"It Really Upsets Me Seeing Kids Torn From Their Families": Women on the Frontlines of the Immigration Protests in L.A.
'Marie Claire' sent photojournalist Allison Lau to capture the women driving the fight against the Trump administration’s deportation raids.
For days, thousands of people have flooded the streets of L.A. to protest a wave of immigration raids by the Trump administration. As ICE agents showed up to workplaces, tore families apart, and threatened to enter schools, women have emerged as a powerful presence. They led marches and confronted authorities, visibly determined to protect themselves and their community from the threat of deportation. Their signs were pointed: “ICE Melts in LA,” “Families Belong Together,” “No Human Being Is Illegal.”
There was an unmistakable urgency to the demonstrations, which began after ICE agents swept a Home Depot parking lot and a local clothing factory, arresting more than 40 immigrant workers on Friday. The following day, police deployed tear gas as unrest spread throughout the city. On Tuesday, President Donald Trump ordered 2,000 National Guard troops to the area. Mayor Karen Bass has since called the city a “tinderbox.” What began as whispered concerns in community centers and kitchen tables had clearly erupted into something much larger.
Marie Claire sent photojournalist Allison Lau to spend time among these demonstrators, capturing the resilience and anger of the women at the heart of the movement. Here, in their own words and images, is the story of their fight.
Annika (L), 39, holds a “Liberty & Justice for ALL” sign above her head.
“I’m here in solidarity,” says Annika.“It really upsets me seeing kids torn from their families. I hope [us mobilizing] can start the ball rolling on getting Trump out of office.”
Cynthia Carlos, 28, holds a Mexican flag at the protest.
“My father was once deported. I know what it’s like to have your family ripped apart,” says Cynthia Carlos. “I have a voice for myself, for my parents, and for my son who’s going to grow up [in this country].”
Araceli Martinez, 45, stands holding a yellow-pink sign that reads “I AM NOT AFRAID OF YOU.”
“We’re here to say: ‘We’re not scared,’” says Araceli Martinez. “All these people—the working class people that were welcome to the country, that were already in this country and on this land—we all built this. ”
Libertad, 45 (right), poses with an unidentified woman. They hold a red sign that reads “NO ONE IS ILLEGAL ON STOLEN LAND.”
“We have the right to migrate on our own ancestors’ land,” says Libertad, calling out the lack of historical context in the crackdown. “Whether you’re detribalized or not, we all have the right to be here.”
Monica De Leon, 45, wearing a T-shirt that reads “No Human Being Is Illegal.”
"I am a child of immigrants—one parent was deported when I was 10, and that had a lasting impact. By the time he came back, I was already a mom and he was a grandpa. You can never get that time back," says Monica De Leon.
Scenes from the Streets
Beyond the interviews, signs, expressions, and small moments told their own story.
A protester in a mask holds a sign reading “U R ON NATIVE LAND.”
A woman in green raises her sign with one hand while marching.
A line of police officers in riot gear block a city street.
A protester holds a cardboard sign that reads “I’m here for those who can’t be here.”
Close-up of a sign that reads “ICE MELTS IN LA.”
A masked protester faces a line of police officers on a downtown street.
