On The Signal, Dino connects the global and the local: a live update from Caracas with Pastor Ricardo Moreno on Venezuela after U.S. actions and renewed deportation flights, plus a tense look at ICE enforcement in Downey with Mayor Claudia Frometa. How do communities respond when fear meets power—and what does accountability look like now? From war narratives to city halls, this episode maps the forces shaping everyday life in LA. Aired live on 90.7 FM KPFK Los Angeles on January 17 2026.
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TRANSCRIPT
This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.
00:00:00:00 - 00:00:09:20
ANNOUNCER
You're listening to Kpfk 90.7 FM Los Angeles. You're listening to Kpfk, 90.7 FM Los Angeles.
00:00:09:22 - 00:00:22:04
MUSIC INTRO
The whole run by a handful of greedy bankers and CEOs who nobody elected. What can't possibly last?
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MUSIC INTRO
I'm going to tell you another percent.
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MUSIC INTRO
But you really only have to remember I took two words.
00:00:33:03 - 00:01:09:04
DINO
Listen. Welcome to another episode of The Signal. News, information and analysis on this wonderful broadcast. Kpfk 90.7 Los Angeles, also broadcasting on 98.7 FM in Santa Barbara. To more 93.7 FM in San Diego, 99.5 FM in Ridgecrest, China Lake. And to all our listeners online at Kpfk, dot org, which I'm very proud to say over the last, what, six, seven months, we've gotten, folks who call Dan sent messages from as far away as Ohio.
00:01:09:06 - 00:01:32:23
DINO
I think it was Colorado, Nevada, and a few others. So for all of you listening in online, yeah. Thank you for joining us here in Southern California. A beautiful day here in Glendale, California, as we go live. So lots going on today. We're going to have another great episode, with special guests from as far away as Venezuela, Caracas, Venezuela.
00:01:33:01 - 00:02:16:14
DINO
We're, we'll be joined by my first guest in a few minutes. Pastor Ricardo Moreno, a long time, activist advocate, resident of Los Angeles for many, many years, who now, once again resides in Venezuela, will be giving us an update on what life is like there. Now since the recent developments and discussing an article he just wrote in which he brings to life a comparison that looks at, the war time era that Martin Luther King lived under and, life under the Trump administration from a Venezuelan perspective.
00:02:16:14 - 00:02:39:17
DINO
So we'll be going to him live shortly. And then in our second segment, we're excited to come back to the local. As many of you know, here on The Signal, we try and bring you international stories, national stories, and of course, local stories. And we'll be going to the southeast city of Downey, Downey California, down in the what is it?
00:02:39:19 - 00:03:18:17
DINO
The southeast corridor, where recent developments around Ice raids that happened there in Downey. You know, brought the community out. And there's been a lot of conversation about these issues that ultimately, amount to issues of accountability, community safety, and, you know, what happens when local government does or does not respond to what's happening today? Vis-a-vis the federal administration's ongoing targeting of, immigrants, immigrants of all, parts of the world, for that matter.
00:03:18:19 - 00:03:41:06
DINO
So and let's put it in context, folks. All right. Let's let's give a little context to to what's part of, what what is motivating some of this. Right. Just this past week, we saw, operations being conducted by Ice and Monterrey, which is now being kind of touted as the Montebello rooftop operation. Many of you have seen the videos, I've seen the videos.
00:03:41:06 - 00:04:11:18
DINO
Our producer team here has shown me the videos in which, Ice agents actually, you know, posted up some ladders and decided to go up after, some individuals they claim were undocumented little Tokyo, you know, little Tokyo have had an operation in which folks, at one of the local popular, prominent hotels there in the little Tokyo area saw ice operators, individuals going in there after people.
00:04:11:20 - 00:04:34:21
DINO
And then, of course, most notably the fashion district where, dozens of Border Patrol agents arrived and unmasked, excuse me, unmarked vehicles and with mask wearing and, went about and in a very public way. We were seeing this on video. Right. Your citizens being asked, what's your nationality? Do you have proof that you are who you say you are?
00:04:34:23 - 00:05:01:01
DINO
So I think it's safe to say you know, it has been quite, for some time now that this is far beyond a border story anymore. This is a story about daily life in Los Angeles, becoming what many describe it. An enforcement zone. Right. So, you know, one of the things that we try and do here is, is bring you these voices from both on the ground perspective.
00:05:01:01 - 00:05:27:16
DINO
As much as it is important to hear from our political leaders, our civic leaders, and that's what we're doing today, right? We we're going to have some additional, reviews of, other cities, other parts of Southern California. But, we decided to focus in on these two particular issues, Venezuela, in part because, you know, Pastor Moreno is a long term resident.
00:05:27:16 - 00:06:16:12
DINO
He's very intimately familiar with, our communities here in LA. And I think, you know, he brings a unique perspective in seeing what's happening, not only here and what used to be his home for many, many, many years, and now in his own home of, Caracas, Venezuela. So, yeah, we're going to start the program with this fast moving and high consequence, developments in Venezuela, where international headlines continue to shift by the day, if not by the hour, and where the stakes are not just geopolitical but human and deeply personal for millions of families, across the globe, just within the last several days, we have seen reporting that the first flight
00:06:16:14 - 00:06:48:22
DINO
of deported Venezuelan migrants has once again, resumed. Or the first flight, has already been executed, roughly a month, give or take. No, not even a month. Right. Less than a month since the attacks that occurred in Caracas. We're now hearing that more flights are expected, to be coming out of, the U.S and into Venezuela, where they are, repatriating, Venezuelans.
00:06:49:00 - 00:07:37:11
DINO
And, you know, this will undoubtedly bring a whole other perspective of discourse around this political issue of, you know, the Trump administration and what is happening in Venezuela. I think for a while, there was a lot of discontent around the Trump administration's unwilling ness or efforts to deport more Venezuelans back to Venezuela. And then the military action that occurred that removed a sitting president from Venezuela has prompted, I think, hope and a lot of, you know, much more fuzzy feelings towards the administration by the Venezuelan community, only to now be told that, yeah, we're going to resume flights and we're going to continue to deport individuals.
