In this special episode, Darin welcomes Brittney Valles, founding member of the Independent Hospitality Coalition (IHC), for a timely and urgent conversation. With ICE activity increasing in Los Angeles and the National Guard deployed, Brittney outlines the rights every hospitality worker should know during an immigration raid.
From how to assert your right to remain silent to using the ILRC Red Card as a tool of protection, this episode is a vital listen for anyone in the industry—or anyone who cares about it. For more resources or to connect with IHC directly, visit their official site or follow them on Instagram at @ihc.la.
En este episodio especial, Darin recibe a Brittney Valles, miembro fundadora de la Independent Hospitality Coalition (IHC), para una conversación tan oportuna como urgente. Con el aumento de la actividad de ICE en Los Ángeles y el despliegue de la Guardia Nacional, Brittney explica los derechos que todo trabajador de la hospitalidad debe conocer durante una redada migratoria.
Desde cómo ejercer tu derecho a permanecer en silencio hasta cómo usar la Tarjeta Roja del ILRC como herramienta de protección, este episodio es una escucha esencial para cualquiera que trabaje en la industria —o que se preocupe por ella—. Para más recursos o para conectar directamente con IHC, visita su sitio oficial o síguelos en Instagram en @ihc.la.
A message from the Independent Hospitality Coalition for those being affected by ICE raids in Los Angeles:
Attention restaurant owners, be prepared. Thank you to everyone who has shared information that has allowed us to plan.
As if restaurant owners and hospitality workers did not have enough to worry about. Our kitchens are what they are because of are immigrant community. ICE is plucking people from our community in the name of law and order, we know the truth.
History will remember this moment.
Un mensaje de la Independent Hospitality Coalition para quienes están siendo afectados por las redadas de ICE en Los Ángeles:
Atención dueños de restaurantes: prepárense. Gracias a todos los que han compartido información que nos ha permitido organizarnos.
Como si los dueños de restaurantes y trabajadores de hospitalidad no tuvieran ya suficientes preocupaciones. Nuestras cocinas son lo que son gracias a nuestra comunidad inmigrante. ICE está arrancando a personas de nuestra comunidad en nombre de la ley y el orden —pero nosotros conocemos la verdad.
La historia recordará este momento.
[00:00:00] Darin Hello and welcome to Five Rules for the Good Life. I'm your host, Darin Bresnitz. Given the unfolding events of both ICE and now the National Guard being deployed in Los Angeles, I wanted to invite Brittney Valles and the IHC on for a special episode this week. Brittney is a founding member of the Independent Hospitality Coalition. For those who are unaware of this incredible organization, it is a coalition of Los Angeles hospitality operators, advocates, and workers whose purpose is to provide representation for the city's growing workforce and essential businesses. Their existence and purpose has never been needed more than right now. I wanted to invite Brittney on to share IHC's five individual rights during an ICE raid. There is a lot of great information that I will be linking to in the episode description and if the links aren't available where you're listening to this, please go to 5rules.substack.com slash podcast. In this episode, she shares key information about what to do in those first few moments. When ICE agents arrive at a restaurant where you work, about having the immigrant legal resource centers red card on hand at all times, and the importance of having a professional advocate or lawyer on your side. It's a really important and educational episode, and I feel very lucky that she took the time out of what is surely a busy time for her and the entire organization. So let's get into your rights. Brittney, thank you for taking the time to sit down with me during a very frightening and uncertain time in the LA hospitality scene and Los Angeles at large. I really appreciate it.
[00:01:45] Brittney Yeah, of course. Thanks for having me.
[00:01:47] Darin It's been an extremely disruptive and unsettling week in the city. People can see one thing on the news and it's different what you're seeing being on the ground. Can you share some of the details of what you see?
[00:01:58] Brittney Aside from members of our community, as far as kitchen staff and service staff being alarmed and unsure what restaurant or what neighborhood is going to be invaded by ice necks, there's also a lot of fear tactics being put out there by media and our lovely president. And so even if your restaurant isn't really in the line of fire, people aren't coming to LA. Some restaurants are having to reduce hours because their staff is afraid, despite their status. Just because we're seeing things that are unprecedented, where people are getting taken accidentally, despite whether they have a work permit, have permanent residency, it's really, really scary right now. And I think there's so much uncertainty on top of everything that we've been dealing with for the past couple of years in LA, as far as food and beverage.
