Nashville’s Latin American supporters group halts game-day traditions amid ICE crackdown: "We feel targeted"

NASHVILLE, TN - "It's terrorizing. It's been disheartening."

La Brigada De Oro, Nashville SC's largest Latin American supporters' group and one of the most vibrant parts of the local soccer community, announced Friday that they've cancelled their typical game-day festivities for Saturday night's match against Charlotte FC.

The last week has seen an increased Immigration and Customs Enforcement presence in Nashville, as well as around the country. As of Thursday, the Tennessee Highway Patrol in conjunction with ICE had conducted 468 traffic stops, netting 94 detentions for immigration reasons.

"It's been destroying families, destroying friendships, destroying livelihoods in many aspects," Abel Acosta, one of the founders of La Brigada, tells SixOneFive Soccer via phone. "People have not gone to work this whole week. There's business suffering within our community because of it. People are afraid to go out, because we know that we are being targeted, the Latino community is being targeted. And they are searching, they're looking, they're patrolling where the Latino communities are based the most here in Nashville."

Before a typical Nashville SC match, you'd arrive at the stadium to find a vibrant tailgate. The full suite of Backline supporters' groups are represented, but there's a special energy with La Brigada. Grills fire up hours before the match begins to cook up carne asada, tacos, empanadas and more. Music is on blast, with fans ready to celebrate hours before the match has even kicked off.

During the match, La Brigada is at the heart of the supporters' section, leading the stadium in chants and drumming with an energy only matched by the energy on the pitch.

That won't be the case tomorrow. La Brigada won't be providing their typical tailgate or organizing chants during the match.

"At this moment, it doesn't feel prudent to celebrate, cheer and party while so many families within our community are being separated and destroyed," the organization said in a statement.

It goes beyond mere solemnity, though. There's genuine fear for what could happen on their way to and from the stadium.

"Soccer is a passion. It's something that flows in our veins and hearts. It's something we love," says Acosta. "We're in fear that going to a game or leaving the game, that they're out there, that they're specifically targeting the Latinos right now, the Hispanics. That's the fear factor... We know we're within the stadium, it's private property and they probably can't go in. But members, not just of La Brigada, but within Latino community are fearful that leaving the property or even at the tailgate itself, they could come in and go after people."

"We're suffering. We're hurting a lot. We feel targeted," he adds. "I'm sorry if I'm getting a little emotional because I'm angry! We're being singled out... We are in legit fear for our safety, and I truly mean our safety. Because we are being targeted, picked up, processed. They're almost doing a take now, ask questions later approach. That's the scariest part of this."

Acosta says several of his friends – legal, permanent residents or even citizens – have begun carrying their passports with them while they're out and about for fears of being detained, or worse. For him, a New Jersey native and a resident of Nashville for 20 years, it's shocking.

"This is my country," he says. "I was born here in the US, I'm born here in the States. And this is the first time I felt unease and unsafe in my own country."

The Nashville soccer community is rallying

While Acosta describes the last few days as "hell", he says he's been blown away by the support he's felt from the Nashville soccer community as a whole.

"I've been taken back by the outpouring of support within the soccer community here," he says. "That is something that we cannot describe, how heartwarming it is to feel the soccer community reach out to us La Brigada and the Latino community and wanted to see what they can do to help, any way they can show support."

"To be honest, I didn't expect any less within the soccer community," he adds. "Unlike other sports, it's truly the global sport... If any sport or any fan base in general was to be supportive and understanding of the of the impact that this is having in in our society and our community, it will be the soccer community. Because they know that they feel it because we all really do come from different countries and different places."

"Making sure that we support the immigrant and Latino community is our top priority," Kate Elliott, President of the Roadies tells SixOneFive Soccer in a statement. "We will always stand with our family in La Brigada and want people to donate to resources that they feel is best - from Latino businesses in their communities to different non-profits/funds that support those communities directly."

Nashville supporters have rallied around the Latino community. The Roadies are raising funds for The Belonging Fund, an initiative of the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee and the Mayor's office to provide emergency support for immigrants and refugees in crisis. The Assembly are circulating literature to educate people on their rights during encounters with law enforcement.

Abel says the best way for Nashville to support the Latino community is to go out and support local Latino businesses, businesses that are suffering heavily right now.

"A lot of those businesses in general are suffering as well because workers don't want to go to work," he says. "Consumers don't want to go to these businesses because of that very fear."

Despite the chaos, fear, and uncertainty, Acosta points to the resilience of the Latino community. Even amidst the uncertainty, they're not giving up.

"We'll be back."

Quotes have been lightly edited for clarity.

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