LOS ANGELES (AP) — Iris Delgado started a running club in her largely Latino, Los Angeles suburb two years ago to connect runners and advocate for safety measures like crosswalks and designated bike lanes.
Now, with the Trump administration’s immigration raids rocking Huntington Park, the group’s motto of keeping each other safe has taken on even greater meaning.
The Huntington Park Run Club’s Instagram carries posts warning of federal immigration agent sightings. A bike marshal accompanies every meet-up, zipping past the runners on his electric bike to ensure everyone is accounted for and feeling good. Since the raids ramped up this summer, Delgado also brings flyers and cards to each run informing people and local businesses of their rights.
Less than a mile north of her route is a Home Depot whose parking lot has been hit multiple times by immigration raids, causing the next door high school to go into lockdown during its graduation ceremony in June. A few blocks south is a home where a woman and her two children were sleeping when federal agents used explosives that blasted the door off and shattered windows, looking for a man wanted for allegedly ramming his car into a U.S. Customs and Border Patrol vehicle during a protest. The case has since been dismissed.
Amidst it all, the Huntington Park Run Club runs on, trying to protect and reclaim the streets the runners call home. Evelyn Romo, 25, who joined the club after she returned home from college, said just going out to run now makes a statement in the community.
“Continuing to take up space even in the form of running in these streets is a form of protest, is a form of resistance,” she said.
The club has never canceled a run. It’s important to maintain a space for people to come and decompress, and feel safe, Delgado said.
Delgado leads weekly runs with around 30 participants, whose ages range from 11 to over 70. She emphasizes that while the members reflect the larger community, their immigration statuses are not discussed.
As the Trump administration's immigration policies impact thousands in Los Angeles County, the perception of safety has shifted dramatically. Even U.S. citizens and legal residents face risks of being swept up in the raids. The club's mission is to ensure safety and awareness, reinforcing a commitment to community solidarity.
After raising funds for a community support fund aimed at supporting day laborers, the club actively documents any immigration raids seen during their runs, offering guidance to runners on how to maintain safety while supporting one another. Delgado stated, “Our main community value is to keep each other safe and look out for each other. That agreement is part of our culture at this point.”