If you’ve been keeping up with local news, you’ve probably noticed the recent headlines claiming “Narco Wars” have taken over the eastern valley thanks to illegal marijuana growing operations. After a record breaking bust of the illegal grows executed by LASD on June 8th, which nabbed $380 million dollars worth of product and infrastructure in Lake LA, Congressman Mike Garcia did not hesitate to politicize the moment: “To our president and to our vice president, this is what happens when you don’t secure the border,” he said. “We’re not in Sinaloa, Mexico right now. We’re 300 miles away from the border and we have one of the largest illegal drug operations happening in the backyard high desert of Los Angeles (County).”
Garcia’s accusation that the Biden administration has failed to “secure the border” came only days after VP Harris urged Central American migrants and asylum seekers “do not come” to the settler state we know as the USA. Although President Biden promised zero deportations in his first 100 days in office, he hit approximately 26,248 deportations within his first 29 days. In May, immigration advocates spoke out against the administration’s failure to act on behalf of Haitian migrants, saying “It’s like [former Trump adviser] Stephen Miller’s ghost is still pulling the strings of Biden’s immigration policies. And the Biden administration needs to do more to root out Stephen Miller’s ghost”.
The number of people deported under the new administration coupled with VP Harris’s remarks show us that there is a bipartisan consensus on how to deal with asylum and migration.
Garcia’s office claims that an international cartel ring consisting of Mexican, Central American, Armenian and Chinese are running these illegal grow operations. The Marijuana Eradication Team put together by LASD and the Narcotics Bureau has reported armed men standing guard with assault rifles while alleged cartel members steal water from the city’s aquifer as well as shootouts at grow houses and death threats to farmers located near the grows. MET claims they do not have the funding to accurately combat the racketeering, and many Lake LA residents agree that the problem is out of control due to the small number of cops on patrol in the area.
During a town hall held by the Citizens Oversight Commission this past June, many Lake LA residents spoke against the defund movement, saying that conditions would worsen in their neighborhoods if funds were reallocated from LASD’s 3 billion dollar budget in the name of criminal justice reform, echoing García’s stance on the issue. It’s worth noting that defunding would likely not result in fewer sheriff’s on duty but trained mental health and de-escalation professionals working side by side with sheriffs as they respond to 911 calls.
Looking at 93550, the most policed zip code in Palmdale, which also boasts the highest crime rates, most minority dense population and worst health disparities, we see no shortage of crime, both violent and drug related. The high number of sheriffs on patrol are not preventing crime from taking place. In fact there is no data whatsoever that proves more cops equal less crime. Just as borders do not prevent migration and anti-choice laws do not stop abortion, sheriffs don’t prevent crime, they simply respond to it.
The issue of illegal marijuana grows is being used to vilify racialized groups and anyone who looks like they could be foreign born in our community. As we saw with anti-Asian and Pacific Islander hate crimes during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, we know this type of rhetoric can be the match that lights a fire under violent nationalists. García also uses the marijuana issue to justify the continuation of US asylum law violations and preservation of the carceral state.
Mike García may be one of the most outspoken politicians on the far right, but his remarks to the Biden-Harris administration about securing the southern border are completely redundant when you look at all the ways the administration has carried on Trump era immigration policy. From refusing to end immigration deterrence policies like Title 42 and Remain in Mexico, to the footage of Border Patrol officers in Texas whipping Haitians as they attempt to seek asylum, to Vice President Harris blatantly telling Guatemalan refugees that the US will defend its borders if they dare show up at any US-Mexico border, it’s clear that the promises made by Biden and Harris on the campaign trail are broken.
What García is calling for is a complete shutdown of the border, just one step to the right of where we currently are.
A vote for Democrats in the White House was supposed to be a vote against the unrepentant racism and xenophobia the Trump administration represented, yet what we are receiving from this new administration is the same nativist policies and a more diverse group of oppressors. With midterm elections coming soon, many moderate and progressive Democrats are eyeing García’s seat. It would be great to see our current congressman be sent home but we must be wary of his replacement being a more palatable version of García.
Regardless of the outcome of the election, the fight for humane solutions to the manufactured border crisis will go on. Find the organizations in your community or in your state that are working everyday to keep families together and end the human rights violations committed by the US at the border, in detention centers, hospitals, schools and beyond and ask what you can do to support.
Alone we can accomplish a little, together we can accomplish a lot.
About the author: Breanna Chico is the founder of the Antelope Valley Solidarity Collective, @avsolidarity on Instagram.
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FatWhiteBob says
The Antelope Valley is following every Democrat majority city.. It’s going downhill.
