Mexican Congresswoman Yesenia Rojas Cervantes applauds as U.S. Congressman Lou Correa speaks and UCI Labor Center Research Director Iza Camarillo looks on during "From Guanajuato to Orange County" at Newkirk Alumni Center. Photos by Han Parker
UCI Labor Center symposium explores labor, migration and binational ties between Orange County and Guanajuato, Mexico
By Matt Coker
An energetic audience gathered in the Newkirk Alumni Center Oct. 16 as labor leaders, scholars, policymakers, and community advocates gathered for a timely conversation on migration, work, and cross-border community ties. Hosted by the UCI Labor Center in partnership with the Orange County Labor Federation, the event explored the deep binational connections linking Orange County, California, and Guanajuato, Mexico.
Opening the afternoon, Labor Center Research Director Iza Camarillo welcomed guests and set a warm, reflective tone for “From Guanajuato to Orange County: A Conversation on Immigration and Labor.” Framing the center's mission and the significance of the event, she emphasized how deeply intertwined the two regions are in everyday life.
“Today’s event is especially significant because it reflects the long-standing relationship between Guanajuato and Orange County,” Camarillo said. “These connections are found in our workplace. They’re found in schools, neighborhoods, and perhaps most importantly in the families whose lives extend across both regions.”
The featured conversation brought together two prominent lawmakers representing communities on opposite sides of the border: U.S. Congressman Lou Correa (D-Anaheim) and Mexican Congresswoman Yesenia Rojas Cervantes, that nation’s first migrant congresswoman. Their dialogue highlighted both the economic importance of migration and the personal experiences of separated families.
Correa spoke about the essential role immigrant workers play in driving the American economy, pushing back against anti-immigrant narratives with concrete economic realities. He stressed that growth in sectors ranging from agriculture and hospitality to technology depends heavily on immigrant labor.
“Immigrants are not about immigrants,” Correa asserted. “Immigrants are about America and keeping this great country strong economically in every state.”
Rojas, who represents Guanajuato and stepped in at the last minute to fill the symposium slot left by that state’s under-the-weather Governor Libia Dennise García Muñoz Ledo, drew from her background as an immigrant brought to the U.S. as a child, a union member and community activist in Anaheim, and most recently a politician in Mexico. Noting that more than 1.5 million people from Guanajuato currently live in the U.S., Rojas highlighted the challenges facing migrant families navigating life across borders and outlined her state’s constitutional recognition of migrant families.
“When our institutions work together, we can transform the links between our communities in concrete results,” said Rojas, emphasizing that collaboration between universities, labor unions, and local governments is key to ensuring returning families have access to dual citizenship, education, and healthcare.
Following the featured legislative conversation, Camarillo introduced a panel of leaders examining local workplace conditions, legal protections, and scholarly insights.
Gloria Alvarado, executive director of the Orange County Labor Federation, AFL-CIO, spoke to the climate of anxiety affecting many working families. Representing more than 250,000 union members, Alvarado detailed how labor organizations step up to support workers and their broader households—especially given the challenges faced by a vulnerable community.
“It’s the fear of the unknown, it’s the fear of the lack of knowledge of what else can come,” observed Alvarado, who maintained that labor’s mission extends beyond traditional bargaining.
“Labor leadership doesn’t end at the workplace,” she said. “... My children go to school and therefore I represent those children as well.”
Yunuen Trujillo, immigration attorney and director of workers’ rights and labor legal services at the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA), provided context on the legal challenges confronting immigrant workers today, pointing to a concerning rise in workplace abuses and retaliation against employees asserting their basic rights.
“In the past year we have seen an increase. ... During our legal consultations we’ve seen a 10.6% increase of immigration-based retaliation," Trujillo warned, explaining how unscrupulous employers use threats of immigration enforcement to silence worker complaints. She emphasized the need for broader “know-your-rights” education and proactive legal defense.
Bringing a sociological perspective to the panel, Glenda M. Flores, associate professor of Chicano/Latino Studies at UCI, shared her research on Latino professionals in fields such as education and medicine. She illustrated how college-educated Latino professionals often serve as crucial advocates and resources for immigrant communities.
Encouraging Anteaters in attendance, Flores stressed the value of cultural heritage in professional settings, stating that “a lot of students need to see their cultural backgrounds as an asset and something that can be leveraged in the workforce and something that they can harness and pull from.”
As the gathering ended, the central message of the day was clear: addressing the complexities of migration requires sustained partnership across geographic, legal, and academic boundaries. “From Guanajuato to Orange County” served as both an intellectual exchange and a call to action, reminding attendees that institutional collaboration, education, and community solidarity remain vital for supporting working families on both sides of the border.