USA/May Day—
By Suzanne Potter, producer, California News Service, a bureau of Public News Service.
Today is May Day – also known as International Workers’ Day – and this year, gatherings in California and across the United States will call for immigration reform and policies that improve affordability and defend democracy.
Union organizers are calling out cuts under the Department of Government Efficiency that decimated the federal workforce, as well as Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids that are sowing fear in immigrant communities.
David Huerta, president of Service Employees International Union-United Service Workers West, said the immigration crackdown disrupts the economy and hurts thousands of California working families.
“They were attacking people who have been here working hard, and demonstrating every day they’re wanting to be part of this country,” he said, “but yet this president treated them as criminals.”
Last month, the Republican-controlled House of Representatives approved $70 billions for immigration enforcement, saying the funding is necessary to protect American jobs and the rule of law.
Today, 29 rallies are planned in the Golden State alone. The website CAMayDay2026.org has for times and locations.
Huerta said the protesters will also speak out against the president’s proposal to limit mail-in voting and make it harder to register to vote, adding that this is an attempt to steal the November election.
“We already know they’re capable of it because we saw what they did on Jan 6, 2021,” he said. “We can’t let that happen again, and we have to make sure that we are prepared and ready to go, to defend our democracy.”
Speakers at the marches are also expected to press Congress to reverse the massive cuts made to Medi-Cal in last summer’s “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.”
