Santa Ana, CA – On Thursday, July 3, community members and local activists rallied in front of the Santa Ana Federal Building. They demanded U.S. Attorney Bilal Essayli drop the charges against immigrant rights activist Alejandro Orellana. They also called for “Hands off Verita Topete!” another activist with Centro CSO who was targeted by the FBI.
“When activists are under attack, what do we do? Stand up fight back!” chanted the fiery crowd.
Fight Back! is circulating the following statement from the Committee to Stop FBI Repression.
A trial date of August 26 was set for immigrant rights activist Alejandro Orellana at his July 3 court appearance in front of a room packed with supporters. Orellana was arrested by the FBI on June 12 for protesting against ICE in Los Angeles. He faces up to 5 years in prison for two bogus federal charges: conspiracy to commit civil disorder and aiding and abetting civil disorder.
The Committee to Stop FBI Repression is calling for a national day of protests on the first day of Orellana's trial, August 26th, to demand that the charges be dropped. To everyone who believes in the right to free speech, to protest ICE, and to say no to deportations, we urge you to organize a local protest on that day at the nearest federal courthouse.
Los Angeles, CA – On Saturday, July 5, Centro CSO organized a rally at La Placita Olvera in downtown Los Angeles to demand justice for two of its members who are under attack: Alejandro Orellana and Verita Topete. The rally drew over 50 community members, workers, students, organizers and even Orellana’s former schoolteachers. The crowd united to chant, “Drop the charges!”
Los Angeles, CA – On July 3, the courtroom in the Edward Roybal Federal Courthouse was completely packed in support of Alejandro Orellana.
Orellana was raided by the National Guard, East LA sheriffs and the FBI on June 12 and is facing up to five years in prison if found guilty. U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli charged Orellana with conspiracy to commit civil unrest and aiding and abetting civil unrest.
“Thank you to all for your support today,” said Alejandro Orellana, addressing his supporters. Present were his immediate family, Centro CSO members and other supporters. Also present was CSO member and immigration leader Verita Topete. On June 26, Topete was followed in a park and violently served a search warrant for her phone, while she walked her dog alone.
Denver, CO – On the evening of June 27, Aurora Unidos CSO, Denver-Aurora Community Action Committee (DACAC), and rank-and-file Teamsters gathered outside the Byron Rogers Federal Building to demand that charges be dropped on Los Aneles immigrant rights activist Alejandro Orellana.
Chicago, IL – On Friday, June 27, allies of the Los Angeles group Centro CSO gathered at noon in downtown Chicago for a press conference and rally in support of CSO immigrant rights activists Alejandro Orellana and Verita Topete. Orellana and Topete have been targeted by the FBI in the weeks since the Los Angeles protests against ICE raids.
“We’re here to demand that the federal charges against Alejandro Orellana be dropped,” Joe Iosbaker of the Committee to Stop FBI Repression, said. “Raids and federal grand juries are attacks on progressive movements, on our freedom to speak, to assemble, and to tell the government that their actions and their policies are wrong.”
Tampa, FL – On a loud and busy intersection in front of Sam Gibbons Federal Courthouse on Friday morning, June 27, members of three groups – Tampa Immigrants Rights Committee, Tampa Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, and Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society – gathered to rally in solidarity with two Los Angeles activists targeted by the FBI for their political beliefs and for standing with their communities. They read statements in in solidarity with Alejandro Orellana and Verita Topete.
Los Angeles, CA – On Friday, June 27, community members gathered at Salazar Park at 4 p.m. for a press conference and rally demanding the charges be dropped against Alejandro Orellana and calling for justice for Verita Topete. Both are immigrant rights activists who were raided by the FBI within the last two weeks.
Los Angeles, CA – On Thursday, June 26, Verita Topete, an immigrant rights activist with Centro CSO, was ambushed by the FBI while walking her dog at a park. Federal agents aggressively approached her to serve a warrant and force her to give them her phone.
Fight Back New Service is circulating the following statement from the Legalization for All (L4A) Network.
