Neighbors in the Fire Zone Join Hands Across the Community to Symbolically Protect Day Laborers

Altadena/Pasadena, CA — Residents of Altadena and Pasadena linked arms and hands to form a human shield on Saturday in support of day laborers working to rebuild communities affected by the 2025 fires. 

The peaceful action, called La Muralla Humana / The Human Shield, was organized by the National Day Laborer Organizing Network. It brought together neighbors, faith leaders, and community advocates who lined Woodbury Road, Lincoln Avenue, and Lake Avenue for several hours. Organizers said the goal was to show public support for workers who have played a central role in the region’s recovery over the past year.

The demonstration comes as communities continue to navigate the long-term impacts of the fires and broader debates over immigration enforcement in Los Angeles County. Organizers said the action was meant to highlight both the essential role of day laborers in recovery efforts and the challenges they continue to face.

“Today, this community showed that the people rebuilding our homes should not have to live in fear,” said Jose Madera, Pasadena Community Job Center Director, and affiliate of the National Day Laborer Organizing Network. “Hundreds stood up with the workers who have made recovery possible and recognized the value they bring to all of us. We made sure their work and their humanity are seen.”

“Across our communities, we are seeing that the people doing the most essential rebuilding work are often the ones with the least security,” said Heavenly Hughes, with My Tribe Rise. “When we talk about recovery, we have to talk about the workers who make it possible and the reality they are living every day. Standing with them is necessary.”

Participants carried hand-painted signs reading “ICE Out,” “Hands Off Dena,” and “Who Protects the Hands Rebuilding Our Homes?” The demonstration took place from 9 a.m. to noon along the designated route.

Organizers said the action was intended as both a show of support and a public acknowledgment of the workers who have remained central to recovery efforts since the fires.

About National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON):

The National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON) improves the lives of day laborers, migrants, and low-wage workers by building leadership, power, and community among those most impacted by injustice. Founded in 2001 by day laborer organizations across the country, NDLON works to protect and expand labor, civil, and human rights through organizing, advocacy, popular education, and movement-building. Through a network of worker centers, community organizations, and grassroots leaders, NDLON advances policies and practices that challenge inequality, strengthen communities, and ensure that all people—regardless of where they were born—can live, work, and thrive with safety, opportunity, and respect.

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