Immigration And Trump's War On California

Loyola Marymount University Professor Fernando Guerra, discussing the ICE raids, labels them as war on our society.  He explains what he tells students who fear being detained. 

Transcript

Bill 0:00

welcome to another episode of Inside Golden State Politics. I'm Bill Bosky, the former city editor and columnist for the Los Angeles Times, and with me is our producer director, Nancy Buki.

Sherry 0:16

And I'm Sherry Bevi, Jeffy political analyst and self-styled, the medium maven coming to you fresh from my latest detox. I can't believe I am saying this, but agree with Donald Trump on one thing, although I expect for very different reasons. Enough already Jeffrey Epstein and those Epstein files me from media coverage so I can concentrate on the more crucial but equally morbid news. Over to you, bill.

Bill 0:55

Yes. Well, we'll put Epstein aside for some time and then

Sherry 1:00

Yay.

Bill 1:01

go on to another day. Our guest today is Fernando Guerra. He's a professor at Loyola Marymount University, and he is the founding director of the Thomas and Dorothy Levy Center for the study of Los Angeles. His work is well known. You've seen him on many shows you name it, he's on it his scholarly work focuses on state and local politics. Racial and ethnic politics and local governance reform. And today we're going to start off talking about the issue that's really the most important facing us right now, immigration and the steps, cruel steps that the Trump administration are taking Fernando, what are your thoughts on the current immigration situation? I would say immigration crisis, but that's not really true. That's playing into the Trump hands. What's your take on, the the national Guard being here backing up the ice Immigration forces on the 700 Marines that are just a few blocks, from the house the, the arrests. How do you see it

Sherry 2:22

going on is what I wanna know since I as I recall. P. Are

Bill 5:55

Why then, why then Fernando is did the,

Sherry 5:57

Bill,

Bill 5:58

the poll, lemme ask, lemme ask this question. Why then, Fernando, do the polls seem to show a more favorable attitude toward immigrants?

Sherry 7:37

I wanna add something to that'cause I think that there are a couple of more politically strong reasons for the fact that polls indicate that Americans are not as negative. About immigration as they have been. And I think is still support for immigration reform and it, but it's not just that. happens. It's how the administration is going about that removal. And it's, it's, it's how it happens and it's more and more how it happens. Which brings me to reason number two, Donald Trump. I have a funny feeling that in some cases you're gonna have pollsters asking the question and respondents responded as they have to other culturally and politically hot questions. In a way that they perceive to be socially responsible. And right now, Donald Trump is not at the top of the list of those of us who, who are socially responsible. I think there's a, a decision made by many that Don I, you know, I, it's awful. I, I don't, no, I'm just gonna say I love immigrants and get on with my life, and I really don't love immigrants, but politically it's better to say you do. What do you think? I don't think our answers are all that different. Fernando, think about.

Bill 10:42

You know, I think the images that we see on television of immigrants being picked up by ice and put into ice vans, unmarked, ice vans trying to resist getting punished, for resisting, I think without any scientific background. I think, that has a great impact. The images themselves.

Sherry 11:06

Absolutely

Bill 11:07

that's very interesting. You saying that these images and your knowledge of the people you meet at the car wash or at Ralph's checking you out at Ralph's are more powerful than the social media.

Sherry 11:22

I doubt that. I really do. I don't think he missed in comparison. Able to spread the knowledge and the emotion to a much larger audience. The little blog, my next door. Blog, which is stored from my used to be all, is this your lost dog? Is this your lost cat? Now, it is a way for residents and others in this area to learn to be alerted to where ICE is, where everyone is amassing protest what ICE is doing. It,

Bill 12:30

It.

Sherry 12:30

to me that, you know, a minute I'm even finish. It seems to me that we've had like this, but not with this breadth or intensity before. And the, the new element is what social media can do and does. Do remember today, every person with a smartphone is a reporter. we can, you know, say, look, it is happening even though you're 2000 miles away. Let me show it to you.

Bill 13:03

I know that's the theory and, and I sort of believe in it. But I also think that the, proprietors of these platforms are selling themselves too highly. I don't know. Hey, I wanted ask you Fernando, you, you're a professor at a distinguished university. You teach many classes. What is the feeling of young people, young Latinos toward what's going on? What do you tell them if they, when they ask you for advice?

Sherry 16:18

I've been reading a lot about what happens when one or both parents have have been taken by ice and the children are there and preparing to find someone. To basically adopt those children, at least take care of them when the parents are not, are not able to because they have been they can buy ice. I think it's it. Fernando, did you ever, ever think that we would be talking like this in our lifetime? Yes. Bingham. Yes. I. Yes, I thought, I thought probably the most telling analysis of this whole dynamic, and I can't remember which of the many talking heads said this, but that this is, this policy is Make America White again. That's true. Right.

Bill 21:43

Fernando, could we move over to the another issue that's important to the Latino community and that's the workplace. I'm thinking specifically of proposals that are passed and or could pass the city council and would be up for referendum in some cases. We mandating an increase in the minimum wage and particularly important to hotel workers, which is where many of whom are Latinos, but also workers in other industries.

Sherry 25:00

Oh.

Bill 26:56

Overturning the overturning the city council. Mm-hmm.

Sherry 29:12

What project. Now who's responsible for that? Oh yeah, that's right. That's right.

Bill 30:53

This is gonna be a real confusing miss for Gary and I to be talking about but it'll.

Sherry 31:00

coming back, huh? I.

Bill 31:39

Those are, those are housing related? Yes.

Sherry 31:55

Anti incarceration issues, I want you back, first of all to discuss the governmental reforms because I know that you and I have very different perspectives this, but. I think that, that, that deserves probably about a half an hour alone. And the city is following form two, just beginning to determine how to improve, how to reshape the government, the key issues in measure G. the expansion of the Board of Supervisors from five to nine, and the election of a county executive officer, which basically has a over the supervisors, the, the issues are so hot and so, so complex. Oh, I know you wouldn't. Oh, yeah. Just like, just like in Washington. Huh?

Bill 32:54

It's the federal, the federal Sacramento version of it.

Sherry 32:59

See, well, you're coming back for that one too. Put it on your calendar.

Bill 33:04

Fernando, thank you very much for for being our guest. This was a really great, you're

Sherry 33:11

Yes,

Bill 33:11

explanation of the immigration. Situation was very eloquent and interesting and one of the best I've heard. Thank you.

Sherry 33:22

It's because he is a political scientist. everyone. Bye-bye.

Bill 33:27

Bye-bye. Sure.