RYAN Garcia has expressed his support for immigration protesters in Los Angeles, amplifying a dissenting feeling towards US President Donald Trump.
Since getting re-elected in January, Trump has significantly elevated the number of migrant arrests and deportations, mostly targeting the Hispanic community, while promising to lock down the US-Mexico border.
Naturally, his tactics have only been defended by federal authorities, with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) head Todd Lyons leading the pack in that regard.
Along with boasting that ICE is averaging around 1,600 arrests each day, Lyons insisted at a media conference – as reported by Associated Press at the beginning of last week – that his agency is merely targeting ‘dangerous criminals.’
At the same time, though, many of these immigrants have – albeit without official documentation – led productive lives in America for a number of decades.
And while conceding that he did, in fact, vote for the polarising US President, Garcia has nonetheless broken his silence regarding the ongoing situation in LA.
“I may have voted for Trump, but I can’t stay silent about what’s happening with ICE in LA,” he wrote on X yesterday.
“These aren’t just [‘illegals’] or statistics, they’re people. Hardworking immigrants, especially Mexicans, who pay taxes, raise families, build our communities, and are part of the people we love.
“Ripping them away from their homes is not just policy, it’s pain. We can have borders without losing our humanity.”
Through his comments, the 26-year-old has joined just a few members of the boxing fraternity, with each of whom has condemned Trump’s deployment of the National Guard.
Giovanni Cabrera joins LA protesters
Like Garcia, lightweight contender Giovanni Cabrera has spoken out after feeling the full force of Trump’s brutal crackdown on immigration protesters.
The 30-year-old joined LA activists last Sunday, expecting nothing more than an opportunity to express his thoughts on the mass deportation of undocumented migrants.
When just over 40 arrests were made in LA last Friday, protesters were left with little choice but to gather around a federal detention centre, demanding their release.
They were soon met with resistance, however, as police officers – armed with batons and riot gear – used tear gas in a bid to disperse the sizable crowd.
Cabrera was then among those engaged in the activism two days later, only to find himself experiencing similar forms of violence at the hands of authorities.
“The police began to push protesters back, and when one protester stuck his hand out in defence, [the police officer] started to beat him with his baton,” the Chicago resident wrote on his Instagram story.
“Then they tear gassed us and started shooting rubber bullets. [The] guy next to me was shot in the jaw, neck and arms, bleeding on my arm and shoe.”
Soon after yesterday’s incident, President Trump authorised the deployment of around 2,000 National Guard troops, further intensifying the already volatile unrest.
So while maintaining his presence on social media, Cabrera continued to share his thoughts on the political upheaval that is taking place in his country.
“Every single American should be ashamed of what’s happening in this country right now – the terrorising of Latino communities,” he said in an Instagram post.
“We are the backbone of this country. We grow your food, we serve you your food, we fix your cars, we work the fields, we fight… we do everything; we keep this s*** going.
“America would be nothing without its immigrants, and this is what you voted for? Is everyone okay with this fascist behaviour from our government?
“This is f***ed up.”
