Día de los Muertos festivals canceled due to ICE concerns
MESA, Ariz. (CRONKITE NEWS, KYMA) - Several U.S. Día de los Muertos events have been canceled due to safety concerns related to recent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity, including the festivals in Decatur, Alabama, and Long Beach, California.
Music, sugar skulls and masks. These are a few things you might find at a Día de los Muertos celebration in the valley.
"It means to honor our ancestors that have passed away, bring you closer to family," said Meri Palmer, a volunteer at the Mesa Art Center.
Día de los Muertos is bringing generations together to celebrate life after death, but across the country, some of these events are being canceled due to fear of ICE raids.
"We're living under very hard conditions," said Salvador Reza, an organizer with El Barrio Defense Committees across Phoenix.
Reza encourages people to not live in fear of being detained or deported by ICE, but instead, to know their rights.
"First of all, you don't have to talk to them, they have to show a warrant for your arrest," Reza explained.
As of now, the Día de los Muertos events in Arizona have not been canceled and will continue to bring people together from all walks of live through celebration.
At the Mesa Arts Center, business owner Aurora Kiser has filled her own booth with handmade flower crowns and catrina hats that she has been selling for years.
"It is so rewarding, and it is something that I love to do. It brings joy to the people who wear them," Kiser shared.
Kiser immigrated from Mexico and is celebrating Day of the Dead by personally honoring family members that have passed away.
"I think it's important to pass on our traditions, to keep our culture, to pass it on to the younger ones and it's just a fun thing...Everyone's happy and celebrating our loved ones," Kiser expressed.
Cronkite News reached out to ICE for further information on possible planned action that might occur in Arizona during Day of the Dead, but they did not respond.
