The 2025 East L.A. Mexican Independence Day Parade is Sunday, with Jose Hernandez serving as this year’s Grand Marshall, embodying the American Dream — from farm worker to NASA astronaut. At the same time, the parade is taking place under the threat of immigration raids.
At Friday’s press conference to kick off the weekend festivities, parade organizers, local politicians, and the Consul General of Mexico discussed the climate of the immigration raids.
“It’s been very challenging. We didn’t know if we were going to move forward or not at moments. But thanks to our local officials and the police department, Chief McDonnell, who’s gonna be in the parade also, so they give us great joy that we’re going to have them all. And like we’ve all been saying, you guys have the choice to come, and if not, you can watch it on ABC7,” said Maria Elena Serrano, president of the Mexican Civic Committee…