00:07:37:11 - 00:08:14:22
DINO
So that is something that is undoubtedly going to be a developing story, in the coming days. We've we've also seen a very sharp political will, a lot of political messaging around what Reuters is calling the highly symbolic Oval Office moment involving Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Marie, Corina machado, when, visiting President Donald Trump with in the white House and extending, offering, gifting her Nobel medal as part of an effort to influence U.S. policy in the future of Venezuela's transition.
00:08:15:00 - 00:08:46:19
DINO
I think that's indisputable. I think that's something that, we've known rather openly from both the, Miss Machado and others and the administration that, this is an effort indeed to influence the future of Venezuela only to, in her case, know that, as of right now. And this might be changing. We don't know yet. The administration has said that, they're not entirely convinced there is much other as the first or the best option for the Venezuelan people.
00:08:46:19 - 00:09:25:07
DINO
So that, too will be something to look out for. This is all unfolding amid and amid a, atmosphere of, extreme volatility and competing their narratives about what's coming next for Venezuela. So with that, to help us understand what is happening on the ground, we'll be joined live from Caracas, Venezuela, with our friend, you know, and long, contributor to the, signal here and then KPFA and general Ricardo Moreno, a Presbyterian pastor, long time Los Angeles resident and activist and contributor to our, broadcast.
00:09:25:08 - 00:09:50:04
DINO
And, but before we go there, remember, our second or our second segment will take us to Southeast Los Angeles to discuss Downey. So with that said, let's go live to Caracas, Venezuela. The Associated Press again, reporting that, a flight carrying 231 deported Venezuelan migrants has already arrived in Caracas, marking the first such flight.
00:09:50:05 - 00:10:15:13
DINO
And at the same time, Reuters is reporting that, leader mediocrity number two other has not had the full support of the president. So but as we talk about this and as we report on this, we want to hear more about what is the community experiencing since the military operations that happen. So joining us now live from Caracas is Ricardo Moreno again, Presbyterian pastor.
00:10:15:13 - 00:10:21:15
DINO
Long time no cycles. Advocate Ricardo, welcome back to the Signal.
00:10:21:17 - 00:10:32:02
RICARDO MORENO
Thank you for having me back, Armando. And greetings to all the listeners, the people in my beloved city of Los Angeles and Southern California.
00:10:32:04 - 00:10:45:07
DINO
Well, so before we go to the article, you just, published, a few days ago, help us set the scene, for what is what is Caracas feel like right now?
00:10:45:09 - 00:11:27:10
RICARDO MORENO
Well, people are trying to be back to normal. If you can see that. Obviously distances are normal. People, are back into, you know, day to day activities. So my schools and college and university started classes this week. People are getting back to normal, markets, businesses are opening back, but and, you know, in the that's in the surface, but in the inside of people, people are still worried about what will happen in the future.
00:11:27:10 - 00:11:49:13
RICARDO MORENO
We still have the the threat of the American, novel will back in close to our coast, around, many, nine flights of US aircraft about Caracas. So people are worried.
00:11:49:15 - 00:12:17:19
DINO
Is let's go back to this issue of the US intervention in Venezuela right now. What is the community and your, you know, as somebody who is a leader who provides guidance both, on a, social level and spiritual level as a man of the cloth yourself, what are the people of Venezuela saying about the US now, two, three weeks into this?
00:12:17:21 - 00:12:53:17
RICARDO MORENO
Well, good question. And I was reflecting in that, you here in the news, I mean, you watching the news, the, the mainstream media news in English, you know, CNN, ABC, CBS, and also in the Spanish, Telemundo and Sean and all those that many Venezuelans wear in Miami and your I know US cities celebrating, you know, with American flags and, what happened in Venezuela, deep took me back to what happened in Iraq, you know, when the U.S. invaded Iraq.
00:12:53:17 - 00:12:54:16
DINO
Sure.
00:12:54:18 - 00:13:23:22
RICARDO MORENO
And also, you saw the same images, right, of people in Iraq, in Baghdad, you know, jumping in with the flags and also in other countries, Afghanistan. And I can go on a here in Venezuela. It was something different. Caracas was in the, the, the, in the, the day after, you know, the attack was on January 3rd, starting around 1:42 a.m. in the morning, some people would wake up by the noise of the helicopters, the jets, the bombers, the bombs.
00:13:23:22 - 00:14:02:10
RICARDO MORENO
You know, I live 1.5 miles from the main air force base base in Caracas, 1.5 miles. So I was really close to the second main target, and people were screaming, people were nervous. And then for the following days, myself included, people really get, you know, any sleep so that then the next day that last week in the first 24 hours, the next day 40 hours after and 72 hours after Caracas was like, am I going to see the empty?
00:14:02:12 - 00:14:23:17
RICARDO MORENO
No celebration, no flags, no noise. Every people was inside of homes, afraid of what will happen. Then, of course, when we hear, the press conference by Mr. Trump and Rubio and Secretary of Defense. Heck of war, right. It's not defense anymore.
00:14:23:19 - 00:14:25:09
DINO
Now you think you're right.
00:14:25:11 - 00:14:53:15
RICARDO MORENO
Yeah. Okay. You know, celebrating for for these. I was thinking to myself, well, maybe in the next few days you will see people celebrating or maybe people holding flags in or windows nobody like, at least in my neighborhood, which, by the way, is a middle class neighborhood where a lot of people from the opposition lives. Nobody go city wide, you know, celebration.
00:14:53:18 - 00:14:59:16
RICARDO MORENO
This celebration was made by Venezuelans living overseas.
