© 2025 KVPR | Valley Public Radio - White Ash Broadcasting, Inc. :: 89.3 Fresno / 89.1 Bakersfield
89.3 Fresno | 89.1 Bakersfield
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
KVPR Classical is off-air on 89.3 HD-2 in the Fresno area. Stream online at KVPR.org

‘We have done it before.’ Pro-immigrant groups gear up for new Trump administration

Pro-immigrant groups joined together to send out a message of hope in light of a second Trump presidency.
Esther Quintanilla
/
KVPR
Pro-immigrant groups joined together to send out a message of hope in light of a second Trump presidency.

FRESNO, Calif. – Days after President-elect Donald Trump won a second term in the White House, immigrants and immigrant rights groups across the country are contending with his promise to deport millions of immigrants who are in the U.S. illegally.

Farm leaders and labor experts warn the policy would be “destructive” to the economy. And with Republicans poised to take control of the White House, the Senate and potentially the House of Representatives, pro-immigrant groups are gearing up for a long fight against an emboldened Trump administration.

“We will do everything in our power to protect our immigrant families,” said Sukaina Hussain, a director at the California Immigrant Policy Center. “We will educate, we will inform, we will organize – and we will oppose anti-immigrant policies at every level. We are confident we can do this because we have done it before.”

In the Central Valley, where a large portion of undocumented immigrants live and work, a coalition of groups are sending out a message of hope during a time of uncertainty for many within the immigrant community.

Dozens gathered on the steps of the Robert E. Coyle Federal Courthouse Friday morning waving American flags and signs that read “Defend DACA” and “#ImmigrantsAreHereToStay.”

American flags are waved by pro-immigrant groups after election
Esther Quintanilla
/
KVPR
American flags are waved by pro-immigrant groups on Friday, Nov. 8, 2024, in Fresno, Calif.

Other organizations who joined in Friday’s press conference include the Central Valley Immigration Integration Collaborative (CVIIC), Centro Binacional para el Desarrollo Indígena Oaxaqueño (CBDIO), the Dolores Huerta Foundation, Education Leadership Foundation, San Joaquin College of Law, and the Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC).

The groups said free legal services exist for immigrant residents in the Valley if they need them.

Allison Davenport, a senior attorney with ILRC, also reminded residents of their rights under the constitution: the right to remain silent and the right to due process.

“Regardless of a person’s immigration status, we all have certain rights by simply being on American soil,” Davenport said. “Immigration law is federal law, and a president cannot change federal law with the stroke of a pen.”

A representative from Rep. John Duarte’s office also attended the event, and reaffirmed the congressman's dedication to immigrants. Duarte is in a toss-up race to keep his 13th Congressional District seat in the House.

Before the election, Duarte introduced legislation to enact comprehensive immigration reform and strengthen security at the southern border.

Meanwhile, Gov. Gavin Newsom has called for a special legislative session in December to “Trump-proof” the state’s policies.

In his statement, Newsom said his priorities include civil and reproductive rights, climate change, and boosted protections for undocumented residents.

Esther Quintanilla reports on communities across Central California, covering a variety of stories surrounding the rich cultures in the Valley, farmworker issues, healthcare, and much more. She previously reported through the Central Valley News Collaborative, a partnership between the Fresno Bee, Vida en el Valle, KVPR and Radio Bilingüe.