
Every day, long before the sun rises, thousands of seasonal farmworkers begin their grueling shifts, enduring extreme conditions with little recognition. For undocumented workers, the challenges extend beyond the fields—uncertainty, exploitation, and the threat of deportation cast long shadows over their daily lives. One seasonal worker shares their experience navigating their daily routine, oppression, and the recent presidency.
Depending on the season, many farmworkers begin their day as early as 4 a.m., allowing just enough time to prepare meals and dress for the long hours ahead, whether in the fields under the scorching sun or inside the cold storage facilities.
“My daily routine is to get up at 4 every day all week, I go in at 5. And in cold weather I need to put on pants and a jacket for the cold. But at work, a helmet, something for your ears for the noise, a mesh for your hair, if you have a beard or mustache you need to put on another mesh, to protect the product,” said the seasonal worker.
Protective gear is crucial, as farmworkers frequently face exposure to pesticides, dangerous machinery, and electrical hazards. The risks they endure daily range from skin rashes and heat-related illnesses to sanitation issues and even death. Some workers undergo additional training to operate heavy equipment, where mistakes can have severe consequences.
For many, seasonal work means an endless cycle of temporary employment, moving from one crop to another. This worker spends half the year, from August through February, as a forklift driver in an almond warehouse. From March through July, they transition to working in a blueberry warehouse, operating machinery. There are no paid vacations or sick days for those who help feed the nation.
“When I work in the blueberry, I work as the receiver, I receive all the fruit that is pruned in the fields and I receive all the material that needs to be utilized for the blueberry, the carton, the baskets, everything. During this season, I go in around 7 in the morning and leave around 2:30 pm. After work, I go home to eat, rest, leave my house to go on walks, and well, that’s my routine every day,” the worker explained.
With the recent increase in Border Patrol activity in Kern County and other states, as well as the new administration’s mass deportation plans, fears within immigrant communities have heightened. Yet, this worker remains unsurprised by the political climate.
“On this occasion that Trump has entered for another term—I don’t feel the prejudice. We as Latinos have grown accustomed to this suffering. What worries me the most is the Latinos who did vote for Trump.”
In the recent election, over 43% of Latino voters supported Trump—an 11% increase from 2020. One of his administration’s first moves was to revoke Biden-era policies that restricted ICE and CBP from entering sensitive locations such as schools, churches, and hospitals.
“We don’t have leaders, there are no leaders. There is no one that supports us. We are strong. There are thousands and thousands of Hispanics and Latinos here. But we don’t support each other. Mexico themselves say they can’t help us—it’s up to us to become a united community,” said the worker, expressing frustration over the lack of representation and advocacy within the Latino community.
They also spoke about the various forms of discrimination and labor abuse Latino workers endure.
“Labor abuse in the field, for example, you work by the hour and they ask you to work by contract. Working for hire is what you do is what you get paid. You see people running to achieve more, and if you don’t comply with what they ask of you, you are threatened that they will stop you. We Latinos here are always threatened by one thing or another. For example, in the forklift, we are threatened that if something you are loading arrives, they do a process where they order you to be tested for drugs, and those are the company rules,” they explained.
Many undocumented farmworkers live under constant fear of losing their jobs or being deported. Employers often exploit their status, using threats of termination and immigration enforcement as a means of control.
“We pay a very high price to live in the United States, with the simple fact that you can’t see your family, your parents… and everyone always believes that we live happily, but only we know the price we pay,” the worker shared.
For many immigrants, the pursuit of a better life in the U.S. comes at the cost of never seeing their homeland again.
“To the Americans, I believe we are only a tool, we’re almost robots to them. They don’t think we suffer days without hunger, rain, or sun. If you work in the fields, we’re like a tractor. They don’t think our heads hurt, that we get hungry or thirsty… We’re just a tool to them,” they added.
Following Trump’s executive orders allowing CBP to enter sensitive locations, the Dolores Huerta Foundation has compiled information and resources for students, families, and community members. More resources for immigrant communities in California can also be found on the state attorney general’s homepage.
Despite the challenges, this worker holds onto hope for change, believing leadership within the Latino community is key to improving conditions for undocumented workers.
“I think that the only way for this to change is if we have leaders, but while we don’t, the treatment towards us will remain the same here in the United States,” they emphasized.