[00:02:47] Darin Seeing restaurants like Lasita and other places having to close or reduce their hours is just one more hardship that they've had to endure after the strikes and the fires and now this.
[00:02:57] Brittney So, yeah.
[00:02:58] Darin How is the restaurant community being affected at large?
[00:03:01] Brittney I've had a lot of people tell me that staff's not coming, and so they have clothes for a day, or there's people who are scared, and so, they're gonna have to figure out alternatives to make them safe or make them comfortable. A lot of conversations are being had. I had a family friend who lives in the Inland Empire tell me she is canceling all her jobs in LA because they have a plumbing company.
[00:03:21] Darin You don't want to
[00:03:22] Brittney They don't want to send their staff down here. Every person that's not here, it's one ticket. One less person to order food or to purchase a beverage. It's really stressful. Aside from the fact that we have militarized individuals on our street popping tear gas and all that, there's also the economic implications. It's a super stressful situation.
[00:03:41] Darin It's really stressful and there's a lot of uncertainty, but despite all that, there has been really quick mobilizations from groups like the IHC and other grassroots organizations. I don't know if hope and inspiration are the right words to use at the time, but what is giving you some positive forward momentum?
[00:03:58] Brittney People are really rallying together with this issue, regardless of your politics. I think seeing families being ripped apart in the way that it's happening, it's enough for people to be like, no, no. Not in our city. And so that gives me a lot of hope. And then so many people are willing to donate resources. The Independent Hospitality Coalition is gonna be co-hosting an event next week for restaurant owners, restaurant managers, bar managers. To get more informed, those of us that have, don't feel the fear of our citizenship status are rallying behind those that may, and again, it's not only people that may be undocumented or may not have the correct documents, it is people that just got citizenship, right? Because there's that five-year grace period after citizenship, green card holders. There's so much gray area with how this administration is enforcing what they're enforcing, seeing everybody rallying around this community of immigrants and not just because of what they produce in work, but just because these are members of our community, it's really a beautiful thing to see in stressful time.
[00:05:00] Darin Given the administration's promise of 30 days of ICE raids and even today's announcement of the National Guard being here for 60 days, what I found really helpful was your recent post about what people can do to protect themselves. So I'd love to get into the five individual rights during an ICE raid, starting with right number one, which is as simple as not opening the door.
[00:05:22] Brittney We're seeing ICE work outside of the boundaries of the law, but this is kind of the best that we can do. Not allowing access is your right. Private areas are not allowed to be searched without a warrant, and judges are not handing out warrants willy-nilly right now. Administrative order is not the same as a signed order by a judge. And so if you have clear signage that this is employees only private area, no access without owner's permission, it's pretty clear that they cannot go into those areas, owners labeling all the private areas, all the safe havens in the restaurant. So if ICE does show up or the National Guard or the Marines or whoever is going to be thrown at us next, there's a place that was dedicated and sealed off for everybody to go and making sure that you have that space and you talk to your staff. OK, I shows up. This is where we're all going. And again, it doesn't matter your document status, just go over there because we don't need to be, oh, who's this and who's that? Everybody needs to just go into the safe place because we're trying to make coffee, we're try to make tacos, whatever it is, we're not trying to deal with federal agents enforcing immigration status.
[00:06:26] Darin If these ICE agents don't play by the rules and do come into a private space, what is your second right and how to deal with them?
[00:06:34] Brittney Your second right is to remain silent. You don't have to say anything. They cannot force you to say anything. They might use fear tactics that are like, well, we're going to arrest you if you don't say this or we're gonna arrest you. If you don't show us your immigration status, maintain your Fifth Amendment and say nothing because fear tactics and getting people to react off emotion is the biggest card that they have to play. So we just have to take that power away from them and just say nothing.
[00:06:59] Darin Speaking of cards to play, right number three deals with something you can hand them if they continue to violate your rights.
[00:07:05] Brittney The red card, it is by the Immigrants Legal Resource Center. It is a red card that you can download online in, I think, like 35 different languages or 39 different languages. Even if you don't speak English, it has your rights written out in your language and in English that you just hand to whatever officer that you're dealing with. It's recommended to be printed in bright red paper. That's why it's called the red card. That is available on the ilrc.org website, and you can just hand it to them. If you don't speak English, if you speak Arabic, if you can speak Chinese, if speak Spanish, Farsi, that's within your right to just give them this card that outlines your stance with just to say nothing, not answering any questions, and you are equipped with your knowledge of your constitutional rights, which is insane. That you're having to defend your constitutional rights live on the floor in the city.
