Hundreds of protesters gathered on Jan. 30 in San Juan Capistrano to oppose federal immigration enforcement practices, with organizers and participants saying the demonstration reflected growing fear and disruption within immigrant communities across South Orange County.
The protest was organized by Democratic Women of South Orange County, and drew residents across the region, along with dozens of high school students who walked out of class to participate.
The protest was promoted on Jan 27 by the Laguna Beach Democratic Club on its Facebook.
Organizers estimated that roughly 150 to 200 students from San Juan Hills High School left their third- and fifth-period classes to join the demonstration.
San Juan Hills junior Shell Roxanne Torres said she joined the walkout to stand up for classmates and families affected by immigration enforcement. Torres said the issue is personal.
“I have family members who are immigrants, and I can’t imagine my life or my family being torn apart and not having them close to me,” she said.
Another San Juan Hills junior, Neida Muniz, said she participated to support her parents and others who are afraid to speak publicly.
“I’m a proud daughter of immigrant parents,” Muniz said. “I’m here to speak up for my parents and for those who can’t speak up because of fear.”
San Juan Hills junior Viridiana Salcido said she walked out alongside classmates to represent her family and culture.
“I walked out with about half of the school,” Salcido said. “I’m here speaking for my culture and my family.”
Organizers said the protest was intended to show solidarity with immigrant and Hispanic communities they say have been deeply affected by increased enforcement activity.
“First of all, we want the Hispanic community to know that we stand with them, that the Democratic Party stands with them,” said Darcie Harris, the organization’s director of fundraising and a co-chair of the DWSOC Resistance Team. “The Hispanic community is just part of our culture in all three of the cities that we serve.”
Harris said the demonstration was motivated by concerns over what organizers described as increasingly aggressive and dangerous immigration enforcement practices.
“This mass deportation policy has to stop,” Harris said. “It’s brutal. It’s cruel. And now two people have died. I think it’s up to 38 people who’ve died in custody.”
Ann Ronan, also a co-chair of the DWSOC Resistance Team, said the effects of immigration enforcement were being felt daily in South Orange County.
“What we hear from people who live in the Hispanic communities is that they’re terrified,” Ronan said. “They’re afraid to go to work, afraid to go to school, afraid to leave the house to shop for groceries.”
Ronan said the fear has extended into everyday routines, with some residents avoiding grocery stores, laundromats and other necessities. She also described economic impacts tied to enforcement activity, particularly in construction and landscaping.
“One young woman I know, her father lost his job because there were so many raids going through construction sites that the owner scaled back operations,” Harris said. “He was afraid he was going to lose his employees.”
Organizers said the protest was intentionally scheduled on a weekday afternoon to maximize visibility within the community.
“In San Juan Capistrano, almost 40 percent of the population is Hispanic,” Harris said. “Many people get off work around three or four o’clock, and that intersection is very busy. We wanted to be visible and let people know we’re standing up for them.”
Harris and Ronan said the protest had been planned months in advance and was not organized in response to recent discussions surrounding surveillance cameras in San Clemente, though they acknowledged the issues were connected in a broader sense.
“It wasn’t why we planned this protest,” Harris said. “But it all kind of relates.”
Organizers emphasized that the demonstration remained peaceful. The group deployed trained safety officers and peace marshals to keep participants on sidewalks and to de-escalate tensions.
“We’re peaceful. We’re peaceful. We’re peaceful,” Harris said. “This was our 11th protest.”
Ronan said organizers coordinated in advance with the San Juan Capistrano Police Department and provided headcounts ahead of the event.
“The police have been extraordinary to us,” Ronan said. “We couldn’t have been more pleased with how they’ve interacted with us.”
Harris said one of the protest’s goals was to raise awareness among residents who may not closely follow immigration policy or national news.
“Not everybody is as into the news as we are,” she said. “When people drive by and see something like this, it can be a wake-up call. People need to know what’s happening in their own community.”