Rage Against the Machine frontman Zack de la Rocha has partnered with clothing brand Born X Raised to promote a line of anti-ICE merch. 100% of sales from will be distributed to CHIRLA (Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights).
Born X Raised is selling hoodies and t-shirts featuring the messages “Protect Los Angeles” and “Fight for those who can’t.” de la Rocha modeled the “Protect Los Angeles” shirt in a set of photos captured by skateboarding photographer Atiba Jefferson — who also shot the front and back covers of Turnstile’s latest album, Never Enough.
CHIRLA was founded in 1986 and aims to boost the civil and human liberties of immigrants and refugees. The coalition facilitates leadership programs for Los Angeles high schoolers, provides legal services to those facing deportation, and connects low-wage workers to lawmakers to improve their working conditions, among several other missions.
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In a statement on Born X Raised’s Instagram, de la Rocha referred to LA as a diverse community of workers and called for the protection of LA’s undocumented residents. “In LA we fight alongside our undocumented brothers and sisters. It’s like the old school used to say, ‘con safos’ — it’s just the nature of things here, whether you like it or not. Because here we form a community that transcends borders.”
He continued, “Here we reject the idea that anyone is illegal. We are a dignified city of millions of international workers from every corner of the globe, and together we are developing the capacity to defend our mothers, our fathers, our families, and our children from ICE and their racist and armed vigilantes now invading our communities. It’s para los niños that we organize to fight for those who can’t.”
de la Rocha concluded with a warning against silence and inaction. “For those of you who stand on the sidelines and consider yourself safe, believe us when we say that you’re not. Fascism is lawless. Its agents weaponize what they consider to be the law and will only apply it to those that they target, while they illegally detain, harass, terrorize, and disappear the members of our communities with total impunity. As we speak, they are attempting to blur the lines between what is protest and what is ‘terrorism,’ between who is an innocent worker and who is a ‘violent criminal.’ This could soon be the norm, whether you’re a citizen or not. To stand with us is to stand up for yourselves.”
“Born and raised in Mexico. Black and brown, no backing us down. Solo el pueblo salva al pueblo. In peace for as long as possible.”
Being politically active and outspoken is nothing new to de la Rocha and Rage Against the Machine (just look at the band’s name). Most recently, de la Rocha did not attend his band’s induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2023; instead, he opted to march in a pro-Palestine protest on Washington, calling for a ceasefire from Israel’s airstrikes.