[00:07:56] Darin They're going to take advantage of you not being able to have a grasp on the English language. They might put a paper in your face and a pen. What's your fourth right?
[00:08:03] Brittney Do not sign anything. It's certainly not something without an attorney. There are so many resources. Again, the ILRC, Immigrants Legal Resource Center is a great resource for attorneys that are doing things pro bono in these unprecedented times. Your signature should not end up on any single piece of paper. Pressure and fear tactics is the greatest weapon that ICE has against people that know their rights and are refusing to cooperate. As long as you don't succumb to that pressure, you have more options and more flexibility. It is really a scary time, and we're seeing so much of it live on Instagram and on TikTok, so just not allowing the emotions of it all to make you make decisions that are against your best interest.
[00:08:45] Darin The pressure of time and the pressure of being forced to do something on someone else's timeline can be really frightening. This last right does take a little extra time to action on. What is your fifth right?
[00:08:57] Brittney So it's finding an attorney right now all over social media. There is so many resources. We've put up some resources on the Independent Hospitality Coalition. Find an attorney, find an expert that can help you out of this situation. If your family member has been taken and is brought to a detention center and you believe it's unlawful, then find an attorney. Right away, DM us, DM the ILRC. Just find as many resources as you can. We live in a city of people that are fighting for the right of people to live here and to make a better life for themselves. So there's so many resources around, whether it's for you or for a family member, it's been taken, that's something that should be atop of your list. Don't try to navigate the system alone. Unfortunately, you can't trust the government officials that should really be protecting us. So find your own advocate.
[00:09:45] Darin Brittney, I cannot thank you enough for what you and all of the members of the IHC are doing. I found you because of your social posts and you got back to me so quickly. If other people want quick information or to follow up real-time updates or just ask for help, Where can they go?
[00:10:01] Brittney They can go to the Immigrant Legal Resource Center. That's ilrc.org. We're not affiliated with them, but it's a great network for resources specific to what is going on. And then the Independent Hospitality Coalition. We are a group of small independent restaurant owners in this city that advocate for what unique needs individually owned restaurants have. So we're not McDonald's and Chuck E. Cheese. We're the best sillas and the broad street oyster companies and the great whites of LA. We are always available. We're real people on the other side. If you're a restaurant owner or a small business owner and you are feeling alone and overwhelmed, do not hesitate to reach out to us. We read all of our DMs and we try to be as present for people and we just want to help. So reach out so that IHC if you're a small entrepreneur and for a little guidance.
[00:10:46] Darin I appreciate all the guidance. Thank you for being such a bright light and positive inspiration during these really tough times. Thank you to you and Lisa and to everyone else and good luck and keep fighting the good fight.
[00:10:56] Brittney Thanks for giving us a voice and hopefully things will turn around soon.
[00:00:00] Darin: Hola y bienvenidos a Five Rules for the Good Life. Soy su anfitrión, Darin Bresnitz. Dados los recientes acontecimientos con ICE y ahora la Guardia Nacional desplegada en Los Ángeles, invité a Brittney Valles y a la IHC para un episodio especial esta semana. Brittney es miembro fundadora de la Independent Hospitality Coalition. Para quienes no conocen esta increíble organización, es una coalición de operadores, defensores y trabajadores de la hostelería de Los Ángeles, cuyo propósito es representar a la creciente fuerza laboral y negocios esenciales de la ciudad. Su existencia y propósito nunca han sido más necesarios que ahora. Quise invitar a Brittney para compartir los cinco derechos individuales de la IHC durante una redada de ICE. Hay mucha información útil que enlazaré en la descripción del episodio y, si no están disponibles donde escuchan esto, por favor vayan a 5rules.substack.com/podcast. En este episodio, ella comparte información clave sobre qué hacer en esos primeros momentos: cuando los agentes de ICE llegan a un restaurante donde trabajas, la importancia de tener a mano la red card de Immigrant Legal Resource Center en todo momento, y la relevancia de contar con un abogado o defensor profesional. Es realmente un episodio importante y educativo, y me siento muy afortunado de que ella se tomara el tiempo en lo que seguramente es un momento muy ocupado para ella y toda la organización. Así que vayamos a tus derechos. Brittney, gracias por sentarte conmigo en este momento tan aterrador e incierto en el ámbito de la hostelería de Los Ángeles y la ciudad en general. De verdad lo aprecio.
