California leaders urge voters to resist federal intimidation

Community leaders in California are calling on voters to remain resilient against what they describe as federal efforts to intimidate and suppress the Latino vote. The Coalition for Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA) and the ‘We Are CA’ coalition have denounced recent Department of Justice operations, which included the arrest of 11 individuals following allegations of election fraud.

CHIRLA political director Fátima Flores-Lagunas characterized these actions as deliberate attempts by the current administration to create chaos and fear within the state. This tension follows the indictment of 28 people in California for alleged election crimes. Additionally, the Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit against California, alleging the state maintains non-citizens on its voter rolls after the state rejected an ultimatum regarding data involving 20,000 suspected non-citizen voters.

In the midst of these legal and political tensions, Democratic candidate Xavier Becerra is campaigning for the governorship. Becerra, who has served as the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services and California Attorney General, is positioning himself as a defender against federal policies that impact immigrant communities. Recent polling places Becerra with 62.8% support among likely voters.