IAM District 947 represents over 300 workers from nonprofit organizations in California, including the Central American Resource Center (CARECEN), Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy (CAUSE), and Inland Congregations United for Change (ICUC). These organizations provide legal support, education, youth leadership programs, and emergency response services to immigrant and underserved communities. Many of these IAM Union members are immigrants or children of immigrants themselves.
Jennifer Marin Esquivel, Business Representative for IAM District 947, explained that many union members joined these nonprofits because they have personally experienced or witnessed injustices related to immigration policies. “We have members who joined these non-profits because they’ve lived or witnessed firsthand injustices,” said Marin Esquivel. “They’ve seen their own families and communities impacted by immigration policies. They know what’s at stake.”
Guillermo Quintanilla, Lead Migrant Coordinator at CARECEN and member of IAM Local 201 (District 947), addressed the risks involved in this work: “Yes, it can be scary… but that doesn’t mean that we’re going to stop. That doesn’t mean that we’re going to let ourselves be intimidated. We’re going to continue this good work… We know that we are on the right side of history.” Some nonprofit organizations represented by the union have removed employee profiles from their websites due to safety concerns amid a hostile political climate.
Quintanilla emphasized the importance of union support: “We know that the IAM Union stands with us, fights with us, and has our back, which makes all the difference. We know we are not alone in this.”
An anonymous member of IAM Local 201 described challenges faced while leading workshops: “It’s hard to lead informational workshops when I’m receiving threats and constantly wondering whether those threats will come true, or if I’m putting my family or others in the community at risk. But I still have to do this work because people need to hear their rights.”
Despite these threats, union members remain committed by organizing educational events such as ‘Know Your Rights’ workshops, participating in legal observation efforts, distributing food aid, and responding quickly during emergencies involving detention or deportation.
Marin Esquivel highlighted their dedication: “Our members are part of rapid response teams. They’re the ones running toward the threat, not away from it. They go to day labor centers and rallies, they record raids, they educate their neighbors. They are on the ground every single day.”
Rocio Veliz, Senior Parenting Organizer at CARECEN and member of IAM Local 201 (District 947), spoke about increased commitment since joining IAM: “Now that we’re part of the IAM, there’s a deeper sense of commitment. We can lean on each other. We’ve been able to push for stronger protections, educate more families, and advocate for policy changes – together.” She added: “As a steward, I’ve been able to learn about those rights and pass them on to the parents and youth I work with. When one community is under attack – Black, LGBTQ+, immigrant – we all need to speak up. Silence is complicity.”
IAM District 947 has advised locals and allied unions to include immigrant protections in contracts—such as paid time off for immigration-related appointments and requirements for employers to notify unions about enforcement actions.
Sal Vasquez, President and Directing Business Representative for District 947 stated: “The idea is simple… You shouldn’t have to sacrifice your wages or your safety to support your community or secure your own legal status. Our contracts should reflect that.”
Odette Moran from CAUSE described how being part of a union provides collective strength: “In these uncertain and heavy times, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed – but being in a union and community means we don’t face it alone… Even when the rain feels relentless, we find strength in holding one another. That’s the power of community – we don’t wait for calm; we move forward together through the storm.”
Earlier this year Maximo Londonio—a member of IAM Local 695—was detained by U.S. Customs at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport before being released following advocacy efforts led by his union.
At a rally supporting Londonio’s release Brian Bryant—IAM International President—said: “Union rights are immigrant rights! We will be here for whatever it takes, for as long as it takes.”
Robert “Bobby” Martinez—IAM Western Territory General Vice President—summed up their mission: “The work our IAM Union non-profit members do isn’t just about providing services – it’s about living our union’s core values… Their daily fight… reflects who we are: a union that stands for dignity, equity, and justice for all people.”
Bryant added: “From coast to coast… When one of us is targeted; we all show up… When one of us is silenced; we all speak out.”
Mayral Lopez—IAM Local 201 Secretary-Treasurer—noted how unions foster leadership within communities: “The union has created new spaces for leadership… Knowing our rights helps everyone—even beyond the non-profit world.” She continued: “Because union values don’t just belong in one workplace. They belong in every part of our community.”
Christian Fernando Flores from ICUC reflected on contract negotiations as empowering organizers like himself.
These efforts show how IAM Union extends its mission beyond traditional industries into broader social justice causes—including housing access—and builds leadership rooted in personal experience.
Veliz concluded: “To me being union means protection… It means support… It means we’re not alone—and that we’re stronger when we stand together.”
