A fan waves a Dodger flag outside Distrito Catorce in Boyle Heights on October 30, 2024. (Photo by Andrew Lopez/Boyle Heights Beat)

This story was updated at 5:15 p.m., June 20, 2025.

The Los Angeles Dodgers announced a $1 million commitment to support “families of immigrants impacted by recent events in the region,” following growing pressure from fans, civic groups, and faith and labor leaders to take a stronger public stance against immigration enforcement activity in Los Angeles.

The pledge, announced Friday as part of a partnership with the city of Los Angeles, came as a new petition, organized by the faith-based network PICO California, urged the Dodgers organization to support community organizations defending immigrant families and to ensure that no team property is “ever used for immigration enforcement.”

The petition notes that teams like Angel City FC and LAFC have already spoken out, adding that, “The Dodgers must do the same.”

“The Dodgers aren’t just a team—they’re part of the soul of Los Angeles. But today, immigrant families who’ve stood by this team for generations are under attack,” according to the petition, which addresses Mark Walter, the chairman and controlling owner of the Dodgers.

“Latino families—who make up 40% of the Dodgers’ fan base and contribute $300 million in annual revenue—deserve more than silence. So do the many other immigrant fans from across the globe who fill Dodger Stadium,” it adds. “If these truly are our Dodgers, now is the time to stand with the people who built this team.”

In an Instagram post on Friday, PICO California said the organization is calling on the team “to take a moral stand.”  

The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA), the Episcopal Diocese of LA, Dolores Mission, InnerCity Struggle, SEIU 721, UFCW 770, the Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy (LAANE), and LA Voice are among the organizations that are backing the petition. 

This petition comes days after the Dodgers organization began facing growing questions from fans about its stance on ICE raids. Just yesterday, protesters, media and L.A. City Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez arrived at the stadium after rumors circled on social media about ICE vehicles using the stadium’s parking lots, according to LAist. 

The Dodgers on X said the team denied ICE personnel entry into the stadium. ICE then contradicted the team on X, saying, “We were never there.” The Department of Homeland Security also weighed in, stating, “This had nothing to do with the Dodgers. CBP (Customs and Border Patrol) vehicles were in the stadium parking lot very briefly, unrelated to any operation or enforcement.” 

The Los Angeles Public Press on Wednesday reported on the civic engagement organization ActionCali urging fans to reach out to the Dodgers to demand answers. 

“The Dodgers have stayed silent as ICE, the National Guard, the Marines, the LAPD and [the] LASD attack the people of LA,” according to the call to action, which urged fans to email the organization to “ask them why they’re selling out Los Angeles.”

Los Angeles Public Press noted the stadium’s fraught history of Chavez Ravine, the area that was cleared to make way for Dodger Stadium, displacing generations of mostly Mexican American communities.

My background: I was part of the team that launched De Los, a new section of the Los Angeles Times exploring Latino identity. I’ve been a local reporter for The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, The San Gabriel Valley Tribune, and The Orange County Register. You can find my writing on religion, food, and culture in The Atlantic, Eater, the Associated Press, the Washington Post, and Religion News Service. My upbringing spans South Central, El Monte, and Pomona.

What I do: I write about how decisions surrounding immigration, city hall, schools, health, religion and culture impact Boyle Heights and East LA. I do this by spending time with residents and community members, reaching out to civic and elected leaders, and by analyzing related research. I also mentor Boyle Heights Beat youth journalists.

Why LA: It’s where I’m from. Reporting and living here means appreciating the different neighborhood identities that make up LA. Also, nothing beats walking along the LA River, hiking at Debs Park, or catching a sunset while running on the Sixth Street Bridge in Boyle Heights.

The best way to contact me: My email is alejandra.molina@boyleheightsbeat.org.

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