When Vibha Gupta organized the first BBQ Without Borders event in Oakland in 2019 , she conceived it as a response to the Trump administration’s anti- immigrant rhetoric. In the era of “Build the Wall” and a Muslim travel ban, the barbecue feast celebrated Mexican barbacoa, Iranian kebabs and Indonesian grilled fish skewers — and, even more importantly, the diverse immigrant communities that brought those fire-kissed foods to America.

“No Immigrants, No Spice.” That was the name Gupta chose for her fledgling nonprofit that hosted the event, drawing inspiration from a Trevor Noah bit .

Now, six months into a second Trump presidency that has already put more than 56,000 immigrants into ICE detention centers , Gupta believes the pro-immigrant barbecue fundraiser is more relevant t

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