Fear of ICE raids is making heat intolerable for immigrant families

Los Angeles Times ^ | July 25, 2025 3 AM PT | Marcos Magaña

[E. Pluribus Unum]

• Fear induced by ongoing ICE raids has led some California workers to not show up, forcing those who do to work harder under worsening heat conditions.
• Meanwhile, many families have been driven into hiding indoors, forgoing simple activities that would have allowed them to stay cool.
• Summer is only just beginning, and organizers believe the situation will only worsen as temperatures continue to rise.

For the last 16 years, Isabel has worked harvesting carrots, lemons and grapes in the Coachella Valley.

The undocumented mother of three — who, like others The Times spoke with, declined to give her last name out of fear for her family’s safety — says the heat in recent summers has been increasingly difficult to manage. And now, with fewer workers showing up due to fears of ongoing immigration enforcement raids across California, Isabel says she and those who remain have to endure fewer breaks and more physical strain.

Crews that once numbered five groups of 18 workers each are down to three groups of 18. The demands, however, haven’t changed.

“You have to pack so many boxes in a day,” Isabel said in Spanish. “If it takes you a while to get water, you’ll neglect the boxes you’re packing. You have to put in more effort.”

California’s outdoor heat standard — which applies to all workers, legal or undocumented — guarantees breaks for shade and water. But the fear of falling behind often discourages workers from taking advantage, labor advocates say. And with fewer workers in the fields, employers have begun asking those who do show up to stay later into the day; some who used to be home by 1 p.m. are now in the fields during the hottest parts of the afternoon, they say.

Isabel described a recent incident of a woman on her...

[SkyDancer]

Immigrant or illegal?

[Lurker]

Don’t care.

Can’t make me.

L

[bert]

If Isabel, the mother of three bastards, wants to live in America, she must leave and then return legally.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

“You have to pack so many boxes in a day. If it takes you a while to get water, you’ll neglect the boxes you’re packing. You have to put in more effort.”

Damn, heartless, mean SOB bosses. How DARE they put production goals and quotas on their workers? Don't they know the workers should be able to leave any time they want to get water?

[bigdaddy45]

“You have to pack so many boxes in a day,” Isabel said in Spanish. “If it takes you a while to get water, you’ll neglect the boxes you’re packing. You have to put in more effort.”

This is what the Democrats are defending. Using illegals as basically slave labor.

[MNJohnnie]

Democrats are pissed Republicans are liberating their slaves again

[toddausauras]

Go back.

[shelterguy]

“””Summer is only just beginning, and organizers believe the situation will only worsen as temperatures continue to rise. “””

Well, I guess they should go back to their own countries farther south....where it is even hotter.

[bigbob]

The Great White North awaits them

[RKV]

Exactly. I say that as a guy who did field work in the SJV heat to save for college since my dad died young. See also my mom and uncles (Oakies) picking cotton and grapes. Deport Every Illegal. Now. Hurry the hell up.

[TexasFreeper2009]

This may win an award for the stupidest article on illegal aliens yet!

[Tommy Revolts]

Same same.

[03A3]

It will take these retards 2 years to figure out these tissue stories aren’t working.

[21twelve]

Here in Washington state you are required to make sure your workers drink enough water and breaks to avoid heat stress. I run field crews in my work and always provide plenty of drinks and snacks when we are out in the woods for 10 to 12 hour days. The nature of the work allows for numerous breaks for them during the day. If I don’t treat them well they won’t come back and work hard for me on the next project.

Maybe the employer needs to be looked at and fined for hiring illegals. If they wouldn’t hire them, they wouldn’t be coming over.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

“If I don’t treat them well they won’t come back and work hard for me on the next project.”

Here in North Idaho, it is almost impossible for companies to find workers, even if they treat them like royalty.

[reed13k]

The illegal xxxxxxxxxxxx mother of three.....

there fixed it

[joshua c]

go far enough south it is winter

[Sarah Barracuda]

Commies LOVE lumping illegals with immigrants..Illegals are NOT immigrants, PERIOD, they are illegal alien CRIMINALS who all need to be deported

[ridesthemiles]

ALL ILLEGALS

ROUND THEM UP

MOVE THEM OUT