The Los Angeles Dodgers announced Friday that the organization will commit $1 million in financial assistance to families of immigrants who have been “impacted by recent events in the region.”
While the team did not specify which events it was referencing, the announcement comes as Los Angeles experiences widespread protests and riots in response to immigration authorities carrying out operations targeting illegal immigrants.
“What’s happening in Los Angeles has reverberated among thousands upon thousands of people, and we have heard the calls for us to take a leading role on behalf of those affected,” said Dodgers president Stan Kasten in a statement. “We believe that by committing resources and taking action, we will continue to support and uplift the communities of Greater Los Angeles.”
The team made headlines last week after confirming it turned away Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents who had requested access to the stadium’s parking lots. The organization stated it denied entry to the grounds for ICE officials after social media images circulated by various groups that appeared to show federal law enforcement on stadium grounds.
ICE denied the claim, and the Department of Homeland Security later clarified the individuals in question were not ICE agents but rather Customs and Border Protection (CBP) personnel. DHS added that CBP agents were only briefly in the parking lot for reasons unrelated to any enforcement action.
Despite the clarification, protests continued over the weekend. On Saturday, demonstrators gathered outside the stadium holding signs that read “ICE out of LA” and “Trump must go now!” as tensions over immigration enforcement in the city remain high.
