Planes, Trains, and Automated People Movers

Alissa and Mike are joined by guest co-host Oscar Zarate, director of external affairs at CHIRLA, to discuss how workers are mobilizing for immigrant rights on May Day. The Real ID deadline is on May 7, creating another barrier to travel in Trump’s America. And the first phase of LAX’s long-awaited rail connection has an opening date, while Inglewood’s pricey people mover gets revamped as a much better transit solution.

Join CHIRLA and other immigrant rights advocates at May Day 2025 on Thursday, May 1, International Workers Day, starting at 9 a.m. at Olympic Blvd and Figueroa Street downtown: Instagram, Facebook

“Humanity flows in the streets on May Day within us and among us. We embrace it to create a deep sense of solidarity and interconnectedness with one another.” Victor Narro, CHIRLA’s former workers rights project director, reflects on the history of May Day in LA

If you see immigration enforcement, call CHIRLA’s rapid response number: 1-888-624-4752

Mike’s episode of “What’s Next, Los Angeles” on the Fighting Oligarchy rally which includes Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez speaking about the city’s budget priorities (AHEM)

Los Angeles Times: “What is stopping Trump from exiling you to a foreign prison?”

There’s been efforts at the federal level to create a registry to track immigrants and share immigrant taxpayer data with the IRS. Local nonprofits are fighting back. CHIRLA joined a lawsuit to protect LA’s sanctuary city status and Inclusive Action for the City joined a lawsuit to stop the IRS from disclosing information

“Under Real ID, an international criminal with a valid passport can automatically travel around our country as he or she wishes. But your neighbor who can’t find her certified birth certificate can’t fly Southwest to Phoenix to watch spring training baseball,” writes Joe Mathews at Zocalo

If you learn one thing from this show: YOU CAN STILL USE A PASSPORT TO BOARD A PLANE

Trump is threatening to require Real ID for voting and the Republican House passed the SAVE Act which would require a passport or other proof of citizenship to vote. Meanwhile, Huntington Beach is trying to require voter ID right here in LA County

The LAX/Metro Transit Center opens June 6, although as Metro’s video points out, the people mover into the airport won’t open until 2026

The new website for the bus-focused Inglewood Transit Connector, which formerly included a people mover, and Alissa’s thread breaking all the changes down

The Inglewood people mover began to lose steam after Rep. Maxine Waters pulled her support last summer, citing Eno Transit analysis showing costs of $470,000 per rider by 2040

Mike will introduce author Alec Karakatsanis before he reads from his new book “Copaganda: How Police and the Media Manipulate Our News” at Occidental College on Thursday May 1 from 7 to 9 p.m.,details here

Get your tickets to LA Forward’s Spring Into Action garden party fundraiser on Saturday, May 3 and hang out with all your favorite LA Podcast co-hosts and producers!

Better yet, become a paid subscriber to support the podcast at thinkforward.la! All “Patron” level subscribers will get two free tickets to the Spring Into Action event on May 3.

Produced by Sophie Bridges