Community organizers discuss and provide ICE defense resources

A room full of organizers, leaders and active community members listened intently and engaged in important dialogue about how to defend themselves and their neighbors against U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Santa Ana City Councilmember Johnathan Hernandez organized the ICE Community Defense Conference at Santa Ana College in direct response to the high presence of ICE agents in the city and its neighboring communities.

“My office felt that institutions like Santa Ana College should be places where community discussions are happening regularly,” said Hernandez. “Santa Ana College is the heart of education for us.”

The conference included workshops led by community organizers, a “know your rights” presentation and a panel of community leaders, including city councilmembers. The event saw a strong turnout, with the community defense panel extending the conference by an extra hour.

“There needs to be buy-in from the community that immigrants are welcome and that they’re going to be protected and fought for,” said Hernandez. “Santa Ana College has been a great partner in wanting to open their doors to us.”

While no official partnership was outlined between the college and Hernandez, SAC’s public information officer, Ethereal Reyes, shared via email that holding events like the conference and hosting legal clinics helps keep students informed.

“We must recognize that we build the culture of our college, and that is a big responsibility,” said Reyes.

Investigative journalist Ben Camacho from The Southlander hosted a workshop on how to access public records. Photo by Ash Mojica / el Don

The college has acted as a resource for the immigrant community for years through other resources, mainly those provided through the Legal Studies Department’s legal clinics.

“We’re more in the business of empowerment,” said associate professor of legal studies Kim Smith. “Let’s connect with groups like OC Rapid Response, Legal Aid Society, CAIR and the Public Law Center, and with those groups help our students find legal resources.”

Smith noticed that in the last two years, the demand for social justice legal work has skyrocketed. The Community Legal Information, Resource and Referral Clinic at SAC facilitates community-based legal clinics for students and the community. The student-led legal clinics bring in service providers and supply legal resources and information.

“SAC’s mission statement mentions empowerment, and especially on a campus like Santa Ana College, we’re all about empowering community members,” said Smith.