San Diego workers and union members traveled to Delano early Monday, joining thousands for a César Chávez Day rally to honor immigrant laborers and protest current deportation policies.
Delano is the Central Valley city where, in 1966, César Chávez began his 25-day march to Sacramento — a historic moment both for farmworker rights and the national civil rights movement.
The theme for Monday's rally was "Con Estas Manos," Spanish for "With These Hands." Organizers said the name was meant to honor laborers and their sacrifices to ensure better lives for their children.
In an interview with 10 News, Arturo Suarez said that's why he was making the trip.
"Me being able to go to school, get a job, pursue my career, my dreams — it's only because a very strong, proud immigrant was willing to break their back day in and day out to give me what I have now," Suarez said.
Since President Donald Trump took office, immigrant communities say they have been increasingly targeted by raids. People without criminal records and some with legal status in the U.S. have been deported.
The United Farm Workers, one of the unions behind Monday's rally, says it views federal deportation policies as an attack on the Latino community and working-class people.
The Trump Administration is also moving against labor unions. Last week, Trump signed an executive order ending collective bargaining rights for some federal workers.
The order is being challenged in court.
United Farm Workers President Teresa Romero said in a statement Sunday that the César Chávez Day rally sends a message to all workers to organize in order to protect themselves and each other.
