Immigration raids paralyze key California farm region as workers stay home

Immigration raids in California's Coachella Valley are causing widespread fear and disruption among farmworkers. This region is a major source of the nation's produce, and the raids are impacting a vulnerable, mostly undocumented labor force. The crackdown has led to parents being afraid to work, children being kept home from school, and multiple families crowding into shared housing to survive. Churches and food banks are overwhelmed as families face the threat of starvation and mental health crises. Some workers are reducing to one breadwinner or none due to anxiety about raids. U.S.-born children are being kept from school over fears of parents being arrested during pick-ups. Three-bedroom trailers now house up to fifteen people, as families combine resources. Farmworker organizers report extreme fear, with people hesitant to leave their homes. The cruelty of the raids is questioned, given the labor needs in the region. The Department of Homeland Security states their actions are aimed at arresting and deporting criminal illegal aliens. The White House claims there is no shortage of American workers to fill labor needs. The Coachella Valley's warm climate allows for year-round farming, producing billions of dollars and stabilizing the national food supply. Religious and multifaith groups are providing assistance, with food banks seeing many needy families. Charities are also helping families of deported parents. The Eastern Coachella Valley has a poverty rate exceeding 65%. Many people are turning to churches for spiritual support amidst the crisis.