The Legalization for All (L4A) Network is calling on all affiliated immigrant rights organizations and supporters to mobilize an action in support of Alejandro Orellana on June 27th, or participate in a national call-in day against U.S. Attorney Bilal “Bill” Essayli.
Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the Committee to Stop FBI Repression.
On the morning of June 12, the FBI, accompanied by the National Guard and LA sheriffs, raided the home of Alejandro Orellana for his protesting of ICE raids in Los Angeles. He was arrested, taken into federal custody, then released the next day – after much public pressure and many phone calls to the U.S. Attorney.
Now he faces two bogus federal charges: one for conspiracy to commit civil disorder and another for aiding and abetting civil disorder. He is facing serious prison time.
Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from National Students for a Democratic Society (SDS).
On June 12, 2025, the FBI raided the home of Alejandro “Alex” Orellana in Los Angeles and arrested him on bogus charges. Alex is a leading member of Centro CSO, a Chicano community organization that opposes deportations and defends immigrant rights. He is being charged with “conspiracy to commit civil disorder” because of his participation in protests against ICE in LA. These charges are politically motivated and could carry a sentence of up to 5 years in prison.
Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression. Orellana has been released from jail and the NAARPR is working to support his defense.
Statement Demanding the Release of Alejandro Orellana
On June 12th, FBI agents arrested Alejandro Orellana, a member of Centro CSO, a branch of the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression based in the Boyle Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles, for providing aid to the community being tear-gassed. Orellana’s arrest comes the same day Senator Alex Padilla was violently assaulted at a Homeland Security press conference. We condemn Orellana’s arrest as a clear example of racist and political repression. After immense community pressure led by the Centro CSO, Orellana was released the following day! The power of the people are driving ICE back and freeing people like Orellano, and it will be the power of the people that get Orellano’s charges dropped!
Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the Committee to Stop FBI Repression.
On the morning of Wednesday, April 23, FBI and local police raided the homes of pro-Palestine activists across three cities in Michigan: Canton, Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti. What they had in common were they were supporters of Palestine and often attended protests. At least one is a graduate student.
On the morning of April 23, the FBI and state and local police in Michigan raided the homes of pro-Palestinian activists in at least three cities: Ypsilanti, Ann Arbor and Canton. These activists, including at least four people in Ypsilanti and at least one graduate student, are reported to have attended or supported protests in support of Palestine and condemning the genocide in Gaza.
Aurora, CO – On November 21, the FBI knocked on the door of Jonce Palmer, a general member of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, and co-founder of Denver-Aurora Community Action Committee. Palmer confirmed their name, but did not answer the FBI’s questions, and then firmly shut the door and the agent left.
Palmer explained, “About 1 p.m. I was cooking in my apartment, and I saw a silhouette walk by my window and heard a knock at the door. I opened the door, asking ‘Hi, can I help you?’”
New Orleans, LA- On June 25, FBI agents phoned Cuba solidarity activist Jack Reno Sweeney to attempt to interrogate him about his work. A week prior to calling him, they visited his former apartment, and then called his mother on June 24. They called his mother a second time two days later.
Nine years ago, on September 24, 2010, the FBI raided and subpoenaed Midwest anti-war and international solidarity activists in a bogus attempt to discover “material support of terrorism.” The FBI’s campaign of repression ordered more than 70 FBI agents to raid seven homes and two offices of leading activists in Minneapolis and Chicago. The FBI subpoenaed those raided, and that same morning subpoenaed others in those cities as well as Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Minneapolis, MN – A well-known Iranian journalist, Marzieh Hashemi, has been jailed by the FBI. Hashemi is an anchor on Iran’s English language Press TV and has interviewed many progressive U.S. activists. According to credible reports, Hashemi was taken into custody at the Saint Louis, Missouri area’s Louis Lambert International Airport on January 13. The FBI has since moved her to a detention facility near Washington DC.
Fight Back! interviewed Aaron Leonard, who, along with Conor Gallagher, wrote two pathbreaking books that largely deal with the government repression employed against one of the largest groups of the new communist movement, the Revolutionary Union (RU).