"As fear mounts, day laborers risk arrest to help the city rebuild and support their families."
"In the aftermath of the devastating wildfires that tore through Los Angeles last month, undocumented day laborers will likely make up a significant portion of the workforce tasked with clearing debris and rebuilding homes. As they navigate the environmental hazards of this work, they’re also facing the Trump administration’s escalating crackdown on immigrants.
The threat is real. On his first day in office, President Donald Trump declared a national emergency at the border, paving the way for military operations in the borderlands. Immigration and Customs Enforcement swiftly followed with raids, arresting thousands in cities including Chicago, New York, Miami, Atlanta and San Diego. In Los Angeles, ICE worked with other federal agencies in an enforcement operation. Federal law enforcement agencies are planning “large scale” immigration raids by the end of February, according to a leaked memo obtained by the L.A. Times. Even before Joe Biden left office, the U.S. Border Patrol conducted a raid in Bakersfield, Calif.
For day laborers in Los Angeles and beyond, anxiety is mounting, said Nadia Marin Molina, co-executive director of the National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON). At a recent “Know Your Rights” workshop at the Pasadena Community Job Center, workers expressed concern. “People were saying they were worried,” she said, noting that their fears were intensified by social media posts warning of raids, not all of which are accurate. (The job center serves as a hub for immigrant workers seeking employment, including those who are undocumented.)
Instilling fear is a central element of the crackdown, she said. Yet the undocumented workers preparing to clear debris from the Eaton and Pacific Palisades fires face other pressures — chief among them, the need to make money for themselves and their families. Workers interviewed for this story said those pressures have kept them focused on the work ahead. They also say they want to give back to the country that has offered them a tenuous refuge."
Hilary Beaumont reports for Capital and Main February 12, 2025.
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