The town of Lengthy Seaside has canceled its annual Día de los Muertos parade, citing considerations raised by group members about federal immigration operations.
The town-sponsored parade is often held in early November and attracts giant crowds to Lengthy Seaside.
Regardless that the town just isn’t conscious of federal enforcement exercise focusing on the parade, the choice was made “out of an abundance of warning” as a result of it’s “a big and really public outside occasion,” mentioned Lengthy Seaside spokesperson Kevin Lee.
Lengthy Seaside Metropolis Councilmember Mary Zendejas had requested the cancellation, Lee mentioned.
“This resolution didn’t come calmly,” each Zendejas and the town mentioned in statements. The choice addresses “real fears raised by group members, particularly those that might face the opportunity of sudden and indiscriminate federal enforcement actions that undermine the sense of safety essential to take part totally in public life.”
The Arte y Ofrendas Pageant, a separate ticketed occasion organized by an outdoor vendor and held at Rainbow Lagoon Park, additionally has been canceled this 12 months. The competition usually coincides with the city-sponsored parade and is held the place the parade ends its route, thus drawing parade attendees.
Roberto Carlos Lemus, a marketer who introduced meals vans and different distributors to the competition final 12 months, known as the cancellation “very unhappy.”
“Everybody’s very unhappy in regards to the state of affairs. Día de los Muertos has been one of many largest celebrations for a really very long time, and the town has achieved a fantastic job placing it on,” Lemus advised The Occasions on Sunday. “Sadly with Latinos being kidnapped and attacked by ICE and the present administration, I do perceive why they made the choice that they made.”
Lemus mentioned some native companies had been anxious about financial fallout of the competition and parade cancellation in addition to the potential results of raids on Latino Restaurant Week in Lengthy Seaside, an occasion he co-founded that’s set to start Sept. 22.
“They’re afraid,” he mentioned. “General, it impacts all people.”
Immigration raids have swept Southern California in latest months, with 1000’s of individuals detained by federal brokers. A brand new Supreme Courtroom ruling has cleared the way in which for U.S. immigration brokers to cease and detain individuals in Southern California whom they suspect of being within the U.S. illegally, even when their suspicion is solely primarily based on the kind of job they maintain, the language they communicate or their look.
The ruling has bolstered fears that folks with brown pores and skin and Spanish audio system will likely be focused — particularly going into nationwide Hispanic Heritage Month, which begins Monday — and was met with outrage by immigration rights attorneys and native leaders.
At its assembly Tuesday, the Lengthy Seaside Metropolis Council authorized a movement to push unspent funds allotted for this 12 months’s parade to subsequent 12 months’s price range, guaranteeing $100,000 will likely be obtainable for the 2026 parade.
The council additionally added $600,000 to the Lengthy Seaside Justice Fund, which offers authorized illustration to residents who face immigration actions, bringing the price range obtainable for the fund to $1.85 million. The fund ensures residents have entry to “sources essential to safeguard their constitutional rights, uphold due course of protections, and protect household unity,” in response to the movement.
Some Southern California occasions have proceeded as scheduled regardless of comparable fears.
East L.A.’s 79th annual Mexican Independence Day parade held on Sunday appeared to attract smaller crowds than normal, however many mentioned they felt a way of pleasure and obligation to attend despite the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.
“We’re right here and we’re going to proceed combating for our rights and for others who can’t battle for themselves,” Samantha Robles, 21, advised The Occasions as she watched the parade roll by.
