- ICE agents chased and arrested farmworkers in Oxnard, CA, sparking fear among immigrant communities
- 22+ recent raids have targeted farms, construction sites, and meat plants across several U.S. states
- Trump defends aggressive immigration policy but acknowledges impact on farming and hospitality industries
In the early hours of Tuesday, ICE agents chased and detained farmworkers in a field in Oxnard, California, as seen in video footage from CNN affiliate KABC. The incident has deepened anxiety among undocumented workers, many of whom say they continue working out of financial necessity despite growing fears.
“We go wherever there’s work because we have no choice,” one farmworker told KABC in Spanish, her face covered.
The intensification of immigration enforcement comes amid President Donald Trump’s renewed push to increase deportations, especially through workplace raids. Industries heavily reliant on immigrant labor—such as agriculture, construction, hospitality, and health care—are now feeling the pressure.
“These raids are already creating disruptions in local economies and key industries,” said Rebecca Shi, CEO of the American Business Immigration Coalition.
Undocumented workers make up about 4%–5% of the total U.S. workforce, but in some sectors, including crop production and food processing, they account for as much as 20%, according to Goldman Sachs.
Teresa Romero, President of the United Farm Workers, said she has received multiple calls from terrified farmworkers across California.
“They’re scared, but they can’t stop working—they have families, rent, school needs. Many are preparing their children for the worst,” Romero explained.
Even Trump acknowledged the strain his policies place on businesses, posting on Truth Social:
“Our aggressive immigration policy is removing long-term workers from farms and hospitality. We must protect our farmers but remove criminals. Changes are coming!”
Still, farm owners and labor advocates warn that such policies threaten U.S. food production.
“If this continues, we simply won’t have the workforce needed for agriculture,” Romero added.
In Los Angeles, Mayor Karen Bass reported that some residents are too afraid to go to work or school, causing ripple effects across the city.
“Whole sectors won’t function if the immigrant community is too afraid to participate,” she said.
Workplace raids, a hallmark of Trump’s first term—such as the 2019 Mississippi poultry plant raid that netted over 600 arrests—have been revived. The Biden administration had halted such mass raids, citing concerns they were being used to silence whistleblowers and labor rights complaints.
Recent ICE operations have hit construction sites in Texas, a flood control project in New Orleans, and a meat plant in Omaha, where output dropped to 30% after dozens of workers were taken into custody. In Massachusetts, around 40 arrests were made in Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard last month.
When CNN asked ICE for updated numbers under Trump’s second term, the agency acknowledged the request but did not provide data.
“Worksite enforcement operations are going to massively expand,” said Tom Homan, White House border advisor, in a Semafor interview.
The restaurant industry alone employs over 1 million undocumented workers, or roughly 10% of its workforce, according to the Center for Migration Studies.
“There simply aren’t enough authorized workers in the U.S. to meet labor demands,” said Andrew Rigie of the NYC Hospitality Alliance. “That’s why undocumented labor fills the gap.”
Home Depot Raids Spark Protests
ICE operations outside Home Depot locations have become symbolic flashpoints in the immigration crackdown. On Friday, agents arrested workers outside a Home Depot in Westlake, Los Angeles, triggering protests across the city. Trump later deployed National Guard troops, overriding Governor Gavin Newsom’s objections.
Home Depot stated it is not informed about immigration enforcement actions and does not participate in them. However, its stores have become frequent sites of arrests, as day laborers often gather in parking lots hoping to be hired for manual labor.
In April, ICE arrested 10 undocumented workers outside a Pomona, California, Home Depot.
“This is common practice—contractors buy supplies and hire laborers outside,” said Alexis Teodoro of the Pomona Economic Opportunity Center. “It’s as American as apple pie.”
