World Immigration News

Immigration enforcement and the future of California farming

Release Date
2025-07-07
Media
LAist
Summary
California’s agricultural industry heavily depends on immigrant labor, with nearly 900,000 farmworkers each year — many of whom are undocumented. After recent immigration raids in Southern California, fear has spread among workers, causing many to stay home and avoid public places. One worker, "Itzel," who has lived in the U.S. for nearly 20 years and holds a temporary work permit, shared how the raids have disrupted her life and work.

Government data shows that at least 51% of California farmworkers identify as undocumented, though experts believe the true number is higher. These workers are not recent arrivals — most have lived in the U.S. for years.

With rising labor shortages, farmers are turning to automation or switching to less labor-intensive crops. The H-2A guest worker program is an option but comes with higher costs for wages, housing, and transportation. Farmers say raising wages to attract American workers is not viable in a global economy, as it could lead buyers to source cheaper products from abroad.

Ironically, Mexico stands to benefit from stricter U.S. immigration policies, already supplying a large share of America’s fruits and vegetables. One anonymous farmer expressed concern over losing trusted, hardworking undocumented workers and the broader challenges facing the industry.
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