Thousands of Latinos could descend on downtown Houston for the Fiestas Patrias Houston International Parade on Saturday.
Community leaders say they’re not deterred by the federal government’s immigration crackdown, which has stoked fears among Hispanic residents regardless of their citizenship or immigration status.
“I feel very confident that we’re going to have a great parade,” Rita Rodriguez, one of the Fiestas Patrias organizers, told Houston Public Media.
The Fiestas Patrias parade, which celebrates the cultures of several Latin American countries and serves as a kickoff for Hispanic Heritage Month, is expected to have around 100 moving parts, with as many as 3,000 people participating, Rodriguez said.
This will be Houston’s first Fiestas Patrias parade in four years after a hiatus organizers attributed to COVID-19. Rodriguez said the break has contributed to “a lot of buzz” on social media.
The event also comes as the Trump administration ramps up immigration enforcement at other Latino-centric events. This week, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that immigration officers may take race into consideration when stopping individuals in the Los Angeles area.
“There’s always that possibility because of that recent Supreme Court decision that pretty much gives ICE [U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement] the green light to arrest anyone that they suspect as being illegal,” said Sergio Lira, president of a Houston council of the League of United Latin American Citizens, or LULAC. “That really raises the concerns, raises the bar in terms of our Latino community. Anyone can be suspect and arrested.”
During a weeklong operation in August, ICE agents in Houston arrested more than 800 people, according to a news release the agency shared on Monday.
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In spite of that, other Latino groups are leaning in to the celebration of Fiestas Patrias, the Spanish phrase for patriotic or national holidays. That includes FIEL Houston, a civil rights nonprofit.
“There’s been so many bad news recently that we’re looking for other opportunities for there to be hope for our community,” Cesar Espinosa, FIEL Houston’s executive director, told Houston Public Media. “And part of that hope is a celebration of our culture, of our roots, of everything, and giving people the opportunity to come and enjoy themselves with their family.”
Rodriguez said it was difficult to predict or estimate how many people will attend Saturday’s parade, largely due to the lengthy hiatus.
The parade begins at 10 a.m. Saturday at the intersection of Dallas Street and Bagby Street, traveling through downtown, and ending at Sam Houston Park. Rodriguez also said she plans to have the parade return in 2026.
