The activists made their way to the corporate headquarters of Chedraui USA, the parent company of El Super, to "demand immigration protections for families who work and shop at El Super, as well as an end to poverty wages," organizers said.
Community members at the rally said they were asking for clear immigration protocols that will help protect them in the event of immigration raids.
"Today we tried to deliver El Super community support letters," Giovanni Garcia, chair of the Voices of Neighborhood Council, said during remarks at the rally. "Over 50 organizations representing thousands of residents across Southern California have signed on the demand that El Super offers their employees better staffing, living wages and immigration protections."
Employees said the letters they tried to deliver to officials at Chedraui USA's corporate headquarters were not accepted. Organizers say they were barred from entering the building.
"The community already supports us. That's why we brought these petitions they signed in support," El Super employee Araceli Pinedo said in Spanish. "Our customers understand the need for more staff in the stores."
Employees and community members say some of the changes they're demanding are long overdue - higher wages, increased staffing and clear protections in the event of an immigration enforcement raid inside stores.
"I want to feel safe going there," Garcia said. "I want to know that once I go in if there is an ICE raid they will close the doors, they will protect me as a customer, and of course they should protect their employees."
In statement to Eyewitness News, the company said:
"While we cannot speak to the specifics of an ongoing negotiation, we value our team members and the communities we serve, and remain committed to bargaining in good faith, following all labor laws, and creating a safe and respectful workplace for every associate while continuing to provide affordable food for our customers."