In an Instagram video filmed at a farm, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, the state’s First Lady, has heavily criticized the Trump administration’s approach to immigration enforcement. Her remarks focus on the actions of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, whom she accuses of relentlessly pursuing illegal immigrants, people she describes as “some of the hardest working people on Earth.”
While standing on the farm, Siebel Newsom stated: “We are a country of immigrants, that is just a fact. It is who we are. And yet here we are, watching families be targeted, watched, hunted, farmworkers being chased across fields, these are some of the hardest working people on Earth and they literally feed the nation.”
She continues with a pointed rebuke: “Shame on this federal administration for doing this. Shame on them for choosing cruelty, for terrifying families, ruining children’s lives just to make a political point.”
“Whose interpretation of Christian values is this? What happened to being the party of family values? This shouldn’t be about politics, this should be about people, their well-being, our shared humanity.”
WATCH:
The Reality on Farms
However, the California Farm Bureau, an advocate for immigration reform, counters that federal enforcement has not significantly disrupted farm operations to date. This perspective suggests a disconnect between the rhetoric and the reality on the ground.
Siebel Newsom’s assertion that undocumented farmworkers are indispensable to America’s food supply sidesteps key data and emerging trends. According to the Center for Immigration Studies, farmworkers constitute less than 1% of the U.S. workforce, with fewer than 5% of illegal immigrants employed in agriculture.
A 2018 study noted, “Immigrants do make up a significant share of farm workers — accounting for half or more of some types of farm work. But only about one million people of any nativity work on farms in the United States, accounting for less than one percent of the entire civilian labor force of 160 million.”
The Future of Farming
Meanwhile, U.S. farms are embracing technology to reduce reliance on manual labor. From apple orchards to vineyards, investments in mechanization—robots and machines designed for picking crops—are transforming the industry.
These innovations promise greater efficiency and lower costs, challenging the notion that agriculture depends solely on illegal immigrant workers.
To secure a sustainable future, some argue for increased federal investment in these technologies. By prioritizing mechanization, American farms can potentially thrive independently, ensuring food security without the vulnerabilities tied to current labor dynamics.
Siebel Newsom’s call for humanity in immigration policy certainly will cause much debate. But it’s also certain that her claims will be hit with many debunking efforts by Republicans.
The Fairview Gazette will keep you updated on any immigration developments.
