Los Angeles [US], June 11 (ANI): The Mexican flag has become a powerful and controversial symbol during the ongoing immigration protests in Los Angeles, CNN reported. As demonstrators rally against recent federal immigration raids, many have been seen waving Mexico’s green, white, and red flag alongside those of other Latin American countries and the United States—gestures meant to express solidarity with immigrants and opposition to what many view as unjust enforcement practices.
Protests erupted on Friday after Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers conducted workplace raids in the city’s garment district. What began as peaceful demonstrations have since escalated, resulting in dozens of arrests and several violent confrontations.
In response to the unrest, President Donald Trump deployed thousands of National Guard troops and Marines to Los Angeles. The move drew sharp criticism from California’s Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom, who labeled the deployment an “illegal takeover” and a “blatant abuse of power.”
The use of the Mexican flag has stirred strong reactions, especially given that Los Angeles County is home to more than 3.4 million people of Mexican heritage or birth—more than any other county in the United States. While the flag has long been a fixture at immigration rallies in LA, Republican leaders and officials have sharply criticized its presence.
Vice President JD Vance posted on X, calling protesters “insurrectionists carrying foreign flags” and accusing them of attacking immigration officers. Senator Markwayne Mullin said on CNN, “They were literally out there protesting, carrying a foreign flag. That is absolutely insane. They’re not just peaceful protesters. These are illegals.”
The Department of Homeland Security has circulated images of protesters waving the Mexican flag during clashes with law enforcement. Trump aide Stephen Miller described the demonstrators as “foreign nationals, waving foreign flags, rioting and obstructing federal law enforcement attempting to expel illegal foreign invaders.”
In contrast, academics and activists defended the use of the flag. Raul Hinojosa-Ojeda, a professor at UCLA, argued that such portrayals are part of a long-standing tactic by the Trump administration. “Every single demonstration of this type brings out the Mexican flag,” he said, noting that most demonstrators are likely American citizens.
Former Mexican Foreign Minister Jorge Castañeda added that the use of the Mexican flag in protests dates back to the 1990s during the backlash against California’s Proposition 187. He emphasized that it would be “quite reckless and foolish” for undocumented individuals to protest publicly, implying that many participants are not undocumented.
While some, like former Congressman Adam Kinzinger, criticized the optics, saying, “The visuals of the Mexican flag at protests are terrible,” others emphasized the flag’s cultural and emotional significance.
Republican strategist Mike Madrid warned in the Sacramento Bee that flying foreign flags at protests “transforms what should be a debate about American constitutional rights and due process into a conversation about foreign loyalty and cultural assimilation.”
However, for many protesters, the flag represents pride and identity, not defiance. “The flags mean their families. The flags mean their communities. It’s not about having an international invasion,” Hinojosa-Ojeda explained.
Antonio Rodriguez, an organizer with the Brown Berets, added, “I don’t necessarily think just because somebody has pride in their culture that they’re un-American… Waving a Mexican flag, for us, is showing pride in our culture and our family.” (ANI)
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