AV Observer says
Hey FatWhiteBob
In case you didn’t know it, Lancaster is run by Republicans. The head honcho is Rex. All the rest of them follow whatever he says. Marv, Raj, Kenny and Darrell. All Republicans. It’s been going downhill without the Democrats for a long time.
Claire says
No thank you to Mike Garcia’s right wing agenda (Trump), and no thank you to AV Solidarity Collective. SJW’s are too often looking for personal validation rather than deep-seated conviction.
K. says
The Palmdale Town Hall last June was a disaster with Villanueva conducting the failing orchestration. Since then we’ve had fireworks confiscated from the AV blow up in some poor LA neighborhood and we’ve a Lancaster student shot at by school officers. How is it that we’re supposed to trust the Sheriff Dept. when they blame the fear they inflict on the people they’re supposed to serve?
Mike García is yet another head of the right-wing representing the backwater views of the conservatives that hold back our Valley. Vote him out and let’s be done with this era of nationalistic fear mongering. Immigrants are not the problem.
Loco K. says
“Since then we’ve had fireworks confiscated from the AV blow up in some poor LA neighborhood”
Wait,
What,
Those fireworks weren’t from the AV,
You people have lost it, lol.
Tim Scott says
Probably some of them were. As I recall, the sheriff’s department took all their confiscated fireworks from all over the county to one storage facility, mishandled them, and blew the place up.
A minor detail in the vast tapestry of disaster that Villanueva has presided over, and I certainly hope we can vote him out and vote in someone who understands the concept of “new broom sweeps clean.” Pretty much anyone in the upper ranks of the LASD that hasn’t denounced Villanueva should be terminated immediately by his successor.
Stinger says
Ummm… Tim… That explosion down in South LA was LAPD and had nothing to do with either the LASD or the AV in any way.
Are you speaking of a different one? If so, I have been unable to find said incident.
Tim Scott says
My bad.
Beecee says
Sounds like this is straight out of the mouth of some youngster democratic socialist…
Oh wait, it is, lol
“Breanna Chico is the founder of the Antelope Vally chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America“
Tim Scott says
Is “youngster” a slur in your world?
Younger than you, bad, older than you, bad…I assume you have racism comparable to your ageism based on your various posts…
Cutting to the chase, sounds like megalomania in basic clown land.
BeeCee says
Is “youngster” a slur in your world?
Nope got it from you bud from the other day…
The old and young isn’t bad,
Democratic socialist is bad.
And I like how you scream racism as the lid got blew off the cover of this bunk opinion piece.
Tim Scott says
What “lid” got blown off?
No matter who says it, Mike Garcia being a traitorous swine who supported violent insurrection is just a fact.
And it isn’t in commenting on this story particularly that you have demonstrated your racism, ageism, and all around narcissistic traits…but you’ve been around long enough to blow your cover.
Mike says
Traitorous? The only traitorous people here are you and Breanna Chico who would rather defecate on our laws and national sovereignty by allowing open borders with no restrictions. You all believe that this somehow makes you virtuous, when in reality all it does is endanger the American citizen. Deporting illegal immigrant is part of the law. Every country in the world has similar laws. Get over yourselves. Nobody (who matters) thinks like you do. You are a small group of anarchists who will not succeed.
Tim Scott says
LOL…Mike the mind reader rides again. Thanks for pretending to know what I think. I have no interest in dropping you or anything that resembles you onto our laws or national sovereignty Mike, never fear. Now focus in on what I think of you and see if you can make a better guess. Oh, wait, you aren’t presenting anything worth thinking about.
The whole “whenever anyone says anything about anything I will just ignore them and start screaming like someone lit my butt hairs on fire about the the border” is one of the less attractive pieces of Trump’s legacy.
As for Garcia the traitorous swine, he doesn’t want any investigation of the attack on the capitol. That has nothing to do with the border. They were domestic terrorists and he wants them protected from prosecution. Siding with them is a direct violation of his oath of office and he really should be just expelled from the congress, but apparently we have to wait until next election to get rid of him.
Stinger says
Mike, you’re projecting again. You may want to look into that.
How far we’ve fallen says
Where do you dumba**es come from?
Breanna Chico says
Good afternoon,
For clarity AV Solidarity Collective is not a branch of the DSA. The closest DSA chapter to the AV is in San Fernando Valley. I am 30 years old, turning 31 this December.
Thanks for reading, I hope you share this article. Every reader and comment helps, I appreciate your enthusiastic support neighbor.
Tim Scott says
Thanks for the article.