00:14:59:18 - 00:15:21:18
DINO
And we have since learned, on many, many of those videos, they were in fact, not legitimate videos. I created or videos that, were used and other from other moments of protests, including some from Miami, that were being portrayed as happening in Venezuela. Yes. I think that's part of what we have to deal with these days.
00:15:21:18 - 00:15:58:16
DINO
Right. And not just on the Venezuela issue, but on many issues in which the perception is created that there's a lot more going on now. You you recently wrote an article, which is something that I really want to touch on as I have you here, an article, in which in Spanish you wrote in Spanish, Martin Luther King, unlike other past Donald Trump, like, oh, the hero and, translated Martin Luther King, a Legacy of Peace, Donald Trump, a legacy of war and about that, you frame the peace as King's legacy of peace versus Trump's legacy of war.
00:15:58:16 - 00:16:04:02
DINO
What made you frame it around that? Tell us about what motivated you to write this article?
00:16:04:03 - 00:16:31:10
RICARDO MORENO
I'm a huge admirer of King. When I live in L.A., I went to a client, you know, a story. And then in my ministry in Los Angeles, mainly with the Latino community. But also I got to know a lot of African-American pastors and African-American bishops. So I learned a lot about King legacy through them. And also, I went to the King Center.
00:16:31:10 - 00:17:05:06
RICARDO MORENO
I meet with great, I mean, with, King down there. So I put it in that frame because that's what we live in now. I think the world is, is debating with this new U.S. president. I don't know if I can call him prescient anymore because he's he's he's acting like a king, like a like a Roman emperor, like Nero, you know, bending countries, like it's not only Venezuela, Venezuelans, Dolores, but, you know, bombing, Iran, bombing.
00:17:05:08 - 00:17:40:02
RICARDO MORENO
African countries, etc.. So I try to convey the message that that message, which was developed to the latter part of Oskin life and talking about 1965 until he was killed, in 1968, those last three years or four years of King life, you see a sweet what changed in his discourse public discourse. He no longer only spoke about civil rights for the Negro.
00:17:40:04 - 00:18:21:16
RICARDO MORENO
The right to bowl did the right week one. But he started criticizing the military industry, the military complex of the United States. He started criticizing United States wars overseas. He started becoming in solidarity with the Palestinian people and the Palestinian movement for emancipation. So King became a frontal critic of the US empire. So I think what we see right now in our world is that the Biden is back in his full expression with Trump, and especially in Latin America.
00:18:21:16 - 00:18:49:15
RICARDO MORENO
You know, before it used to be only wars in the Middle East, Africa and others. But now Trump is coming back to Latin America trying to bring back the Monroe Doctrine, which basically claims that we are the backside of the United States. From Mexico to Argentina. Now, all the Caribbean that we are the budget of the United States and then that the United States will rule what happened or will decide what happens in our countries.
00:18:49:17 - 00:19:05:23
RICARDO MORENO
And I think it's necessary to come back to the King message as we know, only a pacifist, but an anti war and also criticizing the Barrett with his military industrial complex.
00:19:06:01 - 00:19:24:14
DINO
And so yeah, indeed I when I read your article and you know, I got to be transparent and say that I had to add on a few concepts, revisit my my translator. And by the way, you posted, you published this article on and remind me it's Hispanic la.com.
00:19:24:14 - 00:19:39:20
RICARDO MORENO
Hispanic elected com which also has a a a another version in English which I will translate the document is Latino usa.com. So I will make this article available. Wonderful in English too.
00:19:39:23 - 00:19:41:02
DINO
And we'll post it.
00:19:41:04 - 00:20:08:19
DINO
So you exactly we'll post it on our site on the Kpfk website. So indeed, you argue that. Yes, that, King eventually did transition to making the argument that war spending undermines civil rights and justice at home. And you write that people often do not care about how this violence manifests until it reaches their own neighborhood. And where do you think this moral disconnect comes from?
00:20:08:19 - 00:20:28:14
DINO
Why is it become so common as a man of faith, as a pastor yourself, you know, when you hear of others espousing the name of God, and then turning around and saying, well, get rid of this one and get rid of that one, walk me through that impact. What does it make you feel?
00:20:28:16 - 00:21:19:11
RICARDO MORENO
Well, I was reflecting in, in key words when he said that we are all connected, like the humanity we are all connected through different, with the strong bonds. So whatever affects one man or one woman in any part of the world affects also my my work and my my my my life as a as a human being, so that we live in this net of interconnections and we can live without anything happens in Venezuela affects directly what happens in Los Angeles and in your home city where you are right now, and all the people who are listening to police boom.
00:21:19:12 - 00:21:53:03
RICARDO MORENO
It's it's nothing like, oh, it's far away. Of course, many people who don't really care about our common humanity, they don't care about what happened in other parts until the bonds start falling down a leaf. I think that happened here. You know, when I was talking to why the silence and still the silence of people hearing in Caracas, especially people who belong to the upper, economic ladder, like, you know, rich people and, upper middle class people.
00:21:53:05 - 00:22:30:09
RICARDO MORENO
Why the silence? Well, because now they feel the bombs really close to home. They saw that the bombs, not only from other military targets, but also affected and sometimes thrown apartments and even some civilian places, like what? A house for Marie Saint was born, you know, and people who were, are needed of them in the passage, like over 2000 of them were affected because one of the ones brought up a wedding house for for that, thanks to God.
00:22:30:11 - 00:22:56:20
RICARDO MORENO
President Lula from Brazil. Few days after deciding to help and he sent a plane full of many things for that particular, need. So I think when, when when Gina started to talk about how to commune humanity, what they it affects people all over the place. It's affecting also my life. And it's also affecting my city, my neighborhood.
00:22:56:22 - 00:23:20:07
DINO
Joining me, is, Ricardo Moreno, live from Caracas, Venezuela, Presbyterian pastor, a longtime Los Angeles resident who now once again resides in Caracas. And we're discussing an article, a recent article he wrote, Martin Luther King A Legacy of Peace, Donald Trump, A Legacy of War on Hispanics. As a Hispanic. Yes. Right. Did I get that right?
