It Could Happen Here Protest, Immigration Enforcement, and the Unhoused Community
How Protests and Policing Devastate the Unhoused and Undocumented Communities
Protests in Los Angeles often unintentionally worsen conditions for unhoused people who live near protest landmarks. The constant noise from helicopters, sirens, tear gas, and rubber bullets disrupts their already limited ability to sleep, causing exhaustion and heightened vulnerability.
Undocumented people face compounded challenges as immigration enforcement raids shelters, deterring many from seeking vital resources. Mutual aid groups face infiltration attempts by right-wing entities seeking to expose and harm undocumented community members.
Punitive laws criminalizing unhoused individuals worsen these issues, making it harder for them to find jobs or housing, perpetuating a cycle of homelessness and incarceration. These intersecting crises spotlight how policing and state violence disproportionately impact marginalized communities.
Protests Harm Unhoused Sleep
- Protests often disrupt sleep and safety for unhoused people living near protest sites.
- Noise from helicopters, sirens, and police creates continual distress and exhaustion for them.
Undocumented & Unhoused Intersection
- Many undocumented people end up unhoused while working low-wage jobs and face overlapping oppression.
- Anti-undocumented narratives often overshadow the urgent struggles unhoused people face, limiting protest and support.
