The Los Angeles Dodgers broke their silence on the raids being carried out in their backyard by United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement by announcing plans to commit $1 million for direct financial assistance to support impacted families.
The Dodgers plan to announce additional details of support being provided in coordination with local community and labor organizations, including the California Community Foundation, Los Angeles County Federation of Labor and others.
On June 13, when asked for any thoughts on the current situation when the Dodgers returned home for the first time since the immigration raids and protests began, manager Dave Roberts said he did not know enough about the matter to “speak intelligently on it.”
On the topic of the Dodgers’ $1 million pledge, Roberts agrees with the organization’s decision and commitment to assisting the people in their community.
“I think it’s great. I’m sure the money is going to be allocated in the right way, and I’m happy to hear that the Dodgers have done that. It’s certainly the right thing to do,” he said.
Up to this point, the Dodgers organization has often stayed out of the conversation when it comes to anything having to do with the current political landscape.
Their visit to the White House earlier in the season, initial silence when immigration raids in L.A. began, and their response to an invited performer’s singing of the national anthem in Spanish were all noticed and called out by members of the fanbase and community leaders.
Kiké Hernández is currently the only player to have acknowledged and speak out in opposition against the immigration raids.
He was followed soon after by Adrián González and Jaime Jarrín as well.
Dodgers say national anthem singer was not banned
Nezza (full name is Vanessa Hernández) claimed to have been effectively banned from all future games following her national anthem performance on June 14. She was asked by a team employee to not perform her rendition of “El Pendón Estrellado,” the only official Spanish translation of the national anthem, but did so anyway.
The Dodgers later came out and said that there were “no hard feelings” and that she was not banned from Dodger Stadium.
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