00:23:20:09 - 00:23:24:05
RICARDO MORENO
Yeah. Hispanic like that Hispanic aleikum.
00:23:24:07 - 00:24:05:01
DINO
And you know, we're he's walking us through you know, the motivation between the article, the comparisons he draws. And you know, everything from, you know, the imperial ideas like manifest Destiny and the Monroe Doctrine, creeping its head back into modern day politics of today under the Trump administration. Pastor Moreno, what's the message you have for other clergy, whether with regard to engaging the community or checking themselves on this issue of the intersection of, you know, God and war.
00:24:05:03 - 00:24:21:22
DINO
You know, we as you well know, and I think you and I chatted about this in the past, you know, a lot of what's happening today here in the United States and indeed in other places of the world, is oftentimes promoted at bands by men of the cloth. And you can't help but to wonder, like, where does this come from?
00:24:21:22 - 00:24:32:03
DINO
When did the Bible say, hey, by the way, it's your right to go and take over another country. What's your message to those who choose to take that approach.
00:24:32:05 - 00:25:01:11
RICARDO MORENO
And live for? In my article, two are really, well, famous, you know, evangelist, this song of of Billy Graham, Franklin Graham, which, you know, she has been openly supporting Trump not only during the campaign, but also through his second term and also in the first term. And I call Franklin Graham and all white pastor, which, by the way, 76% of white you angel calls voted for Trump.
00:25:01:13 - 00:25:22:21
RICARDO MORENO
So I call on Dan and say, listen, you need you need to stop and to be a concrete stop that religious hypocrisy and, and start looking into what this guy is doing to, you know, to the United States, all the cities all over the ice, all the war that he's even started within the United States, but also what he's doing overseas.
00:25:23:03 - 00:25:40:21
RICARDO MORENO
And not only the way am I to say that many Latino evangelicals, too, are supporting Trump and still supporting Trump, like, like, like Reverend and Samuel Rodriguez, which is the digital they include the national Hispanic, Latino Leadership.
00:25:40:21 - 00:25:43:02
DINO
Conference. Yeah, right.
00:25:43:04 - 00:26:11:19
RICARDO MORENO
Yeah. Latino conference. You know, he has been there in the in the white House and next to Trump giving him cover. And then he he came in and in the polling, all the media saying that no, Trump promised me that, that he will only report criminals and he will only, only target criminals. And you and I know that he says that all the immigrants, even American citizens like you, my brother, you can be one king in this series.
00:26:11:19 - 00:26:12:16
RICARDO MORENO
And you will be stopped.
00:26:12:22 - 00:26:13:06
DINO
Until.
00:26:13:06 - 00:26:33:20
RICARDO MORENO
You guys know. Yeah. And and many. And the other pastor has been deported, even many of the Venezuelans, which ironically supported Trump because they say, well, Trump is going to liberate Venezuela now they're getting their own family members being deported and coming in those planes that you weren't referring at the beginning of, of the program. Right. So it is getting crazy.
00:26:33:20 - 00:27:03:09
RICARDO MORENO
So my message is a brothers sister, the real gospel is to be in solidarity with the war. In a war with the poodle, with the widow, with the with the person who is in jail. Right. They the gospel says that Jesus as his disciples, you know, at the end of the times, you're not going to be judged by I was hungry and you feed me, I was thirsty and you gave me whatever I was in jail and you visited me.
00:27:03:11 - 00:27:10:21
RICARDO MORENO
You know that that's the real gospel, to be in solidarity to people that are in need. The rest is just wrong.
00:27:10:23 - 00:27:39:09
DINO
And as we close out, Pastor Moreno, I have to ask, as a student of of the teachings of Martin Luther King and as you continue to, play an active role in helping support people during this time, if Doctor King were alive, you know, and I used to hate when people ask these types of questions that here I am years later, asking myself, hearing your story, watching this political moment in time, what do you think he would say?
00:27:39:11 - 00:28:13:12
RICARDO MORENO
He will be right in front of the more women to stop Trump when listen to this, when he started speaking against the Vietnam War because he saw the injustice not only for the American soldiers, the young soldiers who were losing their life in a war, but also they can be seen all the families from Vietnam. When he started speaking against 61% of the American voters were supporting the war.
00:28:13:14 - 00:28:42:06
RICARDO MORENO
So it's not like he he wants to be on profit. And I think as a prophet, he will be today leading the marches in Washington, in Los Angeles, in Chicago, in Minneapolis, leading the marches against ice, invasion of communities in base of National Guard presence in cities like Washington, DC against the wall. The war that the Trump administration is doing against their own citizens.
00:28:42:08 - 00:28:59:11
RICARDO MORENO
And he will be the first critical of the operation that then my attack on three Venezuela, bomb and I still won't be on Congress. He will be right there in the front lines. I'm pretty sure of that.
00:28:59:12 - 00:29:16:07
DINO
The press wrote, and I really, really appreciate you joining us live from Venezuela. A Presbyterian pastor, a longtime resident of Los Angeles, who worked here for many years, is now back in Venezuela. I want to thank you. And, you know, I hope to talk to you again soon. Please stay safe.
00:29:16:09 - 00:29:20:09
RICARDO MORENO
Sure. Thank you.
00:29:20:11 - 00:29:49:13
MUSIC INTRO
Tune in every Saturday at noon to the Signal with Armando. Dino with Dino. Produced by Ornella Barbara on Kpfk, 90.7 FM, Los Angeles. This is the hour when the static drops, the truth rises and the voices of the people cut through the noise. From 12 to 1 p.m. we break it down, ask the hard questions, shine a light in the dark corners and stand for the ones who refuse to be silent.
00:29:49:15 - 00:30:04:21
MUSIC INTRO
So set your clock, tell your friends and lock it in. Every Saturday at noon, the signal is live only on Kpfk, 90.7 FM, Los Angeles.
