As music rips across summer festivals and music venues pulse across the country, there’s a chilling contrast unfolding in Los Angeles. Military vehicles are rolling through neighborhoods. Federal forces – deployed without the governor’s consent – are detaining, surveilling, and intimidating immigrant communities. Families are being torn apart in the name of “enforcement.” This isn’t just political. This is deeply personal for our community.
What Is Happening?
In a recent surge of federal aggression, ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement), backed by National Guard troops, has launched a series of raids across LA, targeting undocumented individuals and immigrant families. Protests quickly turned volatile as heavily armed forces entered residential neighborhoods. People were detained, tear gas was fired, and curfews were enacted.
This is a direct attack on the very people who helped build and shape the electronic music scene.
PLUR Means Nothing if It’s Not for Everyone
Let’s be real: EDM didn’t come from boardrooms or billionaires. It came from the underground, from queer black and brown people, immigrants, and misfits who helped cultivate a space to feel safe and free. We love to preach Peace, Love, Unity, and Respect. But PLUR isn’t just kandi and catchphrases – it’s a social contract. And it breaks the moment we stay silent or unaware and ignorant while our neighbors are being surveilled, detained, or deported.
When ICE moves in with armored vehicles, when helicopters hover over neighborhoods like they’re war zones, it sends a clear message: you don’t belong here. That message directly contradicts everything our scene is supposed to represent.
We’re not talking hypotheticals here. Many ravers, DJs, producers, promoters, and event staff are undocumented, first-gen, or from mixed-status families. These raids aren’t happening in some distant neighborhood — they’re hitting home.
Artists & Promoters Are Speaking Up
Some artists have taken a stand including Audien and Cloonee who postponed their shows over the weekend.
Our time together is meant to be one of celebration, and now is not the time for celebrating.” – Cloonee
Sara Landry tweeted “TECHNO IS AND ALWAYS HAS BEEN ANTIFASCIST!”, John Summit wrote on his story “no more raids, no more detentions, fuck ICE”, Kompany complied and shared a list of resources which have been circulating other EDM spaces and reposted by other artists including Subtronics. Deorro, Los Angeles-born and bred Mexican-American producer also wrote a statement:
Ravenscoon tweeted “we are all immigrants in america. that’s what makes us beautiful. our differences. don’t let them divide us.” Entertainment news & jobs outlet, Assistantsvsagents posted on threads “The Entertainment industry is NOTHING without immigrants. L.A. is NOTHING without immigrants. The US is NOTHING without immigrants.”
The Los Angeles-based electronic music event brand and party series Brownies & Lemonade has also spoken up.
Meanwhile, Day Trip in the Park has officially postponed its June 15th shows at LA State Historic Park, including sets from Sidepiece and Jackie Hollander. Whether out of safety or solidarity, it’s a clear signal that the scene is waking up.
Space Yacht is turning their event in Hollywood on Saturday into a fundraiser for the ACLU and proceeds to help fund defense and advocacy for those who are most at risk.
Rave culture thrives on diversity — of race, language, gender identity, and nationality. Immigration crackdowns divide that community. ICE is dividing communities, separating families and deporting people who often contribute deeply to local culture, nightlife, and art. It erodes the very unity EDM celebrates.
Where Do We Go From Here?
EDM was built to be a refuge — a place where outsiders could become insiders, where sound created safety. That ideal is meaningless if it doesn’t extend to the people most vulnerable right now.
This moment demands more than silence or escapism. It calls on us to protect each other and to remember where this music came from and why it matters.
No community built from resistance can remain neutral in the face of oppression.
Know Your Rights & Help Keep Others Safe
In Case of ICE Activity:
- Don’t open the door unless they have a signed warrant with your name and address.
- Stay silent. You have the right to remain silent and not disclose your status.
- Record the encounter (if safe) and write down badge numbers and names.
- Contact an immigration lawyer ASAP.
To support immigrant-led orgs and legal defense funds who are actively protecting families being targeted in LA you can donate to:
- CHIRLA (Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights): chirla.org/donate
- Immigrant Defense Project: immdefense.org
- RAICES Texas: raicestexas.org/donate
- National Immigration Law Center (NILC): nilc.org
- UndocuHub: A directory of verified aid efforts and resources: undocuhub.org
Helpful resources:
- Know your rights info and community support – https://unitedwedream.org
- National Immigration Law Center (NILC) policy advocacy and immigration rights resources – https://nilc/.org
- Immigrant Defense Project legal tools and guides for responding to ICE encounters – https://immigrationdefenseproject.org
- Notifica App Emergency alert app to notify if trusted contacts if ICE is nearby – https://notifica.us
Hotlines:
- CHIRLA Immigrant Assistance Line: (888) 624-4752 (CA-based, multilingual)
- United We Dream Emergency Line: Text “RAIDS” to 877877
- RAICES Legal Help: www.raicestexas.org