Let’s give a big thanks to migrants, Mexicans, and prisoners. God bless them for their incredible contributions to saving American lives!
The Coalition of First Responders helping fight blazes and clear debris in Los Angeles right now includes the stuff of MAGA nightmares. So, are Americans finally ready to start humanising these groups of heroes?
As LA faces climate change, turbocharged wildfires have killed at least 25 people, destroyed tens of thousands of homes, and displaced many others. While it's been apocalyptic and terrifying, there's also been a lot of goodwill and solidarity, especially from groups who rarely receive it in return—the unsung heroes. Despite MAGA's xenophobic rhetoric, groups like the National Day Laborers Organizing Network and Pasadena Community Job Center have assembled teams of migrant day labourers who are forming fire relief brigades to clear debris from communities. Some migrants often work in landscaping and already possess the skills required for this difficult work.
Then there's Mexico. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has sent 72 firefighters and disaster relief workers from Mexico's Ministry of Defense and the National Forestry Commission to help stop the blazes. In contrast to the MAGA slogans of "Build the Wall!", President Sheinbaum emphasised that Mexico provides aid because "We are a country of generosity and solidarity." This sentiment is something America could learn from regarding her neighbours.
What about the prisoners? Over 900 incarcerated individuals are working with CAL FIRE after weeks of training to help clear brush in active wildfire zones. Within a few months, they help with brush clearing and cutting for ongoing wildfires. They hike several miles up mountains, armed only with hand tools. This is among wildland firefighting's toughest roles: "We’re like infantry, the foot soldiers of this effort. We even sleep on the mountain with nothing but the clothes on our backs." Unfortunately, compensation is quite low, ranging from $5.80 to $10.20 per day. However, participation in the program is voluntary, allowing inmates to apply for time served through ACR. This can lead to earlier parole and the potential for having their criminal records expunged upon release. Programs like the forestry and fire recruitment initiative help formerly incarcerated individuals find employment by leveraging the skills they gained while battling fires. For many, this opportunity provides a sense of purpose to improve themselves and serve the community, restoring their dignity and reintegrating them into society.
While Trump and the Right want to blame Californians for their wildfires, play politics with relief money, and pedal conspiracy theories, migrants, Mexicans, and prisoners are stepping up. They're showing that they aren't MAGA's boogeymen but represent the best in humanity, modelling solidarity. If America has any hope to survive the climate chaos both environmental and political, instigated by the 1%, they're going to need a whole lot more of it.
pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