00:30:04:23 - 00:30:34:08
DINO
Welcome back for our second segment. Today we're going to head on south east southeast of, of L.A. County and, go down to the city of Downey, where a recent, local firestorm. This is me being a bit of a sensationalist, but it was pretty heated. It erupted after a wave of reported ice enforcement, activity deepened the fear among many communities there in the L.A. area.
00:30:34:10 - 00:30:55:08
DINO
My next guest is mayor of Downey, Claudia Frometa, who joins us from Downey. To walk us through what happened. And, you know, what are some of the the political dynamics developing in the city of Downey? And before we go there, you know, again, I want to put in perspective, right. We had a lot of flurry of activity.
00:30:55:08 - 00:31:23:23
DINO
We saw activity in Montebello and Little Tokyo and, the the garment district and of course, in Downey. And according to reporting from Color News, residents and community leaders confronted Downey mayor at the local city council meeting demanding action and describing what they say are frightening tactics, including mass agents and unmarked cars, arresting residents and describing it as kidnapings.
00:31:23:23 - 00:31:44:11
DINO
And, as we later learned, and the case of two local gentlemen who were doing work at a nearby home. As it turned out, they had every legitimate, reason to not only be here, but actually, do their work. So with that, join me, in welcoming mayor, Claudia from the mayor. Thanks for being on the site.
00:31:44:11 - 00:31:45:13
DINO
On.
00:31:45:15 - 00:31:50:06
CLAUDIA FROMETA
Thank you for having me. Good afternoon to you and to all of your listeners.
00:31:50:08 - 00:32:13:02
DINO
So I, you know, I got to say something. You know, the the our energy drink field team of researchers handed me something the very last minute that, I got to be, I gotta say, mayor made me a little bias. I understand that you are. I was about to read your bio, and then I. I focused in on this one.
00:32:13:04 - 00:32:31:18
DINO
But let me read the bio. Three time mayor of Downey, reelected in 2022 with nearly 70% of the vote. Which is impressive. And, you come to the city of Downey with a diverse experience. And here's the business. I understand you actually are a licensed ham radio operator.
00:32:31:20 - 00:32:33:06
CLAUDIA FROMETA
I am I am.
00:32:33:06 - 00:32:33:14
DINO
A.
00:32:33:14 - 00:32:39:21
CLAUDIA FROMETA
That I am a I am all about communications in every form.
00:32:39:23 - 00:32:59:22
DINO
Pretty cool mayor. Pretty cool. I don't think of all the elected officials. And I'm looking at my producer, nella. I don't think we've ever had one elected official. There was a ham radio operator. For those of you that don't know what ham operators are, it's these days it's much more of a hobby, I would say. I myself have, maybe something like that at, at my home.
00:32:59:22 - 00:33:47:03
DINO
But, we're not here to talk about ham operators. But I did think it was a fun fact. Speaking of fun fact, maybe we might get to another one later. So, mayor, walk us through what happened, right. It looks like Downey was yet again a target of, ice operations. We know, according to some of the rapid response networks that track ice activity, that since, according to, to one particular network, the, Los Angeles Rapid Response Network, from June 9th of last year through January 10th, there was as many as 16 ice related events in the city of Downey, with 15 plus people possibly more, being taken
00:33:47:03 - 00:34:03:07
DINO
from the city. I myself did that. We were covering that at the time. So I'm very familiar with some of these very specific actions in Downey. But what happened, recently that sparked this, this particular outrage that, I describe.
00:34:03:08 - 00:34:34:11
CLAUDIA FROMETA
Absolutely. And thank you for having me once again. The recent, immigration enforcement activity in our community. In fact, a week ago today, understandably, raised fear, concern, outrage, within the city of Downey, we support the rule of law. I think unequivocally, all of us, want criminals off our streets, and particularly if criminals are here illegally.
00:34:34:13 - 00:35:05:01
CLAUDIA FROMETA
But what? The problem we are all having, and this is regardless of party affiliation, the problem we really are having is what seems to be racial profiling, members in not just in Downey, but in communities, throughout. Again, this is wrong. The racial profiling has got to stop. It is tearing our communities apart, and and it really is eroding the trust.
00:35:05:01 - 00:35:47:01
CLAUDIA FROMETA
Community members have for, law enforcement and their elected leaders. It puts us in a very difficult position because from from a local government perspective, we local elected officials and or local, police departments cannot interfere or get involved with, with a federal, operation. And what is happening is, again, when, when we, and let's, let's make sure we discuss, 77.3 million people across the country voted for, the current president, President Donald J.
00:35:47:01 - 00:36:20:23
CLAUDIA FROMETA
Trump. And, and I believe the, the people voted for, more immigration enforcement. Sure. Secure borders. What people? And again, Downey was one of the cities in Southeast Los Angeles County. That's, 18.8 points, in favor of of the current president. There was a shift from 2020. And so what I really want to speak, and speak to those, again, moderates.
00:36:20:23 - 00:36:52:13
CLAUDIA FROMETA
And because this is regardless of party affiliation, this is a human issue. People voted for law in order. What people did not vote for. And what I did not vote for is racial profiling in my community. Right. When when people are being taken, because they look a certain way in the case of the landscapers that were, that were, almost taken a week ago in this, in this city, I think that's when alarms, continue to go off.
00:36:52:13 - 00:37:14:19
CLAUDIA FROMETA
Sure, sure. We we support the rule of law in, in due process. And if there's a warrant and people have committed a crime and they're going to be apprehended, by all means. But going after individuals that, as it turns out, they were legal, they have the right to be here. I think that's where things, become really outrageous.
00:37:14:19 - 00:37:26:21
CLAUDIA FROMETA
And and it really gives us an opportunity to pause and demand that our state legislators step in and amend current state law.
