Los Angeles is a city that wears its heart on its sleeve, and nowhere is that more evident than in the passionate relationship between the Dodgers and their fans. But as the city basks in the glow of the Dodgers’ historic ninth World Series championship—clinched in a dramatic Game 7 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays—a storm of controversy is swirling around team owner Mark Walter and the franchise’s response to recent federal immigration crackdowns.
On November 6, 2025, day laborers and immigrant rights groups called on the Dodgers to decline President Donald Trump’s invitation to the White House, following the team’s latest championship triumph. The National Day Laborer Organizing Network, a vocal advocate for immigrant communities, sent out 5,600 letters urging the team to take a stand, with plans to send out 800 more. Their open letter stated, “By visiting a president who has used his power to harm the most vulnerable, the team would be turning its back on the very people who fill the stadiums, wear the jerseys, and give this team its heart.”
The call to action didn’t stop with letters. On November 5, All Saints Church in Pasadena hosted a public demonstration, drawing community members, activists, and media. The event featured a striking poster inspired by artist Sergio D. Robleto’s painting of an ICE officer arresting the late Mexican icon and Dodgers legend Fernando Valenzuela—a powerful symbol of the pain and fear felt by many in Los Angeles’ immigrant communities. Robleto described his work as “a reflection of the struggle of the community coming to terms with the realities of ICE raids and their disappointment with how the Dodgers have responded.”
The protestors’ ire was not just directed at the team’s symbolic actions, but also at its financial connections. Mark Walter, the Dodgers’ chairman and controlling owner, is also the CEO of Guggenheim Partners—a financial services firm that, according to reports, holds a 0.38% stake in GEO Group, one of the largest private prison and immigration detention operators in the United States. GEO Group has faced long-standing criticism for alleged human rights violations, and its subsidiary GTI provides transportation for ICE deportation flights. A MoveOn Civic Action petition, signed by over 3,000 Californians as of November 5, urges Walter to divest from GEO Group. “Mark, stand with your loyal fans and drop GEO Group! Go Blue!” the petition reads, highlighting the disconnect between Walter’s public image as a social-justice advocate and the company’s investments.
“With the World Series headed to the City of Angels, we need to make sure the Dodgers’ owner loves ALL Angelenos back. Forty percent of Dodger fans are Latino, the fans pay for seats, concessions, and gear to show our love for our city and our team. What we don’t want is for Mr. Walter to have anything to do with masked agents kidnapping our families and neighbors off the street. Dodgers and ICE don’t mix,” the petition continues.
The backdrop to these calls for action is a wave of federal law enforcement activity in Los Angeles County. Since May 2025, ICE, Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and other agencies have conducted hundreds of raids, with critics accusing officers of human rights abuses and even detaining U.S. citizens. According to a recent ProPublica report, more than 170 U.S. citizens have been held by ICE agents, including George Retes, an American combat veteran arrested while working security on a legal marijuana farm. Retes told ProPublica that the officers “knew he was American, but they didn’t care.”
The Dodgers have not remained entirely silent. In June, the team reportedly blocked ICE agents from entering the Dodger Stadium parking lot, a move widely interpreted as a defiant stand against the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown. The Department of Homeland Security, however, later claimed those agents were Customs and Border Protection officers on unrelated business, a clarification that did little to quell the controversy or clarify the team’s position.
Latino fans, who make up a significant share of the Dodgers’ loyal following, have expressed disappointment with what they see as the organization’s muted response to the raids and its owner’s financial ties to detention operators. “This isn’t about politics, it’s about people,” one Los Angeles resident commented under the petition. “We love the Dodgers, but the team needs to love its city back.”
That sense of betrayal is especially keen given the Dodgers’ deep-rooted connection to Latino culture. From mariachi performances at postseason games to heritage nights and the wildly popular “Los Doyers” merchandise line, the franchise has long celebrated and profited from its Hispanic fanbase. Yet, many now feel the team’s silence and business ties undermine that legacy.
The tension was further inflamed earlier this year when Dominican American artist Nezza was reportedly discouraged by team executives from performing the national anthem in Spanish, amid a period of heightened ICE activity. Nezza defied the request, singing the anthem in Spanish and earning widespread support for her quiet act of resistance.
The Dodgers’ leadership has also faced scrutiny for its visits to the White House. The team traveled to Washington, D.C., in April 2025 to celebrate its 2024 World Series title with President Trump—a visit that reignited controversy over the team’s relationship with a president whose administration’s policies have been widely criticized by immigrant advocates. The Dodgers had previously visited President Joe Biden in 2021 to commemorate their 2020 championship.
Amid these swirling debates, the financial stakes remain high. Guggenheim Partners manages more than $345 billion in assets for corporations, pension funds, and high-net-worth clients. GEO Group, for its part, has projected that ICE-related transportation contracts could generate $40–50 million in new revenue. Despite mounting pressure, neither Guggenheim Partners nor the Dodgers organization has issued a public response to the petitions or calls for divestment.
Los Angeles’ history as a city founded under Spanish rule, later part of Mexico, and now a vibrant hub for immigrants and dreamers, adds further weight to the current controversy. “Los Angeles is a city built by immigrants, working families, and dreamers,” read a post from the Day Laborer Network. “We celebrate our champions, but we also stand for justice, dignity, and love for our community. Dodgers, stay with us. Stand with the city that has always stood with you.”
As the Dodgers savor their championship and the city celebrates, the question remains: can the team reconcile its proud multicultural legacy with the demands for justice and accountability from the very fans who give it life? For many Angelenos, the answer will shape not just the future of their beloved baseball team, but the soul of the city itself.
