Amid devastating mass raids conducted by ICE and widespread fear within immigrant communities, local officials have announced a wave of July 4th event cancellations.
In addition to several upcoming summer events, Independence Day celebrations have been postponed or cancelled in Downtown Los Angeles, Boyle Heights, El Sereno, Lincoln Heights, Cudahy, Bell Gardens, and Huntington Park.
However, one notable local event is throwing a July 4th party—not in spite of the ICE raids but because of them.
On Friday, Harbor Area Peace Patrols will host a People’s Party to “celebrate the 4th of July by reclaiming Terminal Island”, a significant historical site for Japanese Americans.
According to photos and videos obtained by L.A. TACO from local community groups, ICE have been using the Port of Los Angeles as a staging ground for its raids since at least June 24th. A couple weeks ago, the volunteer group Nikkei Progressives became aware of ICE’s presence on Terminal Island after being alerted by San Pedro residents.
Protesters will gather from dawn until dusk at the Japanese Fishing Village Memorial, a San Pedro monument built to honor the local community of Japanese Americans who were forcibly removed by the government under Executive Order 9066.
The forced displacement of 3,000 Japanese Americans essentially destroyed the once-vibrant fishing community, turning Terminal Island into a tragic symbol for Japanese mass incarceration during WWII.
“Terminal Island was once a thriving community with restaurants, shops, and community
centers,” said Nikkei Progressives member Carrie Morita, whose family once lived on the island. “Like so many other communities where Japanese and Japanese Americans worked and lived, this community came to a screeching halt when the government arrested its 3,000 people and sent them to the desert, far from the beloved ocean they called home.”
Local community organizations, such as Nikkei Progressives, San Pedro Neighbors for Peace and Justice, and Harbor Area Peace Patrols, have been quick to draw parallels between the incarceration of Japanese Americans in the 1940s and ICE’s current siege on predominantly Latino immigrant communities.
“When I and other Japanese Americans heard that ICE was using this area as a staging ground for their agents to go out and kidnap community members, we were appalled,” said Joy Yamaguchi, another member of Nikkei Progressives. “We speak out in defense of those being targeted now, not just because our families needed the people who spoke out for us, but because it is the right thing to do. We believe in the dignity and human rights for all and the right to due process, regardless of immigration or citizenship status.”
In response to ICE’s unsettling presence on the island, local volunteer groups organized peaceful patrols of the area. On the evening of June 27th, they also held a rally and vigil, with more than 100 people in attendance demanding that ICE leave Terminal Island.
After San Pedro residents brought attention to ICE’s presence, councilmember Tim McOsker, who represents the area and attended the vigil, wrote a letter to Port Police asking for more details. In response, Port Police claimed that they are not cooperating with ICE but did not deny their presence.
Speaking at Friday’s press conference, Cyntia Aviña, a member of Union del Barrio and Community Self Defense Coalition, said, “We have learned from these horrific attacks from the past and most importantly, we have learned from our ancestors how to fight back and organize. I call on all peoples to unite against this injustice, to stand in solidarity with our undocumented brothers and sisters, and to organize, because together we can and will resist these violent attacks on our communities.”