00:37:27:01 - 00:37:54:02
DINO
Sure. And so I got to ask because I think, you know, to your point that at one point, you know, prior to all of this, both Tony and the 73, 77 million people that, you describe as having voted for this law and order approach. I think it's fair to say that since then there's been a lot of, a lot of that particular law and order approach that, has may or may have faltered.
00:37:54:02 - 00:38:26:15
DINO
And I think I hear a little bit of that. And your description with regard to the systemic targeting of individuals based on race and ethnicity. Now, I got to be transparent about one thing. I am actually, in the interest of full transparency, a litigant on the Vasquez Perdomo case that has brought into question the Fourth and Fifth Amendment, constitutional violations being, conducted by Ice operations that have, very specifically targeted, people on the basis of race and ethnicity.
00:38:26:15 - 00:39:05:06
DINO
And while, that particular case against Nome and, or, did win in district court and the ninth Court of Appeals, and there was a stay at the Supreme Court level. I think it's fair to say that even some of the most ardent, supporters of the Trump administration have begun to at least raise the concern. The question with that said, I got to be honest, when when I, I put out a promotional flier, about you joining us, and I was a bit surprised at just how many people reached out and said, you know, don't give her a platform.
00:39:05:06 - 00:39:25:21
DINO
Why are you doing this? And I don't bother myself with that. To me, this is, you know, it's this is news, information and analysis. But the one thing that caught me by surprise is this claim that, you are not only a supporter of the Trump administration, but in fact a supporter of MAGA. Are you a member of the MAGA movement here in California?
00:39:25:23 - 00:39:58:02
CLAUDIA FROMETA
You know, this this is an interesting question. And I'm going to tell you, I have been a registered Republican, as a Mexican immigrant, I have been a registered Republican for a long time, and I support law and order. Sure. I unequivocally, unequivocally denounce the current, federal enforcement tactics. I believe that those are wrong, and we need to change the approach.
00:39:58:04 - 00:40:31:06
CLAUDIA FROMETA
I am a believer. And again, in MAGA, the Make America Great Again movement actually began with Ronald Reagan. And I'm a big Ronald Reagan fan. It was him who began that movement. And he also under the Reagan administration, that is when we saw any, any type of movement in immigration. In fact, under Reagan's administration, President Reagan, we saw immigration reform.
00:40:31:10 - 00:41:10:01
CLAUDIA FROMETA
Yes. Now, that's been 40 years. We are long overdue. And I think that what is what is deeply troubling, in the times that we are living of, of political, extremism and partizanship is we need immigration reform once again in this country. The DACA recipients, are very dear and close to my heart because I, you know, I am an immigrant, and I believe that when people are brought here, as children, they have no say in, in where they are taken.
00:41:10:03 - 00:41:56:20
CLAUDIA FROMETA
And so what disturbs me, Dino, is the, the administrations and both parties, by the way, because both parties are at fault. I will not, I stand for truth, and I'm a I'm a common sense individual. I tend to be a moderate, and I, I really, I'm angered, in, in many people like myself, that have an AR next to their name, we are angered because we are being vilified and demonized by, anything and everything that may be going wrong at this point in time, but I just I just want to make it very clear that, we need immigration enforcement, and we need both parties.
00:41:56:22 - 00:42:26:12
CLAUDIA FROMETA
Obama under the Obama administration, he controlled the House and the Senate, and something could have been done. Sure. Under Biden, something could have been done. And, now President Trump, he has an opportunity to do that. And what I'm what I'm very angry about is Latinos, or the immigrant community in general, whether is Latino or not being used as political pawns in the game of Partizan politics.
00:42:26:12 - 00:42:50:09
DINO
Sure. And just to contextualize for for the audience, mayor is referring to, Ronald Reagan's, one of his main actions for on immigration was the signing of the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 86, which was a landmark law that, provided amnesty for, I think was over 3 million people, immigrants and other migrants who were here in the country.
00:42:50:10 - 00:43:12:10
DINO
And, you know, I actually I'm going to agree with you on one thing. A mayor, you know, somebody who's worked in and broadcasting and journalism and one capacity or another, including, video our film, you know, I've always reminded people that we're not always going to be able to cover every angle of the same story, which is precisely why we narrow in focus.
00:43:12:10 - 00:43:40:23
DINO
And, you know, in your case, and in many cases, for political officials, there will always be one side or another who is not entirely content, with what's happening. So I, I do acknowledge that, you know, I saw the recent video you posted, just minutes before we went live on air, in which you're describing, what the city is, some of the city's positions and what you're going to do next.
00:43:41:01 - 00:44:21:18
DINO
But walk me. Let's walk back to the actual city council, in which, during the city council meeting, I think it was, what, maybe a few days after the, I, activity in Downey, the community came out, there was a protest. They came out to, to City Hall, and there was what I would describe from my own observations, maybe a bit of a confrontational engagement that ultimately led, to you pausing the meeting and others accusing you of censorship, particularly, when you had a heated exchange with Council member Mario Trujillo.
00:44:21:20 - 00:44:31:01
DINO
And, who was asking for more accountability if I understand the video correctly. And there was a pause, walk us through that moment.
00:44:31:03 - 00:45:04:03
CLAUDIA FROMETA
Absolutely. Let me tell you that I find I was deeply disturbed and disappointed that my council colleague had to hear you seize the moment to attack me. For all additional anger and division in our community by focusing on Partizan politics. Other than focusing on working collaboratively for Downey's residents, my council colleague chose to add to the chaos, the frustration and volatility of the situation.
00:45:04:05 - 00:45:48:10
CLAUDIA FROMETA
Now, the Ralph Brown Act, which is a California law, government code, sections 54950, it allows mayors to conduct the people's business, in, in a structured format. And it tailors the decorum guidance for public meetings. At that moment, when it was evident my colleague was using his council member comments to attack me on a federal law, that I have no oversight or authority over.
00:45:48:12 - 00:45:50:11
CLAUDIA FROMETA
The meeting became unruly.
