More than 1.2 million immigrants disappeared from the morning sun scorches California’s Central Valley as Lidia hurries down the rows of tomato plants.
For 23 years, she has worked these fields since she crossed the US–Mexico border as a teenager.
The rhythm of the harvest keeps her moving, yet this season brings a sharper edge of fear.
Now, every drive to work fills her with tension.
“The worry is they’ll pull you over when you’re driving and ask for your papers,” she says.
“We need to work.
We need to feed our families and pay our rent.”
Crackdown And Consequences
Since President Donald Trump returned to the White House in January, immigration agents have stepped up enforcement.
As a result, workers like Lidia face tougher scrutiny and greater risks.
Data confirms the trend: the US labour force lost 1.2 million immigrant workers between January and July, according to Census Bureau figures that the Pew Research Centre analysed.
Shifting Workforce
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The shortage hits industries hard.
Immigrants hold nearly one in five jobs in America.
They fill almost half of all roles in farming, fishing and forestry.
In addition, they make up about one in three construction workers and nearly a quarter of service employees, says Pew researcher Stephanie Kramer.
This Labour Day, Americans line the streets with parades and tributes to honour workers.
Yet beneath the celebrations, harsher immigration policies continue reshaping the labour force.
For Lidia, the harvest carries the same urgency as ever, but now another question follows her into the fields: will she still have the chance to work when the next season begins?