The people blathering about democratic socialists probably did not even know that there is an actual Democratic Socialist party anywhere. They just throw that term as a pejorative against anyone they disagree with because they think it sounds insulting and it rallies the brainless to their support.
Claire says
Deceptive, and you even deceived Tim and Stinger. Glad I said no thank you, Breanna.
Stinger says
No wonder you have so many problems understanding thins, BeeEss.. You can’t even quote things correctly. No wonder your perspective gets so twisted.
Beecee says
Not at all,
She is lying about previous or past affiliations, bottom line…
She’s a little commie
https://muckrack.com/chad-kampbell/articles
Claire says
Wow Beecee!
Wendy says
Wow,
Where did they pick up this affirmative action writer from,
The front steps of Berkeley.
Doubt this person is 30 years or older.
Mike Ehlert says
What kind of BS is this?
The southern Border is wide open, Biden policy.
Mexican gangs are growing drugs and stealing water in our back yard.
These are facts, not racist propaganda.
Telling people the truth is not racism, it is life.
Grow up and start enforcing the laws.
Tim Scott says
The “Mexican gangs growing drugs in your back yard” are most likely not Mexican and have absolutely nothing to do with any border. So that particular piece of your claim is the actual propaganda, and yeah is probably racist.
Meanwhile, on “enforcing the laws”…the people who got raided in the “mighty bust” that Garcia takes credit for were, in fact, operating an unlicensed business. There is a law against operating an unlicensed business. So, sure, busting them is legit in it’s way. Now, question…do you think massive destruction of property is typically included in “enforcement” of that particular ordinance? Or was that massive taxpayer expenditure to fly Mikey boy around in a helicopter at over “the scene of a crime” just a political sideshow? Propaganda, if you will?
D. Gutierrez says
“The “Mexican gangs growing drugs in your back yard” are most likely not Mexican and have absolutely nothing to do with any border“
You are dead wrong if you talking about all these grows across the eastern and western wings of the high desert,
Phealan , adelanto, lake LA, Nenach and others.
Keep your head in the sand, it would benefit us all.
Wait,
Aren’t you the same dude who claimed catalytic converters aren’t stolen from thieves cutting them out from underneath the victims cars?
If so I’m definitely wasting my time with you.
Tim Scott says
I would think that someone calling themselves “Gutierrez” knows that a dark skin and a name ending in Z doesn’t mean someone just snuck across the border. Plenty of unlicensed growing is going on, and undoubtedly since a majority of the locals are Hispanic there are plenty of Hispanic people involved. But it’s just wild xenophobia making the “huh, must be border violators” assumption.
By the way…I just talked to a guy who had a catalytic converter to sell. He has a whole bunch of other parts too. You think he disassembled a victim’s car in their driveway?
D. Gutierrez says
What in the hell is this nonsense,
“Gutierrez” knows that a dark skin and a name ending in Z”
You obviously don’t know what you talking about. Nobody likes a know it all, and you definitely don’t know it all.
Tim Scott says
So, let’s check on what YOU know and how. Tell us about these “Mexican gangs.”
Have you been out there at these grows checking IDs? A hundred bucks says the answer there is no.
So if it isn’t based on names and looks, how have you determined they are Mexican?
Go ahead, back up your claims.
…
…
Any time will be fine.
Thank you says
LOL, D. G. Some humor for a change. Thanks for the truth.
Tim Scott says
That was pretty hysterical.
“Nobody likes a know it all, and you aren’t one.”
Guess that accounts for me being so popular.
This Gutierrez guy should meet up with our basic clown and the two of them can try to teach each other how to be insulting without making themself look silly, because between them they haven’t a clue.
D. Gutierrez says
“Nobody likes a know it all, and you aren’t one.”
Nice job misquoting me,
You are very irresponsible in your discourse with others.
Tim Scott says
You specifically said that I do not know it all. And that was, in fact, absolutely hilarious, so thanx. Feel free to “insult” me like that any time.
As ro being “responsible in discourse,” are you going to defend your absurd claims, retract them, or just go off on a tangent and hope people forget how you were challenged?
Claire says
D. Gutierrez…The only thing that matters are the communities involved, right? This is a big problem for the people involved and I agree with you. Anyone’s opinion here doesn’t matter and neither does a politician promoting his agenda, they all do. Thank you for your comment and you don’t have to prove anything, no one else does.
Tim Scott says
How exactly does a guy operating an unlicensed business matter all that much to the “community involved”?
