Dodgers in crisis for remaining silent on ICE raids and discriminating against their Latino base
The Dodgers will make an announcement this Thursday in support of the Los Angeles migrant community.

Although they often boast about their legacy under Fernando Valenzuela and proudly wrap themselves in the banner of diversity, the Los Angeles Dodgers are facing a dark week.
Amid immigration raids, absurd warnings to singers, and discriminatory treatment at the stadium gates, the 2024 World Series champions seem to have lost touch with the soul that sustained them when the stands were half-empty and wins were few: the Latino community.
For days, as helicopters circled Latino neighborhoods and ICE agents kicked down doors at dawn, the Dodgers remained silent. Not a statement. Not a gesture. Not a word. Meanwhile, younger franchises like LAFC and Angel City FC—less storied but more socially aware—quickly voiced their support for those who live in daily fear.
And the silence hurt. Because for Latinos in Los Angeles, the Dodgers aren’t just a team. They’re an extension of home. A cultural inheritance. A tradition passed down through memories of listening to Jaime Jarrín on the radio, and watching Valenzuela challenge the powerful from the mound. The same Fernando who passed away last October, just before the Dodgers hoisted the trophy. His image lives on in murals, his memory in every grandmother who crossed the border and found solace in baseball.
The pain, then, was doubled.
Criticism poured in. Becky G said it plainly: “Don’t you dare turn your backs on us now.” The artist—long a partner in campaigns with the team—was among the first public voices to demand a clear stance. Nezza, a singer and influencer, tried to perform the national anthem in Spanish—an officially recognized version since 1945—but was reprimanded by a club employee.
“Don’t sing in Spanish,” they told her. As if that were a crime. As if that weren’t part of the fabric of Los Angeles.
And it didn’t end there.
Nezza, who defied the Dodgers wishes when they asked her not to sing the Star Spangled Banner before a recent game, was invited to city council today to sing it again in Spanish.
— Hear in LA (@hearinladotcom) June 18, 2025
We held a poll asking if, since about half of Dodger fans are Latino, if the team should have the… pic.twitter.com/8acPAC9E4A
One fan said they were turned away at the gates for wearing a sarape—a symbol once celebrated as a sign of local color and identity.
Only Kiké Hernández, the Puerto Rican infielder, broke ranks. He shared a clear, heartfelt message: “I cannot bear to see how our community is violated, discriminated against, abused, and destroyed.”
And Jaime Jarrín—the voice who narrated Dodgers games in Spanish for generations of immigrants—reminded everyone that the history of the United States is, at its core, the history of immigration. It’s not a slogan. It’s a historical truth.
Dodgers finally react and recognise their identity
Belatedly, the Dodgers seem to have recognized the magnitude of their failure. According to The Athletic, they plan to announce a new initiative this Thursday to support immigrant aid organizations affected by the raids. Details remain scarce. Skepticism is natural. The gesture may be meaningful—but it comes after deep wounds.
Marketing director Lon Rosen had previously said, “We will not be commenting.” Manager Dave Roberts called them “disturbing developments” but claimed he lacked sufficient information.
A lifelong Dodger fan said a security barred him from entering the stadium on Saturday because of his sarape scarf.https://t.co/Y819Xw6ZyF pic.twitter.com/tuSkthmTHS
— NBC Los Angeles (@NBCLA) June 17, 2025
This isn’t just a PR crisis. It’s a matter of identity. Of coherence. Of commitment to a city where over 48 percent of the population identifies as Hispanic or Latino. You can’t celebrate Valenzuela’s legacy one day, and remain silent the next while his heirs are persecuted.
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