Politics

Meet The Pro-Illegal Immigrant Groups The La Raza Lawyers Of San Diego Consider Part Of Their ‘Community’

Alex Pfeiffer White House Correspondent
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The San Diego La Raza Lawyers Association (SDLRLA), the group which Trump University lawsuit Judge Gonzalo Curiel is a member of, considers various pro-illegal immigrant organizations as part of its “community.”

The SDLRLA’s website includes a side-panel on their site titled “Community” which includes links to a variety of groups, including the National Council of La Raza.

“Please note, the San Diego Lawyers Association is not affiliated with the National La Raza Council,” the president of the SDLRLA, Luis O. Osuna, told The Daily Caller in a statement. However, this link is not the only connection between the SDLRLA and the National Council of La Raza. The San Diego previously publicized a La Raza announcement in 2012 about gay marriage.

The SDLRLA is also an affiliate of the Hispanic National Bar Association. The former president of this group, Rafael Santiago, was on the board of the National Council of La Raza. La Raza views itself as a non-radical Latino advocacy group, but Hispanic civil rights leader Cesar Chavez called the movement “anti-gringo.”

“I hear more and more Mexicans talking about la raza—to build up their pride, you know,” Chavez said, according to a 1969 New Yorker profile. “Some people don’t look at it as racism, but when you say ‘la raza,’ you are saying an anti-gringo thing, and it won’t stop there.”

Donald Trump has come out strongly against Judge Curiel saying he can’t be impartial because of his Mexican heritage. Likewise, the National Council of La Raza has come out strongly against Trump. The group’s president has previously accused Trump of “bigotry.” The NCLR has also previously called President Barack Obama “deporter-in-chief.”

However, the NCLR is not the only group the San Diego La Raza Lawyers Association associates with that takes issues with Trump and his policies. Another group linked as part of the SDLRLA’s community is Reality Changers, which provides scholarships to low-income youth, some of which are illegal immigrants. It was previously reported by TheDC that Judge Curiel was on a selection committee that gave a scholarship to an illegal alien.

MANA de San Diego is also listed on the community page of the SDLRLA and likewise to Reality Changers they offer scholarships to illegal immigrant youth. Another group in the “community” is MALDEF. MALDEF previously spearheaded a lawsuit against several colleges for denying admission to illegal aliens.

Alliance San Diego is likewise linked to by the SDLRLA and a recent post on their site is, “Latinos allege excessive policing after Trump protests.” Alliance San Diego has come out strongly in support of Obama’s executive actions providing amnesty.

Another group that SDLRLA considers part of their community is Border Angels. The founder of Border Angels opposed the most recent immigration reform bill, Gang of Eight, because “it is not humane, as it would double the size of the Border Patrol and double the size of the wall.”

San Diego Dream Team is another organization linked to the SDLRLA. The group recently tweeted out their displeasure with deportation raids from the Obama administration. “San Diego will NOT stand for hate, militarization of our communities/separation of families#StopTheHate #HereToStay,” the group wrote on May 27.

The SDLRLA told TheDC that, “the ‘For the Community’ page is there to direct people to organizations that provide services, which we do not. That’s it.”

Previously, Curiel was honored by the SDLRLA for his “leadership and support to the community.”

Updated with comment from the San Diego La Raza Lawyers Association

Alex Pfeiffer