On the 20th Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina

LOS ANGELES, August 29 – As we mark 20 years since Hurricane Katrina, we remember the devastation, and honor the communities that stepped up when government systems failed. Among them were thousands of immigrant workers—many undocumented—who played a vital yet invisible role in the recovery effort. Today, their labor continues to power recovery from climate disasters across the country.

In the words of Nadia Marin-Molina, NDLON Co-Executive Director:

“Climate disasters, like migration, are on the rise. Although the Trump administration has been slashing the federal government’s capacity to respond to disasters, the largest burden, and most effective response, has always been at the local level. After Katrina, immigrant day laborers served as unrecognized second responders, cleaning up mold, gutting houses, and rebuilding despite the risks. Twenty years later, they are still getting the job done, remediating and rebuilding toxic homes in Los Angeles. Second responders deserve better: an end to raids and repression, and real protection of their health, safety, and human rights.”

As we face increasing climate emergencies, we must move beyond symbolic recognition and deliver real protections for those whose labor makes recovery possible. That means an end to ICE raids and the criminalization of immigrant workers. It means enforcing safety standards and recognizing day laborers as essential—not expendable.

Katrina taught us that recovery comes from the ground up. Today, we honor the second responders who made that recovery possible and recommit to fighting for their dignity, rights, and recognition.

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