00:45:50:13 - 00:45:51:09
DINO
Sure.
00:45:51:11 - 00:46:23:17
CLAUDIA FROMETA
And at that moment, the Brown Act allows for us to pause, to take a recess, to allow for the meeting to come down, for the tempers to simmer and then come back to conduct a fair, open and orderly meeting. I do have to mention people. And he himself said I was trying to censor him. Absolutely not.
00:46:23:19 - 00:47:10:14
CLAUDIA FROMETA
What I find once again, very disappointing is focusing on Partizan politics to stir, anger and incite violence against a colleague. Sure. And it's good to say it's good. And it's important to say Council Member Trujillo was indeed. He is the first sitting council member in the history of the city of Downey, California, that was sponsored by a council majority last year due to his, behavior and conduct to towards residents via email and social media.
00:47:10:16 - 00:47:14:17
CLAUDIA FROMETA
So that that is correct. He was censured by this council.
00:47:14:21 - 00:47:15:19
DINO
And just.
00:47:15:21 - 00:47:24:04
CLAUDIA FROMETA
Based on Tuesdays meeting, I did not censure him. I took a recess to allow for the meeting to continue in an orderly fashion.
00:47:24:04 - 00:47:43:09
DINO
And noted, and I do want to share with our audience, including those who are, believe it or not, texted me or messaging me right now as we speak. About your comments, mayor, and we're not going to get into that because this is just not going to be the moment to turn this into that kind of, of a broadcast.
00:47:43:09 - 00:48:15:15
DINO
But, we did extend an invitation, to, Councilmember Trujillo. And he would get back to us about joining us, possibly, next week or at a later time. So we'll give him that opportunity. But let's go back to to this issue of, of the roles and responsibilities. So as a broadcast that does monitor a lot of these actions, I gotta say that, you know, we do see in other cities, you know, mayor, Mayor Bass, for example, and city of L.A.
00:48:15:17 - 00:48:43:23
DINO
Sometimes almost immediately pulls out and I'm getting thumbs ups and downs, and the studio, sometimes does immediately go on the air and condemns some of these actions. And, while maybe at times acknowledging what you're describing, about the clear separation of, roles and responsibilities, use of state and federal law, I've always interpreted these as moments, as targets of opportunity for leadership.
00:48:44:01 - 00:49:06:06
DINO
You also sit as president of the National Association of Latino Elected Officials. And I remember as, by the way, as somebody who's been a member of that organization off and on for, I don't know, 20 plus years. I remember hearing, oh, okay. Downey, Latino, immigrant. What are the, you know, city of Downey's going to represent?
00:49:06:08 - 00:49:45:21
DINO
And since then, you know, as I followed a lot of folks who are members of this National Association of Latino Elected officials, which, by the way, is one of the oldest and largest, and perhaps most powerful Latino elected official advocacy organizations in the nation. There's a sentiment that maybe not enough has been done to lead the Latino political infrastructure of this country, to make improvements, to call on the administration, to, at the very least, sit with Latino elected officials and do more, other than, as somebody described to me, going to the conference and, and having a good time catching up with friends.
00:49:45:23 - 00:49:49:07
DINO
Has this been a missed opportunity for you?
00:49:49:09 - 00:50:22:04
CLAUDIA FROMETA
I don't think it's a missed opportunity. Do you know the work, is continuing to occur? We, as a nonpartisan national body made up of Partizan elected officials. We have been very thoughtful, to release statements. Bipartisan statements? Condemning, the current, immigration, enforcement practices and and the year just started.
00:50:22:06 - 00:50:22:17
DINO
Yeah.
00:50:22:19 - 00:50:56:16
CLAUDIA FROMETA
Fair enough. We have to remember that, things do take time, and we there will be, opportunities to. In fact, we have, had conversations with the secretary of labor, Laurie Tubbs. Dreamer last year, as a matter of fact. And I think this is this these are critical times our country is living in. And we need to we need to remember that it takes a bipartisan approach.
00:50:56:18 - 00:51:34:19
CLAUDIA FROMETA
And precisely to your point, there are people that are, stuck in in the divisiveness and the extremes, and nothing will be solved by attacking one another and pointing fingers. Sure. In fact, I do want to really quickly in the time that I have with you is the there is a proposed legislation in California to amend the state's sanctuary law, which SB 54, that came into effect in 2018.
00:51:34:21 - 00:52:11:02
CLAUDIA FROMETA
And when that law came into effect, it immediately barred federal agencies, federal enforcement agencies from communicating and collaborating with local police departments. I'm familiar now, the proposed legislation, the proposed legislation, it was SB 554, and it was Republican led. But as we know, in in the one party state of the state of California, that amendment to the law was killed in February of last year.
00:52:11:04 - 00:52:45:23
CLAUDIA FROMETA
And so I understand residents across cities, including Downey, are angry that should be treated. And I, I joined their anger and I joined their frustration. But until we do not come together and also hold our state legislators accountable because they do hold the key, they have the ability to work together and amend a sanctuary state law that allows the communication and collaboration between federal law enforcement and local police department and mayor.
00:52:45:23 - 00:53:04:04
CLAUDIA FROMETA
We can we can have a lot of conversations, excuse me about the the local mayors in our role, but we need to remember that the U.S. Constitution gives the federal government as exclusive power on over immigration, article one, section eight.
00:53:04:05 - 00:53:35:11
DINO
And I, I think that, mayor, I want to say that I think I certainly understand what you're describing. In fact, as I stated, as a litigant, and one of the nation's most significant, legal cases, it's addressing Fourth Amendment and Fifth Amendment violations against, immigrants, migrants and American citizens. I've actually heard this narrative. I heard it just this past Thursday in a in a hearing before the Department of Justice in which they are arguing that, well, you know, the cities decided to become sanctuary cities.
