The players’ associations from the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSLPA) and the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBPA) shared a joint statement on Thursday acknowledging and standing with families “facing fear, hardship, and uncertainty tied to immigration.”
“We’re in the midst of a new season and an incredible moment for women’s sports, but it’s not lost on us that this country and the world are in turmoil right now,” they said.
The unions’ statement comes amid widespread immigration raids ordered by President Donald Trump and his administration. Trump has vowed to reach record-level deportations. The administration has deployed Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers to cities across the country to detain people off the street and at their workplaces. Los Angeles has been a particular hotbed of activity in the past week, where protests have broken out in some parts of the city.
On June 7, Trump signed a presidential memorandum that authorized the deployment of 2,000 members of the National Guard to Los Angeles, stating their presence was needed to “address the lawlessness” there. Local and state lawmakers and law enforcement have objected to the move, with California Attorney General Rob Bonta suing the Trump administration…