Eye on Lancaster says
Wrecks doesn’t like the competition. Garcia is helping to keep the competition away. Wrecks blames it on climate change so he can hide behind his so-called green interests to deflect people from looking at all the harm he’s caused and millions of dollars that have been lost due to lawsuits or no bid contracts.
Tim Scott says
Well, yeah. It definitely impacts Wrecks and his partners in the ragweed growing operation they have going, but I don’t consider Wrecks and company to be representative of “the community.”
William says
When Mexican gangs storm the Capital to hang the Vice President and overturn an election, get back to us.
Until then, Garcia is distracting you.
He wouldn’t vote to impeach Trump the second time.
He voted NO on the 1/6 investigation.
Now, dontcha feel like Garcia has conned you? That’s what he’s there for courtesy of the GOP.
Just give me a GUN ! says
Big Fat; Sigh….what drives these illusions in your mind ? Why don’t you move to Orange County where all the other republican bigots live under rocks ? It would be perfect for you and your ilk. Bye-bye !
Tim Scott says
Actually the GOP has just about lost Orange County.
Tim Scott says
Garcia’s “outspokenness” is his way of parleying for his next job. The nutbag GOP propaganda outlets like Fox, NewsMax, and OAN pay big money for a “respected former congressman,” but they want to know that he can tell bald faced lies on camera. Garcia is proving himself.
Beecee says
You got this weird fixation on Garcia becoming a pundit/contributor after his stint with congress…
You better be right man, lol
Stinger says
I agree that Tim had better be right, BeeEss. ‘Cause the faster we can get this clown out of Congress, the better.
Beecee says
And install another bong ripping sexual deviant…
Rad!
Tim Scott says
She could have showed up on capitol hill naked, stoned, and having sex on the floor and still been less damaging to the country than Garcia has been.
Beecee says
Uh huh
If you say so…
Stinger says
I would rather have a bong ripping sexual deviant than a traitor in office.
With Trump, you got two of those three…
Stinger says
@Tim: I would pay for a video of that! I’m sure that it would be the most entertaining thing to occur on the floor of the Congress in a very long while! ;-)
Sonya says
So you guys identify as perverts now…
Gotcha.
Beecee says
“I would rather have a bong ripping sexual deviant than a traitor in office.
With Trump, you got two of those three”
Well thankfully he is gone now,
We traded him in for a guy who sells his office to other countries to enrich his crack pipe smoking sexual deviant son.
And there is videos of that stinker.
And You won’t have to pay for them.
Tim Scott says
Trump may be gone, but his accomplices like Mike Garcia (oh, hey, that’s the traitorous swine this piece is about) are still in office and still trying to cover up his crimes in an effort to clear the way for him to try again.
As to the “sell his office to support his son”…do you have evidence that doesn’t “come for free” from DarkDingBat’s Blog, or whatever else it is you and your ilk are calling “news sources” these days?
Tim Scott says
@Stinger…we could pool our resources and drive ourselves bankrupt and we would never be able to match what Fox would bid for that tape. Their viewer base just loves some porn disguised as news in between their rants and rails against “democrat perversions.”
Beecee says
https://www.businessinsider.com/hunter-biden-ethics-business-deals-joe-biden-wall-art-show-2021-10
https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2021/10/12/hunter-biden-corruption-515583
https://news.yahoo.com/fbi-investigating-hunter-biden-money-222323906.html
https://www.hsgac.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/HSGAC_Finance_Report_FINAL.pdf
I saved the best for last, and I made sure I used non trump friendly rags to appease you…
Tim Scott says
LOL…the conclusion section of a partisan report on a senate committee investigation does not point to any crimes committed, and you cite it as your evidence of a crime. Even the GOP senators can’t find a crime here.
Thanks for the link, but stick to clowning because even basic law is apparently beyond your skills and we are never gonna start calling you BL.
Did Hunter Biden get jobs because his last name was Biden? Of course. What do you want to do? Have every relative of any notable politician change their names and live life incognito? Make it a crime to hire people who are related to politicians? What have you got in mind? What would make the basic clowns of the world happy?
Stinger says
@Sonya: Better a pervert than a traitor, any day.
Which one are you? ;-)
Stinger says
@Tim: If Fox were to be able to acquire such a tape and broadcast it, it would be the first thing worth watching there in a very long time, indeed!
William says
When are Thelma and Louise gonna take flight?
We need a break from their childish comments.
This is the grownup table.
Tim Scott says
Do you really believe that his dedication to the crazy claims of the big lie is intended to play towards his reelection in this district? That might work in rural Michigan, but if he thinks he can run successfully here with that baggage he is not only completely out of touch with the realities of the district but also has the worst advisors since ever.