BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — The Rapid Response Network of Kern has officially deployed their volunteers into the community to provide assistance following fears from recent immigration raids in Los Angeles.
- The Rapid Response Network of Kern was established in 2018, made up of local organizations, community leaders, and immigrant rights advocates, providing multiple resources to the undocumented population.
- Year round, they have about 25-30 regular volunteers, but when times in need occur, rapid response deploys all 200 volunteers into the community.
- This has been the case since June 6 with ICE officers being spotted in Los Angeles and its neighboring communities claiming to conduct targeted enforcement in the downtown area.
Little red cards are being distributed into the community by the Rapid Response of Kern. Preparing the immigrant population for possible encounters with ICE officials. These efforts come after the recent immigration raids in Los Angeles.
"I'm part of an immigrant family, I came here undocumented when I was two and a half years old so it hit very close to home,” said volunteer Vicky Garrido. “You know just seeing families being taken people who are in fear."
Garrido tells me she decided to become a volunteer with the group called "Rapid Response Network of Kern" in January, after sightings of border patrol were confirmed in Kern County.
In the past six months she says she's been able to speak with many undocumented individuals, passing out cards and connecting them with immigration attorneys like Ana Huerta who can inform them of their rights.
The network is a statewide community-led system designed to quickly respond to and support people impacted by immigration enforcement actions, such as raids by ICE or Border Patrol.
"We do legal response for those who may have prior deportations and be specifically targeted and then we assist community members in locating loved ones who may be sent to detention centers,” said immigration attorney Ana Huerta.
Huerta, who is also the granddaughter of Dolores Huerta says, they have about 25-30 regular volunteers year round, but after ICE officers were spotted in Los Angeles and its neighboring communities, rapid response has deployed all 200 volunteers into the community.
Garrido telling me she does outreach whenever she has free time and brings her children as well to teach them the power of speaking out for their community and hopes to inspire others to join.
"I was in that situation at some point, I didn't know that as a child that I was here undocumented, but my parents made that sacrifice and we do it because we care about our community and we are here to stand together and protect them,” said Garrido.
While there has yet to be an official sighting of ICE being in the county, rapid response has deployed all their volunteers to keep the community informed and aware of their rights.
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