00:53:35:11 - 00:54:01:11
DINO
Therefore, you brought this upon yourself, and I gotta I gotta push back on that because I think it's it's a ridiculous argument to make, quite frankly, because it it implies that, a small amount of people with whom the city sought to protect, regardless of status, is the cause of the city wide impact and fear that's being caused by these raids, because that's at the end of the day, what's happening?
00:54:01:11 - 00:54:23:08
DINO
A city who may or may not have, migrant populations for the government to come in and say, well, because you allow them here, you therefore created a sanctuary city and they're arguing, mayor, I was there. I've said in these courtrooms, they're arguing that you created these policies and therefore migrants came in and now you're you're you're fighting back.
00:54:23:08 - 00:54:26:08
DINO
And again, that logic to me just doesn't stand.
00:54:26:10 - 00:54:32:09
CLAUDIA FROMETA
Yeah, but remember, this is this. I'm not speaking about cities. I'm speaking about state law. Right, right.
00:54:32:13 - 00:54:33:12
DINO
Which cities are.
00:54:33:14 - 00:55:01:00
CLAUDIA FROMETA
Under the state? The state legislature. Sure. Mandates that and covers that as cities we are are facing the wrath of our community. And and we are as local government. We are the closest to any body of government our residents have. And and to your point, Dino, I agree with you. We cannot we we want to change the law.
00:55:01:01 - 00:55:34:20
CLAUDIA FROMETA
We want to change the current practices. The problem is interfering with federal enforcement is a federal crime. And this is where mayors like myself across the region, we can do as much as provide the know your rights. Make sure we bolster our, funding for community food banks. We can hold, workshops with legal immigration.
00:55:34:20 - 00:55:38:18
CLAUDIA FROMETA
Sure. So that people understand you have rights.
00:55:38:20 - 00:55:54:10
DINO
As mayor as as we went down. Q I'm so sorry to interrupt, but as we went down, we have a few minutes left. This is one of those topics that, quite frankly, I would love to dedicate a whole hour to. And maybe we will, maybe we will bring you back. Not maybe. I would love to bring you back so we can discuss this, later.
00:55:54:12 - 00:56:13:00
DINO
But I do have one a very. My producers are already signaling me, and they throw bananas at me here, by the way. Because I'm a big banana freak, and I always have bananas before the show starts. But as we close out, you know, and, and I want to have three important questions, mayor. And I want you to give me some short answers.
00:56:13:02 - 00:56:38:02
DINO
The first one, sticking to the topic, you know, one of the things I heard the most in the responses messages that I got is that while you do reference this important fact that, you know, there's state law, there's local, that communities are in fear, they are fearful. They're they don't feel that you're providing them enough information timely.
00:56:38:04 - 00:56:53:19
DINO
And, the post that you posted, I believe yesterday was days a week later. And there's a genuine, legitimate fear among the community, your community, our community. What do you say to them? And give it to me in 30s?
00:56:53:21 - 00:57:18:23
CLAUDIA FROMETA
You know what the the Downey City Council, I remain committed in in aligned to make sure we are doing everything we can within our power to keep communicating with our residents and working to ensure that they feel safe. I don't have oversight over federal law enforcement operations. Fair enough. But we will do everything we can.
00:57:19:03 - 00:57:33:17
DINO
And made it to end it on a good note. So, you know, I again, the the energy drink fueled research team here at The signal, a little birdie told me that you have a wide collection of nutcrackers. How many do you have?
00:57:33:19 - 00:57:42:21
CLAUDIA FROMETA
I have probably between 55 and 60, maybe more. Yet different sizes.
00:57:42:23 - 00:58:00:03
DINO
And the last question for you, mayor, you know, we call this segment, politics tacos and beer. This is our political series, within the show. Give it to me. What's your favorite political topic? What's your favorite taco? And if you have a spot, plug it. And what's your favorite drink of choice?
00:58:00:05 - 00:58:09:21
CLAUDIA FROMETA
Oh my goodness. Well, I do have, a favorite that goes it has to be Taco, the, Al Pastore with, grilled onions and pineapple.
00:58:09:22 - 00:58:10:14
DINO
There you go.
00:58:10:17 - 00:58:24:05
CLAUDIA FROMETA
And and there's a lot of great taco places here in Downey, by the way. And I, I want to say I unequivocally condemn the racial profiling happening in our communities. My favorite drink, is a Manhattan.
00:58:24:07 - 00:58:25:13
DINO
Oh, look at my leg.
00:58:25:13 - 00:58:36:22
CLAUDIA FROMETA
There. I do like beer. And I will have a Stella or or, the low calorie beer as well. And, I forgot what the other question was.
00:58:37:00 - 00:58:39:05
DINO
Was it, your favorite political topic?
00:58:39:07 - 00:58:40:09
CLAUDIA FROMETA
And make it quick.
00:58:40:12 - 00:58:42:14
DINO
Maybe they're about to kick me out for.
00:58:42:16 - 00:58:57:05
CLAUDIA FROMETA
Yes. My favorite political topic is actually, immigration. Because this country was built by immigrants, and we need to speak up for people that are most vulnerable. And so that is this actually my favorite topic, to be honest with you.
00:58:57:05 - 00:59:20:05
DINO
Fantastic. My guest has been Mayor Claudia Ferramenta from the city of Downey, discussing the recent political activities and, protests that have happened there in Downey. Mayor, I appreciate you being on the air. I know that sometimes these conversations are difficult, but they're very much needed. And for the audience listening, again, we have extended an invite to others in the city of, Downey.
00:59:20:05 - 00:59:37:12
DINO
We're waiting to hear from them. We might be back on this topic, which might be an ongoing series as we look at the southeast area as an area of focus. And with that, I want to thank, Ricardo and my other guests, Pastor Moreno from Venezuela and everybody who's tuning in, every day, my production team here.
00:59:37:14 - 00:59:42:17
DINO
No, no opportunity for a closing commentary today, which I had a good one, but,