[00:01:45] Brittney: Claro que sí. Gracias por invitarme.
[00:01:47] Darin: Ha sido una semana extremadamente disruptiva e inquietante en la ciudad. La gente puede ver una cosa en las noticias y es diferente a lo que ustedes ven de primera mano. ¿Puedes compartir algunos de los detalles de lo que estás viendo?
[00:01:58] Brittney: Más allá de los miembros de nuestra comunidad, desde el personal de cocina hasta servicio están alarmados e inseguros sobre qué restaurante o barrio será foco de una redada. También hay muchas tácticas de miedo promovidas por los medios y nuestro querido presidente. Y, aunque tu restaurante no esté en la línea de fuego, la gente ya no viene a Los Ángeles. Algunos negocios están reduciendo horarios porque su personal tiene miedo, sin importar su estatus migratorio. Basta con que estemos viendo cosas sin precedentes, donde personas están siendo detenidas por error, aunque tengan permiso de trabajo o residencia permanente. Es realmente aterrador ahora. Y creo que hay tanta incertidumbre encima de todo lo que ya hemos enfrentado en estos últimos años en LA, especialmente en alimentos y bebidas.
[00:02:47] Darin: Ver restaurantes como Lasita y otros cerrando o reduciendo horarios es otra dificultad más que han soportado después de las huelgas, los incendios y ahora esto.
[00:02:57] Brittney: Sí…
[00:02:58] Darin: ¿Cómo está afectando esto a la comunidad restaurantera en general?
[00:03:01] Brittney: Mucha gente me ha dicho que el personal ya no viene, así que solo están para un turno o hay personas asustadas, y han tenido que buscar alternativas para mantenerlos seguros o cómodos. Se están teniendo muchas conversaciones. Una amiga de la familia en Inland Empire me dijo que está cancelando todos sus trabajos en LA porque tienen una empresa de plomería.
[00:03:21] Darin: No quieres…
[00:03:22] Brittney: No quieren enviar a su personal aquí. Cada persona que no está es una venta menos. Una persona menos ordenando comida o comprando bebida. Es muy estresante. Aparte de que hay individuos militarizados en las calles disparando gas lacrimógeno, también hay implicaciones económicas. Es una situación super estresante.
[00:03:41] Darin: Es realmente estresante y hay mucha incertidumbre, pero a pesar de todo eso, ha habido movilizaciones rápidas de grupos como la IHC y otras organizaciones comunitarias. No sé si esperanza e inspiración son las palabras adecuadas, pero ¿qué les da algo de impulso positivo?
[00:03:58] Brittney: La gente se está reuniendo en torno a este problema, sin importar su política. Ver a familias siendo separadas de esta manera es suficiente para que la gente diga “no, no en nuestra ciudad”. Eso me da mucha esperanza. Y también mucha gente está dispuesta a donar recursos. La Independent Hospitality Coalition co-organizará un evento la próxima semana para dueños de restaurantes, gerentes de restaurante y bar, para informar mejor. Los que no temen por su estatus de ciudadanía están apoyando a quienes sí lo temen. Y nuevamente, no solo quienes son indocumentados o no tienen papeles, también quienes recién obtuvieron ciudadanía—hay un periodo de cinco años de gracia. Hay mucha zona gris en cómo está actuando esta administración, y ver a la gente arremangarse por esta comunidad inmigrante—no solo por lo que producen, sino porque son parte de nuestra comunidad—es realmente algo hermoso en un momento tan estresante.
[00:05:00] Darin: Dado que la administración prometió 30 días de redadas de ICE y hoy se anunció que la Guardia Nacional estará aquí por 60 días, lo que encontré muy útil fue tu publicación reciente sobre lo que la gente puede hacer para protegerse. Me encantaría empezar con el primer derecho durante una redada de ICE: no abrir la puerta.
[00:05:22] Brittney: Estamos viendo que ICE actúa fuera de los límites de la ley, pero esto es lo más fuerte que podemos hacer. Negar el acceso es tu derecho. Las áreas privadas no pueden ser registradas sin una orden judicial, y los jueces no están firmando alocadamente ahora. Una orden administrativa no es lo mismo que una orden firmada. Entonces, si tienes señalización clara de "Solo empleados, área privada, sin acceso sin permiso del dueño", es bastante obvio que no pueden entrar. Los dueños deben etiquetar esas áreas seguras. Si ICE aparece, o la Guardia Nacional o los marines—quienes sea—ese es el lugar al que todos van y debes hablar con tu equipo: “si ICE llega, vamos ahí”. Y otra vez, no importa tu estatus documental, todos al lugar seguro, porque aquí estamos para hacer café o tacos, no para tratar con agentes federales.
