On a recent Saturday, a mariachi band performed in front of hundreds of people in Kahului. Photos of loved ones who have passed were placed on ofrendas, colorful altars adorned with offerings. Women showed off painted skull makeup as they graced the stage.
This is how Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is celebrated in Mexican culture.
Event organizers were unsure if anyone would show up, as some community members alleged that the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement was in Lahaina and picked someone up from their home a few weeks before the planned festivities.
"That really flipped everything for a lot of us and really set us back in terms of the trust that we've been building between the community and government agencies and organizations," said Veronica Mendoza, an executive director of Roots Reborn, a nonprofit focused on supporting Maui's immigrant and migrant community.
ICE told HPR on Monday that they were looking into the situation. ICE officials said Wednesday that there has been no recent Homeland Security or ICE activity on Maui.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, roughly one-third of Lahaina is foreign-born. Filipinos comprise 40% of the town's population, while Latinos make up 11%. However, that number could be higher because some immigrants might be undocumented.
Immigration has been a key issue in the upcoming presidential election.
Donald Trump has vowed mass deportations, while Kamala Harris says she would push Congress to pass a bipartisan border security bill that was drafted earlier this year.
Mendoza said it's a coin toss.
"I can confidently say that the community is still a little shaken up about that and that there is a lot of nervousness around the elections. No matter how the coin lands, it doesn't matter who wins. … Is it going to be really bad or just a little bit bad? But people are bracing themselves for a shift after the election," she said.
Additionally, it's been over a year since the Aug. 8 wildfire destroyed West Maui's historic town.
Many people are still rebuilding their lives, like Astrid Magallon. She's a Maui artist who helped Latino communities with interpreting after the disaster.
Prior to the fire, she would paint and sell her art on Front Street. She has since lost her artwork, car and job.
"I also evacuated that palace and was incredibly near death," she said, adding that she nearly escaped on a moped after her car burned.
It's her first time attending Dia de los Muertos since the fire. She's honoring her grandmother, who passed away two months ago.
Day of the Dead is a remembrance for those who died, with origins tracing back to pre-colonial Mexico.
In Kahului, altars have photos of elders, children, pets and celebrity icons like Selena Quintanilla and Kobe Bryant.
"Death is such a predominant symbol," Magallon said. "Some people have a lot of taboos, but we are inviting our ancestors."
She underscored the importance of these cultural events in shedding a better light on the community as the election nears.
"I just know that this particular event coincidentally aligns to give us the opportunity to take more perspective — to highlight the beauty of the cultures currently being talked negatively about. These symbols don't get highlighted," she said.
