LITA 19: Organizing Against ICE in Colorado with Tim Hernandez
Deep and Ana welcome former state representative, Chicano Studies professor, and longtime Chicano organizer Tim Hernandez into the attic for one of LITA's most direct conversations yet about working class politics, immigrant rights, and what actually keeps people safe when ICE shows up. Tim walks through his political awakening, his vacancy committee election as the youngest Colorado state representative in 180 years, the October 7 confrontation that went viral, and the dark money campaign that took his seat. They go deep on Colorado's Rapid Response Network, why ICE is already here every day (not coming someday), how to become a confirmer, and the case Tim makes for abolishing both ICE and citizenship itself. They break down Advance Colorado's Initiative 95, the ballot measure that would force local agencies to hand people over to ICE and roll back twenty years of immigrant protections, and unpack the petition canvasser conversation Ana had outside the rec center that captured exactly how the right is selling this.
Mentioned in this episode:
Colorado Rapid Response Network (call 1-844-864-8341 to report ICE activity, register for confirmer trainings): https://coloradorapidresponsenetwork.com
Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition (CIRC): https://coloradoimmigrant.org and https://www.instagram.com/co_immigrant/
Casa de Paz: https://casadepazcolorado.org and https://www.instagram.com/casadepazco/
COLOR Latina: https://www.colorlatina.org and https://www.instagram.com/color_latina/
Melat Kiros for Congress (LITA 6): https://open.spotify.com/episode/6LKCEtMGQ9YtYzH6qQgU53?si=Z0YVhCuJQyWz061YdEAJEQ
Melat Kiros on Hasan Piker Interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCS63veWFHg
00:24 Show Intro and Guest
00:57 California Rally Recap
01:58 Who Is Hasan Piker
05:30 Digital Organizing Power
06:15 Puerto Rico
10:12 Rentell Sponsor Break
11:15 Meet Tim Hernandez
12:14 Tim Origin Story
14:41 From DACA Protest to DC
17:55 DPS Walkouts and Electoral Leap
21:21 Ceasefire Fallout and Wins
25:43 Dark Money Primary Defeat
28:32 Life After the Legislature
29:38 Politics Shaped by Struggle
30:21 Why Representation Matters
31:21 Democracy for Sale
32:35 Identity vs Class Politics
35:41 Organizer Not Activist
36:10 ICE in Colorado Daily
39:40 Rapid Response Hotline
42:15 How Confirmers Work
45:05 Organize Your Neighborhood
45:55 Initiative 95 Threat
49:41 Abolish ICE Argument
54:34 Vote No and Spread Word
57:40 Wrap Up and Outro
Meet Your Hosts
Ana Mitchell, Ph.D., is a former CDC scientist who was swept up in federal cuts and is now reinventing herself as a civic coach and creator. After a decade reducing disparities in health and education, she’s building Civically Fit (see civicallyfit.org) to make civic engagement accessible, authentic, and sustainable. A proud Latina and Colorado native, Ana is focused on helping people build community and power through everyday civic action.
Deep Singh Badhesha is an attorney, political strategist, and government affairs professional with over a decade of experience shaping political campaigns and policy in Colorado. A former public school math teacher, Colorado Supreme Court clerk, and senior policy analyst, he now works across campaigns, ballot initiatives, and legislative fights. He’s South Asian, a new dad, and a longtime organizer who believes community—not saviors—will rebuild the Left. He also has way too many hot takes on everything stemming from food and sports to politics.
Links:
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