[00:06:26] Darin: Si los agentes de ICE no juegan limpio e ingresan a un área privada, ¿cuál es tu segundo derecho y cómo enfrentarlo?
[00:06:34] Brittney: Tu segundo derecho es guardar silencio. No tienes que decir nada. No pueden obligarte a hablar. Pueden usar tácticas de miedo como “te vamos a arrestar si no dices…” o “si no muestras tus documentos…” Mantén tu Quinta Enmienda en alto y no digas nada, porque su gran arma es sacar reacciones emocionales de la gente. Debemos quitarles ese poder diciendo nada.
[00:06:59] Darin: Hablando de armas, el tercer derecho tiene que ver con algo que puedes ponerles en la mano si continúan violando tus derechos.
[00:07:05] Brittney: La red card, es un recurso del Immigrant Legal Resource Center. Se puede descargar online en creo 35 o 39 idiomas. Si no hablas inglés, está tu idioma y en inglés, lo entregas al oficial. Se recomienda imprimirla en papel rojo brillante. Se encuentra en ilrc.org. La entregas y ya estás utilizando tu conocimiento constitucional para protegerte, lo cual es increíble, porque es defender tus derechos constitucionales en vivo.
[00:07:56] Darin: Van a aprovechar que algunos no dominan el inglés y pueden meter un papel bajo tu nariz para firmar. ¿Cuál es tu cuarto derecho?
[00:08:03] Brittney: No firmar nada. No firmes sin tu abogado. Hay muchísimos recursos gratuitos ahora. Otra vez, el ILRC es un gran recurso para abogados pro bono en estos tiempos tan difíciles. No permitas que el miedo te obligue a firmar nada. Si resistes esa presión, tienes más opciones y flexibilidad. Es realmente aterrador y estamos viendo todo en vivo por Instagram y TikTok, así que no permitas que las emociones te hagan tomar decisiones que no te favorecen.
[00:08:45] Darin: La presión del tiempo y el estar forzado puede asustar a cualquiera. Este último derecho lleva un poco más de tiempo en activarse. ¿Cuál es el quinto?
[00:08:57] Brittney: Encontrar un abogado. Hay tantos recursos en redes sociales. Hemos publicado recursos desde la IHC. Si un familiar fue detenido y crees que fue injusto, encuentra un abogado. Enviamos DM, contacta al ILRC. Busca tantos recursos como puedas. Vivimos en una ciudad donde la gente está luchando para que la gente pueda vivir aquí y mejorar sus vidas. Hay tantos recursos, ya sea para ti o tu familia. Eso debe ser tu prioridad. No lo navegues solo. No puedes confiar en los funcionarios del gobierno que deberían protegernos. Encuentra tu propio defensor.
[00:09:45] Darin: Brittney, no puedo agradecerles lo suficiente a ti y a todos los miembros de la IHC por lo que hacen. Te encontré por tus publicaciones en redes y respondiste muy rápido. Si otras personas quieren información rápida o actualizaciones en tiempo real o pedir ayuda, ¿dónde pueden ir?
[00:10:01] Brittney: Pueden ir al Immigrant Legal Resource Center, ilrc.org. No estamos afiliados, pero es una red excelente para recursos específicos de esta situación. Y luego está la Independent Hospitality Coalition. Somos un grupo de propietarios de restaurantes independientes que defendemos las necesidades únicas de negocios locales. No somos McDonald's ni Chuck E. Cheese. Somos los mejores sillas, los oyster bars y los locales auténticos de LA. Estamos siempre disponibles, somos personas reales al otro lado. Si eres dueño de un restaurante o pequeño negocio y te sientes solo o abrumado, no dudes en contactarnos. Leemos todos los mensajes y tratamos de estar presentes, queremos ayudar. Contáctanos para guía.
[00:10:46] Darin: Agradezco toda la orientación. Gracias por ser una luz positiva en estos tiempos difíciles. Gracias a ti, Lisa y a todos. Buena suerte y sigan luchando lo bueno.
[00:10:56] Brittney: Gracias por darnos voz. Ojalá todo mejore pronto.
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