Unions and Employers Across California Respond to Immigration Raids With Worker-Protection Measures

Unions and employers in California are adopting new measures to protect undocumented workers as immigration raids continue under the Trump administration, according to Truthout.

Following high-profile enforcement actions in Los Angeles in June — including arrests at an apparel factory and at a Home Depot — worker advocates began reporting widespread concerns across major labor sectors. California estimates that nearly 1.5 million undocumented workers live in the state.

As a result, The National Day Laborer Organizing Network has promoted a campaign known as "Adopt a Corner," which stations volunteers at locations where workers gather for daily employment, as Truthout explains.

Jose Madera, director of the Pasadena Community Job Center, told the site that volunteers help inform individuals about their rights and distribute pocket-sized cards with guidance on what to do "when confronted by an immigration officer." He said volunteers are also encouraged to record enforcement activity so there can be "documentation of abuse, violence, [and] people's constitutional rights being violated."

Worker protections have also expanded in agriculture. The United Farm Workers union has urged growers to secure their properties to prevent unauthorized access by federal agents. UFW Vice President Elizabeth Strater said farms can reduce entry points by installing gates or, in open fields, blocking entrances with vehicles.

Strater said these measures are necessary because "undocumented workers have a right not to answer questions," but have sometimes faced officers who "smash their windows and drag them out of their cars."

Strater added that the union has taken legal action against the Department of Homeland Security in response to what it characterizes as indiscriminate raids. She noted that most farm operators, unionized or not, have been receptive to guidance and some have hosted meetings to develop coordinated response plans.

A Stateline report published in late November found that immigration authorities appear to have, nevertheless, reduced workplace raids in the agricultural sector in recent months as the administration has expanded the H-2A visa program to address labor shortages.

The changes include faster visa processing and lower required wages for H-2A workers in many states, a shift welcomed by some growers and criticized by labor advocates who say workers remain vulnerable to future enforcement.

Other industries besides construction and agriculture are also implementing similar efforts to protect workers, as Truthout elaborates. Daisy Gonzalez of the Garment Worker Center said employers, who have not always been open to engagement on labor rights, are now seeking resources "for both their workers and themselves." The organization has expanded mutual aid to help workers who are avoiding job sites due to fear of enforcement.

Restaurant owners have also acted. In Los Angeles, Yuca's co-owner Dora Herrera said she has provided "Know Your Rights" information to employees and added signs designating the establishment as private property, which would require a warrant for entry. "You learn something, you adapt, and you keep adapting to make it work," Herrera said.