Front and center in a procession that wound through the streets of Logan Heights, parishioners of Our Lady of Guadalupe held two signs, one in English and one in Spanish, bearing the parish’s theme, “We Belong”.
But on Sunday, the theme took on a broader meaning, said Father Scott Santarosa, the parish’s pastor.
“We don’t just belong to this parish,” he said. “We belong in the community and we belong in this country.”
Our Lady of Guadalupe, a Jesuit parish serving a large Mexican and Latino community, held a procession to walk in solidarity with migrant communities on the eve of President Donald Trump’s inauguration. Trump has pledged to carry out mass deportations of undocumented immigrants.
Trump’s promises have caused fear and anxiety with some parishioners — either for their families, friends, community, or themselves.
“In any family that has someone undocumented there are concerns,” Santarosa said in an interview. “You hear it, you feel it.”
During the two-hour procession, church members prayed and sang religious songs. Some shared their concerns through personal testimonies.
A woman originally from Mexico, who identified herself only as Laura, shared how her faith has accompanied her throughout her 30 years in the United States. “I don’t want my children to live in fear,” she said. “And that’s why I tell them, even in times of fear, you have to be braver and pray to God.”
Others joined the procession to let immigrant communities know that “they are not alone.”
“We’re a tight-knit community, and our parish will always be here to support them,” said Logan Heights resident Gabriel Contreras, part of the nonprofit San Diego Organizing Project.
Also in attendance were Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre, Chula Vista Councilmember Carolina Chávez, and San Diego Councilmember Vivian Moreno as well as Rep. Juan Vargas, D-San Diego.
“You heard the stories. I heard the stories. People are terrified, terrified of what’s going to happen to them and their children,” said Vargas, who said he won’t be attending Monday’s inauguration.
Our Lady of Guadalupe parish has also provided accommodation for asylum seekers. In October 2023, the parish opened a temporary shelter that initially served single migrant men with nowhere else to go, as other shelters served women and families. But now the shelter has room for some families as well.
Luisvic Ibarra, an asylum seeker from Venezuela, has been staying at the shelter since last month. When he arrived, he presented himself at a port of entry through U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s mobile app appointment process.
He said he was worried both for himself and for other asylum seekers who are still in Mexico waiting for an appointment. Trump and other officials expected to be in his administration have reiterated plans to end the CBP One process.
Tom Homan, Trump’s pick for “border czar,” said in an interview with Fox News that immigration agents will prioritize public safety threats, but added that “no one is off the table.”
“If they’re in the country illegally, they got a problem,” he said.
Trump is also expected to sign over 100 executive actions on his first day in office, covering border security and immigration, CNN reported.
