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13h ago

ICE Detains Over 30 Farmworkers as California Raids Escalate

Lawmakers warn the aggressive enforcement is creating labor gaps in California’s agricultural sector.

Farmworkers on a field in March near the US-Mexico border in Calexico, California. Undocumented workers make up an estimated 40% of farmworkers in the United States.
Farm workers work in fields south of Bakersfield in Kern County in April. Roughly half of the Central Valley's farm workforce is undocumented.
A Home Depot store in Westlake, California. Home Depot parking lots have long been convenient spots for day laborers to find work.
A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer listens during a briefing, Jan. 27, 2025, in Silver Spring, Md.

Overview

  • ICE agents recently detained more than 30 farmworkers in Ventura County and were turned away from nine farms for lacking warrants.
  • Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff called the raids unjustified and unconscionable and cautioned they could destabilize the food supply chain.
  • Teresa Romero, president of United Farm Workers, described the operations as cruel and inhumane and spoke of families being separated.
  • Advocacy groups say fear of detention and rumors of unconfirmed raids are driving undocumented workers into hiding and deterring crime reporting.
  • President Trump hinted at upcoming policy changes after farmers reported labor losses, writing that "changes are coming" to protect the agricultural workforce.