Latinx Files: The battle over immigration ramps up

It didn’t take long for President Trump to start delivering on his promise to crack down on immigration, a plan Pope Francis has called a “disgrace.”

Hours after taking office for a second term on Monday, Trump signed a flurry of executive orders related to the issue, including declaring a national emergency at the southern border, designating Mexican drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations, denying birthright citizenship for the children of undocumented parents, halting asylum and ending humanitarian parole.

If the goal was to instill fear, despair and confusion, the new administration has succeeded.

In a dispatch from Tijuana, my colleague Melissa Gomez spoke to asylum seekers whose appointments with U.S. inspectors scheduled through CBP One — a mobile app implemented by the Biden administration to streamline asylum applications — had been abruptly canceled shortly after Trump took office.

Asylum seekers gather outside a U.S. Customs office Tuesday in Tijuana.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

“Look at all these people with their bags, with their luggage. I brought a backpack and hope. On the inside, I’m dying,” said Roberto Canastu, 40, who had come from Guatemala.

On this side of the border, the day to day lives of immigrants are already being disrupted. Parents are debating sending their kids to class now that Trump has made schools and churches fair game for immigration enforcement officials.

“People are scared to go to the grocery store,” a farm labor contractor in Ventura County who asked to remain anonymous told The Times. “There are migrants who are scared to even go to the hospital to give birth at this point.”

In the flurry of changes — and amid the atmosphere of fear they seem clearly intended to create — it can be tough to know what will really change and what will be stymied by the law and by the inevitable pushback, which has already begun.

On Tuesday, a coalition of states (including California)sued to block Trump’s order against birthright citizenship. In a separate lawsuit, U.S. District Judge John Coughenour ruled Thursday that the order was unconstitutional. Similarly, the American Civil Liberties Union has filed a lawsuit challenging the fast tracking of deportations.

Here in Los Angeles, Pablo Alvarado and the network of day laborers that he helps lead have been grappling with how to respond to Trump’s immigration orders while also mobilizing to help communities recover from the devastation of the fires that have ravaged Los Angeles. Not only are migrant workers are facing the threat of deportation, but many have lost jobs and homes due to the fires.

And yet, Alvarado maintains an approach rooted in hope, as my colleague Gustavo Arellano shows in his recent profile.

“Don’t fall into despair. When there’s a crisis like this or what’s ahead, take it one day at a time,” he said. “How you plan in times of uncertainty is always very difficult. But the one thing I’ve learned is if you follow the greater good — follow your heart — nothing can go wrong.”

‘Emilia Pérez’ received the most nominations for this year’s Oscars. Not everyone is a fan.

The nominations for the 97th Academy Awards were revealed yesterday. “Emilia Pérez,” the French-produced, Netflix-distributed musical about a Mexican cartel boss who undergoes gender-affirming surgery, led the field with 13 nominations, including best picture and lead actress (Karla Sofía Gascón, who is from Spain, made history as the first trans woman to be nominated in an acting category).

Not everyone is a fan of the film. Among the critics is Gustavo Arellano, who argues in this scathing— and correct, in my opinion — column that “Emilia Pérez,” which uses Mexico’s drug war and the violence it has spawned as a backdrop, perpetuates stereotypes instead of breaking them. Arellano writes:

In the end, “Emilia Pérez” is a wannabe “Mrs. Doubtfire” that replaces humor and genius with hubris and guns. No wonder the film nabbed so many Oscar nominations: Academy members are always going to want their cinematic Mexico to be a pitiable hellhole in need of salvation and a reminder to change its errant ways, a trope that goes back to the days of Manifest Destiny.

And in case you’re interested in watching films about the drug war made by actual Mexican directors, De Los has put together this list of recommended movies and where you can find them.

Stories we read this week that we think you should read

7 Latino films at Sundance 2025 to keep an eye out for

The 2025 Sundance Film Festival kicked off Thursday, and this year’s programming features several movies directed by and/or starring Latinx talent. From a star-studded adaptation of a popular novel to a documentary about Selena Quintanilla executive produced by her family, Times contributor Carlos Aguilar put together a list of seven films to watch out for.

The making of ‘La Bamba’ was a family affair. An upcoming book with never-before-seen photos will show how

Lou Diamond Phillips as Ritchie Valens in the 1987 biopic “La Bamba.”

(Merrick Morton)

“La Bamba,” the 1987 biopic about teen rocker Ritchie Valens, written and directed by Luis Valdez, is one of the most culturally significant films about the Latinx experience in the U.S. This summer, L.A.-based published Hat & Beard Press will release a new book featuring never-before-seen photographs from Merrick Morton, who was hired to document the film during production. Not only should you read this story because it includes some of these images, but reporter Andrea Flores also got a first-hand account by those involved on how “La Bamba” came to be.

Commentary: I spent my childhood in the Palisades homes my mother cleaned. We’re also grieving what was lost.

In a touching personal essay that highlights the interconnectivity of Los Angeles, author Yesika Salgado, the daughter of a former Pacific Palisades housekeeper, reflects on the homes and families that influenced her life and career. A snippet:

“Each family is part of the tapestry of my own family’s memories. When Papi died, Mrs. J. and the señor came to his wake. They sat in the pew surrounded by my huge Salvadoran family, and when I glanced at them while giving my father’s eulogy, I saw their eyes wet with tears. Two years ago, mami retired but we kept in close touch. They often expressed how proud they were of my writing career. When mami was diagnosed with breast cancer in May, Mrs. J. called and continued checking in.

I don’t know a life without them.

How the cholo clown became the face of L.A.

From spray-painted walls to fine-inked tattoos to drawings on prison envelopes sent from fathers to their kids, the cholo clown has for more than a half-century been deeply tied to L.A.’s Chicano culture. Now it is speaking to a new generation on the pages of social media influencers, in online ads and TikTok videos. Story by contributor Frank Rojas

Advocates gather to demand equitable fire recovery for long-time Altadena residents, immigrants and others

People packed a Pasadena church last Friday to highlight the needs of domestic workers, seniors, renters and others who lost homes and jobs to the Eaton fire.

“The urgency of this moment cannot be overstated,” Rosa Salas, whose family has lived in the Pasadena/Altadena area for generations, said. “The response must be swift, equitable and accessible, ensuring that no one fear seeking aid due to their immigration status or faces insurmountable obstacles.”