Statement by Buried Under the Blue

We’re watching the Dodgers and the media finally begin to speak out about ICE raids — but silence isn’t the only harm being done. So is erasure.

The destruction of Palo Verde, La Loma, and Bishop wasn’t just a historical footnote — it was a violent displacement of Mexican-American families, including mine. Many residents resisted until the very end, refusing to leave their homes even as they were surrounded by sheriffs and bulldozers. That forced removal was not just physical — it was psychological and generational. Our families are still living with the trauma today.

As ICE targets undocumented families in neighborhoods across Los Angeles, we see history repeating itself: fear, evictions, police violence. And once again, the Dodgers — who profit from land that was stolen — are only speaking up because of public pressure.

What’s worse is that some are now stepping into the spotlight — not to speak for us, but to speak around us. They mention “Chavez Ravine” as if that alone tells the story, without naming the real communities that were destroyed: Palo Verde, La Loma, and Bishop. They leave out the families who lived through it, ignore the pain we carry, and dismiss the real demands that surviving families have made for years. In doing so, they aren’t pushing for justice — they’re helping the Dodgers clean up their image.

If the Dodgers are serious about justice, it starts with:

• Meeting directly with surviving families from Palo Verde, La Loma, and Bishop — to engage in a conversation about our long-standing, concrete demands

• Acknowledging and fulfilling those demands, which include: a formal public apology for the displacement and harm caused; reparations for both homeowners and renters who were forcibly removed; the creation and funding of three community centers — one for each neighborhood; and the funding and placement of a permanent monument honoring the three communities and their history

• Standing in real solidarity with undocumented families affected by ICE raids — not through PR or symbolism, but through meaningful action and support

These demands have been voiced for years — most recently touched upon in SB 1950 — and yet continue to be ignored. Justice cannot be achieved until they are acknowledged and acted upon.

This is not a branding opportunity — it’s a generational wound. The harm didn’t begin with silence about ICE raids. It began the moment the Dodgers took this land. Had they never built their stadium on stolen ground, generations of Mexican-American families wouldn’t be carrying this trauma today. If they truly want to make things right, they must start at the root of their violence — with the people they displaced. The Dodgers have a choice: continue the pattern of erasure, or finally begin the work of repair.

— Buried Under the Blue