Author Archives: Jose Calderon

About Jose Calderon

Jose Zapata Calderon is Emeritus Professor in Sociology and Chicano/a Latino/a Studies at Pitzer College and President of the Latino and Latina Roundtable of the Pomona Valley and San Gabriel Valley.

Two Organizers In Pomona Are Still Connecting Their Learning With Community-based Oranizing

Laud these two students, Chris Gutierrez and Orlando Arias-Pulido, who I have known and walked paths with them as organizers in Pomona since their high school days – and are now building their pathways in higher education – with Chris completing his B. A. Degree and Orlando completing his first year at UC-Berkeley. As shown here, they are still connecting their learning with community-based organizing.

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Justice Wears No Mask

Supporting a Press conference today in front of the federal building in L A by a Network of pro-immigrant organizations, Committee for Autonomous Social Action, calling for: a stop to the inhumane kidnappings by masked enforcers, which have been shown to include “masked-unidentified-bounty-hunter” types in our immigrant communities; an end to the private-for-profit prison system; and an unmasking of how the Trump administration is using the scapegoating of immigrants to cover-up systemic economic problems (to divide our communities and movements, and to deter our potential political power).

   

HALT THE ILLEGAL KIDNAPPING OF PRESUMED UNDOCUMENTED PERSONS IN VIOLATION OF CONSTITUTIONAL, AND INTERNATIONAL LEGAL NORMS.

EMERGENCY PRESS ADVISORY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

CIVIL ENGINEER JAZMIN RODRIGUEZ (562) 201-6062

ATTORNEY CARLOS VELLANOWETH (213) 369-0155

FORMER MAYWOOD MAYOR FELIPE AGUIRRE (323) 496-2112

DR. JOSE CALDERON (909) 952-1640

IMMIGRATION COMMUNITY LEADER ALICIA FLORES (805) 479-4472

JUAN JOSE GUTIERREZ, JD (213) 276-4735 mailto:juanjose@eastlalaw.com

A COMMUNITY PROTEST & PRESS CONFERENCE WILL BE CELEBRATED IN FRONT OF THE DOWNTOWN US FEDERAL BUILDING WHERE PRO HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS ARE GOING TO DEMAND FROM THE DONALD TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TO HALT THE ILLEGAL KIDNAPPING OF PRESUMED UNDOCUMENTED PERSONS IN VIOLATION OF CONSTITUTIONAL, AND INTERNATIONAL LEGAL NORMS.

Los Angeles, A mass action and an emergency press conference is scheduled to take place beginning at 11:00 AM in front of the Federal Building in downtown Los Angeles to call on the Donald Trump Administration to halt on going illegal mass kidnappings and deportations of presumed undocumented workers that are dividing families and causing across the board panic within immigrant communities who reside and work in Southern California.

“These un-American and inhumane kidnappings that are reported to be taking place during immigration raids, must be stopped immediately because we are quickly going into a slippery slope from which we might not be able to recover”, stated Alicia Flores, an immigrant rights advocate and the Executive Director of the Hank Lacayo Youth and Community Center, a not for profit community based organization located in Ventura County. “President Donald Trump has the power to halt these illicit law enforcement actions that rather than fomenting the safety of all Americans provide detainees to privately owned immigration detention centers. These private contractors are raking in huge profits at the expense of untold pain and suffering of countless families in the Southland. This illegal government behavior is unacceptable to all law-abiding, taxpaying citizens in the United States”, concluded Ms. Flores.

On the other hand, Carlos Vellanoweth a private immigration attorney, and a leader of the Committee For Autonomous Social Action stated, “We have a private-for profit prison system in America. In the last few years, the US Gov’t funded the creation of immigration detention facilities throughout the nation. Last year these private companies donated $25 million to the Trump Campaign. In response, Trump’s Mass Deportation and Detention Program has incarcerated over 60,000 immigrants through June of this year. Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” provides Department of Homeland Security almost $50 billion to continue the policy while simultaneously increasing profits for shareholders. We denounce the repression waged against our communities and the despicable nature of a government program that is designed to make profits off of human suffering. Members of our communities are being terrorized, detained and kidnapped by masked-unidentified bounty hunters driving vehicles with non-traceable license plates. Kidnapping is a crime and if a loved is kidnapped we urge the public to file a complaint with local police authorities. Wake up America! We need to stand united! Today they are incarcerating immigrants. Tomorrow it will be the rest of us”. Concluded Mr. Vellanoweth.

WHAT: Community Protest and Press Action to call on President Donald Trump to bring an end to the ongoing “bounty-hunter, and ICE broad based campaign of illegal kidnappings of presumed undocumented immigrants, and to promote humane immigration reform as the only true solution to this human drama gripping the immigrant community throughout the Southland, and the nation.

WHERE: The US Downtown Los Angeles Federal Building located at 300 North Los Angeles St., Los Angeles, California 90012.

DATE: Thursday, July 3, 2025.

TIME: 11:00 A.M.

WHO: Committee for Autonomous Social Action

 

Manuel Castillejos

Yesterday afternoon at 3 pm, a plaque to honor the memory of Professor Manuel Castillejos was unveiled by the mayor and many others.
The unveiling took place at the corner of Garey Ave. and 2nd Street.
Jeff covered this event for our paper. I had another commitment.
We knew Professor Castillejos very well and I also had the pleasure of meeting his daughter Nicole Castillejos Macias last year.

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Detainees Face Unjust Conditions

With the rise of attacks on our immigrant communities, there are now more than 56,000 immigrants in detention – exceeding the current capacity of 41,000 – and creating worsening overcrowded conditions – resulting in at least ten immigrants dying in ICE custody in the six months since Jan. 1, including two at a facility in Miami, the Krome detention center, where detainees earlier this month formed a human “S.O.S.” sign in the yard.

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In Memory Of The Contributions Of El Profe Manuel Castillejos

Once in awhile there are rainbows – creation of a spiritual space in memory of the contributions of El Profe Manuel Castillejo in downtown Pomona. Thank you to all who made this possible – as part of creating a culture of honoring and remembering those who use their abilities to the fullest in the interests of our communities. The ceremony culminating with a danza by Profe Castillejo’s former student Alejandro Xipecoatl Juarez.

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Historic Groundbreaking of Cesar Chavez Foundation Low-income Housing

Historic groundbreaking of Cesar Chavez Foundation low-income housing project (90 units of future affordable housing in Eastside Pomona) – with Paul Chavez, dignitaries, and community. The housing project is named after Rev. Chris Hartmire who recently passed away at Pilgrim Place in Claremont- after a life of organizing – with the freedom riders in the early years of the civil rights movement – and later led the CA migrant ministry in supporting the UFW in strikes, boycotts, marches, and numerous farmworker campaigns. While at Pilgrim Place, Chris did not stop but came out various times over the years to support the unionization of workers at both Pomona and Pitzer colleges – and to share his life’s story in my classes. We had various lunches together reminiscing on the many years that he gave of his life to the California Migrant Ministry and the UFW – and the connections he made in his life between organizing, spirituality, and becoming one with the farmworker cause.