In Los Angeles, hundreds of worshippers and religious leaders gathered Wednesday evening for an interfaith march to protest recent federal immigration raids targeting undocumented immigrants.
Carrying flowers and messages of peace, the demonstrators walked through downtown to the steps of the federal building, condemning what they described as a campaign of fear and dehumanization.
Pastor Tanya Lopez of Downey Memorial Christian Church shared with The Los Angeles Times a troubling encounter outside her own church, where she witnessed plainclothes federal agents arrest a man in the parking lot. “I tried to intervene, but he was taken anyway,” she said. “I still don’t know where he is.” For Pastor Lopez, these actions go against spiritual values: “All our faith traditions teach us to love our neighbor and to lessen suffering. What we are witnessing inflicts generational trauma,” she told the Times.
The protest followed a series of immigration raids across Southern California, part of President Donald Trump’s broader mass deportation campaign. According to The Los Angeles Times, the operations targeted everyday locations—bus stops, parking lots, farmers markets, factories, and agricultural fields. While officials had initially pledged to focus on violent offenders, that approach was quickly abandoned. The administration has since expanded enforcement to anyone in the country without legal status.
In response, religious representatives from Catholic, Jewish, Muslim, and Sikh communities marched side by side, wearing their respective religious garments and offering prayers and songs in multiple languages. Their message was clear: end the raids and recognize the immigrant community as an integral part of Los Angeles.
Talia Guppy, a congregant at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Hollywood, joined the march holding purple flowers to her chest. She told the Times that several members of her congregation had been detained in a raid at a downtown garment factory. “We’re here for them,” she said. “We’ll keep hope and faith alive until justice is done.”
As the group arrived at the Federal Building, they were met by Department of Homeland Security officers stationed outside, with Marines visible through the glass doors. Undeterred, the faith leaders laid flowers on the steps in honor of those detained.
Sikh activist Valarie Kaur delivered a poignant message to the federal officers. “We come bearing flowers, and we will continue to come bearing flowers as long as our loved ones are locked in cages,” she told the Times, placing a bloom at the feet of uniformed agents. She then turned to the officers and asked how they wished to be remembered by history.
Father Brendan Busse, a Jesuit priest at Dolores Mission Church in Boyle Heights, spoke about the chilling effect the raids have had on his parish. He told the Times that many parishioners no longer attend Mass, and others call ahead to make sure it’s safe to come. “We must be a place of safety for our community—not just inside the church walls,” he said. “I can’t guarantee perfect protection, but I want them to know they are not alone.”
The event concluded with collective prayers, chants of solidarity, and powerful symbols—images of the Virgin Mary, Mexican flags, and messages of hope and resilience. As reported by The Los Angeles Times, the march reflected dignity, defiance, and a united stand for compassion.
Sources: Los Angeles Times
