Throughout January, immigration raids began in California’s Central Valley, and cities like Fresno and Bakersfield reported an increase in Border Patrol activity. These areas are home to a large Latine population, located near agricultural sites where immigration raids are commonly conducted. 

One of the primary platform points of the Trump-Vance administration is mass deportations. However, while many Americans support this plan, it is important to consider the economic consequences, such as rising grocery prices, which are not accounted for. 

Acres of fields sat unpicked in Kern County early January, as many farm workers recused themselves from work due to the growing fear and spread of images on social media of federal agents detaining laborers. These raids were unannounced and reports grew of unmarked SUVs rounding people up outside Home Depot and gas stations, locations where predominantly immigrant workers gather for breakfast. 

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In an article by CalMatters, Sara Fuentes, a local gas station manager in Kern County, said she saw a customer pull in to pump gas, then agents approached him and detained him. These raids have always targeted areas of predominantly people of color communities. 

In response to the immigration raids, El Centro Border Patrol said, “We are taking it to the bad people and bad things in Bakersfield.” However, this statement is subjective as detaining farm workers who pick the food that sits in your refrigerator and have contributed millions to our nation’s economy does not tie into “bad people.” The truth is undocumented immigrants make more efforts to abide by the law due to their fears of deportation and efforts to maintain a clean record so they can apply for naturalization. 

Casey Creamer, president of California Citrus Mutual, a non-profit group that advocates for California citrus growers said, “People aren’t going to work and kids aren’t going to school.” At the beginning of the raids, 75% of his workers did not appear. 

The Central Valley provides an estimated quarter of the United States food supply, and undocumented workers make up almost half of the agriculture workforce. It is simple to connect the dots on the impact, with mass deportations nearly half of the agriculture workforce would be gone driving up the cost of groceries due to limited workers. 

These fears surrounding immigration raids are likely to rise and continue under the new presidential administration. When immigration enforcement claims they are only going after the “bad people,” they perpetuate a harmful, subjective narrative. While it is true that some immigrants have committed crimes, the vast majority have not. Generalizing all immigrants as criminals is rooted in racism and xenophobia and oversimplifies the reality of immigration.  

While immigration reform is needed, mass deportations are not the answer. The Department of Homeland Security recently announced that they will begin raids in Chicago. Immigration raids have long attacked areas that have a diverse population and agricultural sights. In 2020, the city comprised around 819,518 Latinos, a total of 29.8% of Chicago’s population. 

Having every American citizen understand the role immigrants have played is crucial. The incoming border czar, Tom Homan, mentioned he would focus on criminals and individuals with final deportation orders but that no undocumented immigrant would be exempt. 

The mass removal of farm workers would cause a shock to the food supply chain and drive consumer grocery prices higher, as many undocumented workers are farm workers. Therefore, supporting mass deportations but being upset with the nation’s current economy do not align with each other.  

For those who support mass deportations, I hope there has been an acknowledgment of the contributions immigrants are making to this country. The fruits you eat at the dining hall and those served in your acai bowl were picked by many immigrant workers. Separation of families is not a form of “solving the immigration issue”; it is a cruel and inhumane policy that disregards the hardship and resilience of immigrants. It is time for the work that immigrants have done for this nation to be represented. 

For more resources for our undocumented students on campus, the Undocumented Trojan Success Assembly has curated resources and community building alongside the Gould School of Law’s Immigration Clinic.