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Up To Date

National civil rights leader says Trump administration has caused trauma for Latino families

By Brian Ellison,
Zach Wilson, Celisa Calacal
Published August 13, 2025 at 5:00 AM CDT
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A woman sits inside a radio studio. She is gesturing with both hands and talking at a microphone.
Carlos Moreno
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KCUR 89.3
Unidos U.S. Chief Executive Officer Janet Murguia talks on KCUR's Up To Date on August 12, 2025.

UnidosUS CEO and Kansas City, Kansas, native Janet Murguía joins KCUR's Up To Date to discuss a turbulent moment in history for Latino families across the country.

The leader of the largest Latino civil rights group in the country has criticized a set of recent immigration raids in Kansas in which 12 people were detained.

Three of the people detained last month at Mexican restaurants in Kansas City, Kansas, and Lenexa have since been released. But UnidosUS president and CEO Janet Murguía, a native of Kansas City, Kansas, says the administration's actions have caused trauma and chaos for Latino families across the country.

“Stores have been boarded up, streets are deserted, and you're just not seeing the same level of social engagement or economic engagement.”

Murguía spoke to these concerns earlier this week during her speech at the 2025 UnidosUS Annual Conference, which was held in Kansas City this year.

  •  Janet Murguía, president and CEO of UnidosUS
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Up To Date PodcastLatinosDonald TrumpImmigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)
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Brian Ellison
As a host and contributor at KCUR, I seek to create a more informed citizenry and richer community. I want to enlighten and inspire our audience by delivering the information they need with accuracy and urgency, clarifying what’s complicated and teasing out the complexities of what seems simple. I work to craft conversations that reveal realities in our midst and model civil discourse in a divided world. Follow me on Twitter @ptsbrian or email me at brian@kcur.org.
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Zach Wilson
As Up To Date’s senior producer, I want to pique the curiosity of Kansas Citians and help them understand the world around them. Each day, I construct conversations with our city’s most innovative visionaries and creatives, while striving to hold elected officials accountable and amplifying the voices of everyday Kansas Citians. Email me at zach@kcur.org.
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Celisa Calacal
As KCUR’s Race and Culture reporter, I use history as a guide and build connections with people to craft stories about joy, resilience and struggle. I spotlight the diverse people and communities who make Kansas City a more welcoming place, whether through food, housing or public service. Follow me on Twitter @celisa_mia or email me at celisa@kcur.org.
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