SCOTT DETROW, HOST:
Back to our top story, National Guard troops mobilized by President Trump have arrived in Los Angeles where more protests are planned tonight. This after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement sweeps sparked demonstrations over the weekend. During the protests, Service Employees International Union California leader David Huerta was injured in a scuffle with federal agents. He was treated at a nearby hospital and then detained. He remains in custody and is due to be arraigned in federal court tomorrow.
Federal authorities claim Huerta was obstructing federal agents' access to a worksite where they were executing a warrant. The labor union says that Huerta was detained while exercising his First Amendment right to observe and document law enforcement activity. The politically powerful union, which has over 700,000 members in the state, is planning a rally on Monday in support. And on the line with us is Sandra Diaz, who's Vice President of SEIU-USWW California. Welcome to the program.
SANDRA DIAZ: Thank you for having us.
DETROW: I explained what the federal authorities are saying. I explained what SEIU's framing was. You tell me what you understand happened with Mr. Huerta and the agents.
DIAZ: Our president, David Huerta, was assaulted, was detained, was injured and has been in detention. And who David Huerta is - let me tell you a little bit about who David Huerta is. He has decades, decades, fighting for working people in the state of California. What he was doing on Friday was standing up for workers - immigrant workers - at a time where ICE came into the city and terrorized an entire community and targeted working families.
DETROW: I want to make sure I'm understanding the union's views on this the right way. What is the primary concern with these raids that were underway? And we've seen, across the country, these raids have ticked up in recent weeks, even compared to the beginning of the Trump administration when they were a top priority for the administration. Was the concern the way they're being carried out, the fact they're being carried out at all, who they're targeting? What is the top concern?
DIAZ: As a labor union, our top concern is that they're going after working families. They're going after workers, day in and day out, and they're tearing our communities apart. What they did on Friday was they were going after seamstress. They went after day laborers. They went after people that all they're doing here is strengthening our economy. We are a union of immigrant workers, and this country has had its toughest moments. Immigrant workers come out, and they have sustained our economy and our communities when our communities have needed it the most. And now you have an administration that's singling and targeting them out, and it has sent out military-like operations to go into workplaces and to gather people, completely ignoring due process and our constitutional rights.
DETROW: I want to get your response to something that the U.S. attorney for Central California said yesterday in a post about Huertas' arrest. The quote is, "let me be clear. I don't care who you are. If you impede federal agents, you will be arrested and prosecuted. No one has the right to assault, obstruct or interfere with federal authorities carrying out their duties." What's your response to that statement?
DIAZ: Our response to that statement is that we stand by people's right to peacefully assemble. We also have a question for the administration. Is your duties to come into communities where civilians are at in full military gear, use excessive force and target working-class people?
DETROW: I mentioned that the National Guard has been federalized and deployed in Los Angeles. Does that fact change your plans for protesting tonight or rallying in support of Huerta tomorrow in any way, shape or form?
DIAZ: We are planning on standing with allies in a peaceful vigil tonight. We are planning on holding peaceful protests tomorrow. It is imperative that we continue to defend the right to peacefully protest in this country. It's a pillar of our democracy. And we stand by the right of people to be able to engage peacefully to hold this administration or anybody accountable. And so we're going to be out tomorrow with our members, peacefully assembling and denouncing what has been taking place - the militarization of National Guard, the militarization of ICE operations with coming in full - in tanks, in military gear into our communities and causing terror among everyone in LA and throughout the country.
DETROW: That is Sandra Diaz, who's vice president of SEIU-USWW California. Thanks so much.
DIAZ: Thank you. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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