Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

BumRushDaShow

(154,069 posts)
Mon Jun 9, 2025, 03:05 PM 9 hrs ago

Labor unions around US demand release of union leader arrested in LA protest

Source: The Guardian

Mon 9 Jun 2025 11.33 EDT
Last modified on Mon 9 Jun 2025 13.43 EDT


Labor unions around the US are demanding the release of a labor leader arrested and injured during Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) raids on 6 June in Los Angeles. David Huerta, president of SEIU California and SEIU-USWW, was serving as a community observer during an Ice raid in Los Angeles, and was arrested by federal agents over allegations of interfering. He was initially hospitalized and released later on Friday for injuries sustained during the arrest. Videos circulating online show officers shoving Huerta to the ground during the arrest before handcuffing him. He is expected to make an initial court appearance on Monday afternoon.

“What happened to me is not about me; this is about something much bigger. This is about how we as a community stand together and resist the injustice that’s happening,” Huerta said in a statement after his release from the hospital. “Hard-working people, and members of our family and our community, are being treated like criminals. We all collectively have to object to this madness because this is not justice. This is injustice. And we all have to stand on the right side of justice.”

He has remained in custody, as labor leaders around the US are calling for his release and an end to the immigration enforcement raids and use of the national guard to suppress protests in Los Angeles. California has sued the Trump administration over its decision to federalize the national guard. Huerta, well known among Democrats in California given his long record as a union leader in the state, received support from Governor Gavin Newsom and other Democratic officials across the US, including the House minority leader, Hakeem Jeffries.

“SEIU refuses to be silent in the face of these horrific attacks on working communities. Standing in solidarity as a movement of working people is not new to us,” said April Verrett, international president of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU). “SEIU protects the rights and dignity of hard-working people, and the safety of workers in the workplace. Imagine what it feels like for thousands of workers around the country to be attacked by masked men with weapons, or to bear witness to their co-workers getting dragged away, knowing their kids may not see them again. We demand David Huerta’s immediate release and an end to these abusive workplace raids.”

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jun/09/la-protests-david-huerta-ice-raid

3 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Labor unions around US demand release of union leader arrested in LA protest (Original Post) BumRushDaShow 9 hrs ago OP
Please call for general strike of union members Ferryboat 9 hrs ago #1
Hitler went after labor union leaders too. 2025 is now 1930s Nazi Germany IrishBubbaLiberal 5 hrs ago #2
BREAKING: SEIU California President David Huerta has just been released from ICE custody LetMyPeopleVote 5 hrs ago #3

Ferryboat

(1,161 posts)
1. Please call for general strike of union members
Mon Jun 9, 2025, 03:26 PM
9 hrs ago

Pretty sure large portion of citizens would join you for 3 days.

Show that the power rests with the people.

IrishBubbaLiberal

(1,856 posts)
2. Hitler went after labor union leaders too. 2025 is now 1930s Nazi Germany
Mon Jun 9, 2025, 06:57 PM
5 hrs ago

Hitler went after labor unions

LetMyPeopleVote

(164,401 posts)
3. BREAKING: SEIU California President David Huerta has just been released from ICE custody
Mon Jun 9, 2025, 07:21 PM
5 hrs ago

BREAKING: SEIU California President David Huerta has just been released from ICE custody after days of detention. Here he is embracing his wife after his release (Video: Brittny Mejia)

Marco Foster (@marcofoster.bsky.social) 2025-06-09T22:15:00.423Z
Latest Discussions»Latest Breaking News»Labor unions around US de...