The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA) is currently facing scrutiny over its alleged role in funding the anti-ICE protests in Los Angeles.
The Senate and FBI both announced investigations into the organization, as well as others, for providing funding and resources for the individuals rioting in protest of President Donald Trump’s mass deportation efforts and overall immigration policies.
CHIRLA denies funding the unrest, insisting that it has only organized peaceful protests. Nevertheless, suspicions about the organization’s activities remain.
CHIRLA was founded in 1986 after Congress passed the Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA), which granted legal status to millions of illegal immigrants, but also criminalized those who knowingly hire illegals. Its founder, Father Luis Olivares, was affiliated with the Sanctuary Movement and sheltered Central American refugees fleeing from the civil wars happening at the time.
The organization’s mission is “to achieve a just society, fully inclusive of immigrants,” according to its website. The objective is to bring about freedom of movement, full human rights, and voting rights for immigrants.
The group functions as a service provider and advocacy organization. It offers legal services for immigrants and educates them through its “Know Your Rights” workshops and civic engagement programs. It established the nation’s first day labor center and fought against local and state laws targeting illegal immigrants.
CHIRLA has also organized major public demonstrations, including the 2006 immigration march in Los Angeles. While the group is a local advocacy organization, it has also influenced policy at the federal level. It was instrumental in creating the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which allowed illegal immigrants who were brought to the country as minors to avoid deportation. It also pushed to integrate illegal immigrants into civil society by promoting legislation offering them driver’s licenses, labor protection, and voter engagement initiatives.
Public protests are a core component of CHIRLA’s activities. It has organized many demonstrations advocating for immigrant rights and opposing restrictions on illegal immigration. Its activists have held numerous rapid-response protests when illegals are arrested and threatened with deportation.
When Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conducted a 2008 raid in Los Angeles, arresting over 130 illegals at a manufacturing plant, CHIRLA quickly came to their aid with legal services and public demonstrations. In several cases, they have protested outside immigration detention centers within hours of a raid.
CHIRLA has come under fire for its controversial views on immigration. It played a prominent role in the #AbolishICE movement under the first Trump administration. It has called for the dismantling of the agency, claiming its tactics are abusive. It even sent an open letter calling on employers to refrain from hiring former Trump administration officials tied to his immigration policies.
The organization played an active part in protesting ICE’s recent raids in Los Angeles in which it detained dozens of people. CHIRLA organized a large rally in Downtown Los Angeles criticizing the raids and Trump’s mass deportation program. While the demonstrations began peacefully, it did not take long for the situation to devolve into violence.
The ensuing riots saw protesters clashing with law enforcement, looting stores, and setting civilian and government vehicles ablaze. Police have arrested over 200 people engaged in the rioting.
However, the extent of CHIRLA’s alleged involvement in the unrest has not yet been determined. Federal authorities are still digging into who is responsible for funding the violence in Los Angeles.