we don't get out there and fight like hell every single day and make our voices heard.
We've got to do that because we are united.
We are rape.
And we're going to stand up and we're going to fight like hell.
Are you ready to fight?
Yes.
Are you ready to make your voices heard?
Let's do it.
Labor united will never be defeated.
Labor united will never be defeated.
Hey, labor, united.
That's right.
And we have just a few more speakers.
I think some of you guys thought he went to March, right?
Yeah.
We're going to do that.
So I'm going to ask A member of one of our key community organizations, a true partner in the movement, to come out and say a few words.
She's a member activist of Casa.
Una Rosa, please come up here and say a few words.
Thank you.
Hello everybody.
Buenas tardes a todos.
Mi nombre es Rosa, emigrante de El Salvador, y llevo más de 40 años llamando a este país mi hogar.
My name is Rosa, and I am an immigrant who has called this country my home for the past 40 years.
I am a member of CASA, a national organization led by their members.
We fight for the rights of our members, immigrant members, working class members.
Fighting for racial justice, equity and inclusion.
fighting for our same families who continue to be oppressed in the very country they call home.
Today we are here raising our voices demanding that David Huerta, the President of SEIU California, be free of SCIU California.
Hermanos y hermanas emigrantes que han sido detenidos injustamente.
We are also here with our brothers and sisters from the immigrant community who have too unjustly been detained.
Enough is enough.
We need to get the terror out of our streets called ICE.
As an immigrant, I deeply feel the worry within our community.
In this moment, these attacks are not coincidencia.
These moments, these attacks, are not a coincidence.
Son systemáticos y raciales.
They're systemic and racial attacks.
En unintento de criminalizar a toda la persona de color en este país.
An attempt to criminalize all black and brown people in this country.
Esta realidad, tambiéncer refleja en intentos de modificar la constitución.
These moments are also felt in the constitutional crisis that we are currently in.
Para quitar la ciudadanía por nacimiento.
Attempts to take away birthright citizenship.
Un ataque directo.
Un ataque directo a nuestros derechos fundamentales y a la dignidad de nuestras familias.
A direct attack to our fundamental freedoms and us as a people.
Exigimos el fin de las redadas crueles e indiscriminadas de ICE.
We ask and demand for an immediate stop to ICE raids.
That continue to terrorize our communities and terrorize all of our workers.
¡Los trabajadores emigrantes son esenciales!
Immigrant workers are essential.
They feed our country.
They take care of our elderly and construct our homes.
Immigrant communities deserve respect.
Yes.
We do not deserve persecution.
We are the heart of this country.
We will not accept additional fear or additional discrimination.
And the time to fight and stand up is right now.
This is why we're here today in D.C. and also in Pennsylvania marching and fighting.
Now it is my honor to introduce a local leader, my partner in the movement here locally.
Please welcome, co-shop, executive, secretary-treasurer of Unite Here, Local 25.
Se puede!
Janitor, housekeepers, dishwashers, servers in our union to say to SEIU and fight for justice, we...
we stand with you.
We stand with you in demanding the freedom for David Huerta and we stand with you in demanding the freedom for anyone who has been illegally and immorally imprisoned by the ICE regime.
We demand an end to the ICE raids and we demand it now.
We also know, all of us standing here, that this is not a one-day fight, as several of the speakers before me have said.
This is a fight where more and more of us need to wake up every morning, go to work, but also say to ourselves, how are we fighting this racist, fascist, anti-immigrant regime?
Woo!
And sometimes, brothers and sisters, it's difficult when they haul people away in the darkness of night.
But looking around here today, I am emboldened because I know what all of us know, which unfortunately the Republicans and Trump and the Democrats who stand with them sometimes, they don't know that when we fight, we win!
When we fight, we win!
When we fight, we win!
That's right.
And rest assured, rest assured, we'll remember in November come election time.
Last but not least, you heard from national leaders, national elected officials.
Now, we also had a here earlier, Natalie Fani from the Montgomery County Council, who I know had to run, but we have a delegate, a Maryland state delegate, Jerry Salomon, come up here and then we march.
Thank you, Jaime.
Thank you all.
On Pride Month, I see a rainbow of labor.
I see a rainbow of our community here standing together.
I want to give a special shout out to the AFT.
I started my career as a teacher in Baltimore, proud BTU member.
Thank you to all my brothers and sisters, my educators who are here today, because they know how important this is to protect our kids, to protect our families.
I'm going to be brief because we want to march.
I just want to say an attack on one of us is an attack on all of us.
That's right.
And from coast to coast, whether we're standing together in California, whether we're standing together on the streets of D.C., or we're standing together in the halls of Annapolis fighting for workers' rights, you are going to hear us.
We are going to stand together, free David, protect our communities.
Thank you.
All right.
Repeat after me.
We will not be silenced.
We will not be silent.
We will not be silenced.
We will not be silent.
We will not be silenced.
Enough is enough.
Enough is enough.
Enough.
Hey, enough is enough.
Enough is enough.
What do we want?
Free David.
What do we want?
Free David.
What do we want?
Free David.
When do we want it?
Now!
And when do we want it?
Now!
And when do we want it?
Now!
And if we don't get it!
Shut it down!
And if we don't get it!
Shut it down!
If we don't get it!
alex jones ▲ ● ▼
Shut it down!
unidentified
Get out!
Shut!
If we don't!
Yes!
Shut!
All right, so I know you guys are anxious to march, and we are marching.
Now, all of our marches are obviously peaceful marches, which is what we always advocate for.
We're going to march, and we're going to go say a few things to the people in that building.
And we're going to march on the sidewalk.
On the sidewalk.
So, all of this people in the front over here, I'm going to ask President Saunders, President Klingo, President Schuyl, and labor leaders to go in the front over here.
You put it.
Don't push yet, y'all.
All right.
You put it right here in the sidewalk right here.
Let's go in the front and we're going to let a little march.
Live today on the C-SPAN networks, the House returns at 10 a.m. Eastern for general speeches.
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