Mariana refuses to allow fear to stop her from protesting against the current immigration crackdown in Los Angeles. For her, the recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids: a nephew was arrested at work. So on Friday, the diminutive Guatemalan immigrant rallied against President Donald Trump supporter billionaire Peter Thiel and his software company, Palantir, which is reportedly assisting immigration authorities in tracking down undocumented immigrants.
Mariana, who asked that her real name not be used for fear of reprisals, was among more than 100 people protesting the raids at the footsteps of Luckman Plaza on West Hollywood’s Sunset Strip. While Palantir does not have an office there, Thiel Capital, the billionaire’s additional company, does.
“[Thiel] is making millions helping with the raids,” said Mariana, 45, of LA. “What they are doing to us immigrants is unjust.”
Technology and Immigration
According to media reports, Palantir specializes in software platforms for data analytics and has many federal agencies among its clients, including the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). ICE is a division of DHS.
Mariana was at the West Hollywood protest for her nephew, Pablo Niqueas Calvac Chan.
Calvac Chan, 28, was among two dozen workers detained by immigration agents at Ambiance Apparel, a clothing store in LA’s Fashion District. The raid was part of several carried out on June 9, which led to daily demonstrations in LA against Trump’s immigration raids and other policies.
From Golden State to Central America
News of Calvac Chan’s arrest spread fast through his extended family in California and his native home of Guatemala on that fateful day.
Mariana had seen videos of ICE arrests on social media in the morning, but did not imagine a loved one being among them. But around 1 p.m., she received a distressing message from Calvac Chan’s mother in Guatemala saying her nephew had been detained. Mariana felt astounded. In the middle of the shock and confusion, she recalls asking herself desperately, “What can I do to help him?”
For the next few hours, her family focused on finding out the whereabouts of the Ambience workers who were arrested. A link shared on Facebook by the nonprofit Union del Barrio brought some peace of mind to Mariana, who was then able to locate him. She found that he was transferred from LA to Victorville, where he remains.
“Pablo called his brother in San Rafael and told him he was fine, thank God,” Mariana said.
Lives Disrupted
Now, the family is grappling with the financial and legal consequences of the raid.
Calvac Chan lived with his aunt and cousin, contributing to the rent of their apartment in South LA.
“Now they’re going to be short on the rent money,” Mariana lamented. She added that he also played a crucial role in caring for his younger sister Anita in Guatemala. The 26-year-old woman has suffered from rheumatoid arthritis since age six, affecting most of her joints and causing deformation of her neck.
“She’s disabled, and Pablo and his brother helped pay for her welfare,” Mariana said. “Things are going to get harder for our family in Guatemala and here.”
Then there is the issue of Calvac Chan’s legal defense. The family hired a private attorney, seeking quicker and better results than they could get from pro bono lawyers and nonprofits.
“Attorneys are expensive,” noted Mariana, adding they might start a campaign to raise money for Calvac Chan’s case and his family in Guatemala.
While there are some crowdfunding efforts like GoFundMe pages for some detainees, this way of getting help is new to Mariana and her relatives.
Calvac Chan has never asked for charity, according to his aunt.
“He works hard and aspires to a better life,” Mariana said. The man’s first job in LA was at a flower shop back in 2017, according to his aunt.
“He also went to school to learn English and land better employment,” she stated. He worked for three years at Ambience Apparel, where he was promptly promoted for his bilingual and customer service skills.
“He started at the warehouse and then got promoted to cashier and assisting clients,” Mariana added with pride.
Underemployed Yet Supporting a Cause
Advocating for undocumented immigrants is not easy for Mariana. She and her husband are struggling to find work.
“Having been a seamstress for many years, I’ve witnessed how scarce work has become,” she shared.
“I’ve only been offered part-time positions through staffing agencies, and they provide just a handful of hours,” she noted with frustration.
Now the raids are making it harder to find employment because both employers and workers are afraid of ICE operations, said Mariana. Her husband has not had better luck. A day laborer, he relied on Home Depot stores to pick up jobs. Earlier this month, a Home Depot was raided by ICE, with agents picking up day laborers, adding to the uncertainty in people’s lives.
“We’re not making enough to pay the rent,” Mariana said. “We’re very worried.”
Two weeks after Calvac Chan’s detention, the family remains overwhelmed by emotions.
“We are angry and in fear,” Mariana said, adding she is the only relative able to speak to media to raise awareness about the plight of Calvac Chan and other ICE detainees. This is a risk she is willing to take.
“I’ve learned that we have to learn how to defend ourselves and our families,” she said, encouraging others to get involved to help stop the raids and deportations in any way possible.
“What they are now doing to immigrants is wrong. But we must know our rights and how to better protect our communities.”