The ICE actions and escalating violence taking place in Los Angeles are painful and tragic for so many of our fellow Californians in the immigrant community. Immigrants are the backbone of California’s economy. They are our neighbors, coworkers, and friends who contribute immeasurably to our state’s strength, culture, and prosperity.

Our hearts are with the families being separated, the workers who are afraid to go to their jobs, and the many grantee organizations we support whose staff and communities are directly impacted by these actions. These raids and the unnecessary deployment of the National Guard represent an alarming escalation that has no place in our communities. While immigrants are the immediate targets, the consequences of this overreach extend far beyond. It erodes public trust, tears at our social fabric, and sets dangerous precedents for how dissent and difference are treated in our communities.

At Irvine, we remain steadfast in our support of organizations serving immigrant communities and the right to peaceful protest. We will continue monitoring the situation and talking to our grantees about how we can be most helpful. California’s strength has always come from its diversity and its embrace of those seeking opportunity and hope, not from the division and fear that mark this moment.