‘La Migra!’ Part of Trump’s promised storm

As President-elect Donald J. Trump takes office on Monday, the US Border Patrol is poised to play a major role in his promised crackdown on immigration. On Thursday, Californians got a glimpse of the tension that can arise as undocumented immigrants gather in places where they rely on their jobs.

Meanwhile, the head of the Border Patrol posted a video on social media showing a sweep last week in California’s Central Valley. Dubbed Operation Return to Sender, the effort resulted in dozens of arrests. “They think I’m hiding in the shadows, but I’m the shadows,” a voice whispers during the video, echoing the classic Batman movie.

On the other hand, officials of the United Farm Workers gave a news conference, describing the fear that the movement has caused in the immigrant communities. They suggested that the arrests indicated that “rogue” law enforcement agents, inspired by Mr. Trump’s plan, could take over the case.

“This is part of the new political climate of people in some of these agencies who feel emboldened,” said Antonio De Loera-Brust, spokesman for the organization, a labor union.

The Biden administration and the Trump transition team did not return messages seeking comment. U.S. Customs and Border Protection would not respond to questions about the effort, saying the agency made “smuggling arrests in our areas of operation as part of our efforts to disrupt organized crime.” international crime.”

Details of the sweep came from the social media channels of Gregory K. Bovino, chief of the Southern California Border Patrol. In a series of articles, he called the three-day operation a “huge success” that resulted in the arrest of 78 people, all in the country illegally and some with “serious criminal histories.” .

The United Farm Workers and some farmers in the area have suggested that the sweeps be wider.

“The agency asked people in the parking lot for their documents, and if they were legal in the country,” said Manuel Cunha Jr., president of Ligin of Nisei Farmers, which represents more than 500 farmers and growers in the state. “Then they just took them away with a crane.”

What’s clear is that about 60 agents in marked and unmarked vehicles traveled hundreds of miles from their headquarters near the border in Imperial, California, to converge on and around Bakersfield, a large agricultural area that dependent on migrant workers. Agents have seized warehouses, gas stations and other places where undocumented people enter.

The article of Mr. Bovino, a nearly 30-year veteran of the agency who works in a non-political role in the El Centro field, said the effort resulted in “two child predators” and other “criminals.” , including Chinese citizens. suspected of defrauding American dementia patients of “up to $70K”.

He called the sweeps a “targeted operation” and said agents were “going to where the threat is.” In addition to the arrest, he said, drugs and methamphetamine were also seized.

When a social media commentator pointed out on Jan. 10 that Mr. Bovino would be “very busy” in 10 days — the number of days until Trump leaves office — Mr. Bovino responded: “Ready Sector El Centro will bring it to them. “

In another post, he said that undocumented immigrants should only get papers: “No paper means. I recommend going back to your home country, getting the right documents, and doing it the right way. If not, we will arrest you.

Mr Trump has vowed to carry out mass deportations. Since his election, he has continued to use social media to share his views on the border, writing in late November that “thousands of people are pouring through Mexico and Canada, bringing crime.” and drugs on an unprecedented scale.”

Illegal crossings have declined in recent months, following new asylum restrictions introduced by the Biden administration and increased enforcement by Mexico and other countries along the migrant route. About 46,000 people crossed the border illegally in November, the lowest number during the Biden administration and lower than when Mr. Trump ends his term in 2020.

Former Immigration and Customs Enforcement official Thomas D. Homan, whom Mr. Trump has named “border czar,” said enforcement under the new administration would target immigrants. residents with outstanding eviction warrants and criminal records, but were left open. the possibility of arrest of others during the rally.

Bakersfield straddles State Route 99, a busy highway for trucks hauling produce from the Central Valley, California’s agricultural heartland. However, it is also a major route for the smuggling of illegal goods.

Gunfights have become a part of life there, as gangs fight for control of the drug trade. They are familiar with the work of the police in tracking down and arresting those suspected of selling drugs.

Chris Magnus, who served as Customs and Border Protection commissioner for the first part of the Biden administration, said illegal immigrants who have committed crimes should be arrested.

“However, mass profiling of domestic and field workers does not improve public safety and law enforcement spending,” said Mr. Magnus. “These collections create a lack of confidence in law enforcement and discourage many members of the community from reporting crimes as victims or witnesses.”

Indeed, the random arrests of people who were being questioned about their immigration status caused panic in Bakersfield and surrounding Kern County.

Between 30 and 40 percent of workers did not report to the fields in the days after the attack, said Mr. Cunha of the Nisei Farmers League.

In nearby Bakersfield, citrus grower Pete Belluomini said about two-thirds of his harvest workers have been absent for two to three days. “This is not the first time this has happened, but in this political situation, there was a bigger disturbance,” he said.

It’s an open secret that most of the people who harvest America’s food are undocumented immigrants, mostly from Mexico and Central America, many of whom have lived in the United States for decades. Often the parents of American-born children have lived for years with the cloud of deportation hanging over them.

Alejandra and her friend Pedro, an undocumented immigrant from Mexico, had just started picking lemons on the first morning of planting, on January 7, when their supervisor warned them that ““the migration” — a slogan for the Border Patrol — was in the area.

They soon learned that one of their colleagues had been arrested, and most people decided to stay in the square until dark, he said. The couple returned to Bakersfield before sunset to pick up their 5-year-old son from day care.

“Our biggest fear as parents is, what will our children do if we get kicked out?” said Alejandra, 38, who did not share her friend’s first name out of concern for their safety. With workers anxious during the sowing week, he said, “the fields are almost empty.”

To feel more empowered, Alejandra said, she attended three information sessions held by community advocates to learn about her rights.

“I’m afraid, I’m afraid,” he said. “We don’t know what Trump has in store for us.”