On a normal Friday afternoon, the farmers market in downtown Watsonville is a bustling, joyous event, with gaggles of children playing in a bounce house and families happily in long lines to purchase fresh produce and freshly made food.
But since President Donald Trump took office in January—and the Republican-led government began enforcing his hardline immigration policies—the definition of ‘normal’ has shifted significantly.
Now, with fears that immigration officials could be patrolling communities on the lookout for undocumented residents, many people are opting to stay away from events that normally encourage large gatherings.
Ivan’s Baked Potatoes, which has been a mainstay at the Watsonville market for more than 20 years, usually boasts a line of dozens of people.
Vanessa Cosio, whose family owns the stand, said that the crowds at the Hollister farmers market have also been lower, and were significantly down at the recent Salinas Rodeo.
“Seeing that impact is sad, because it impacts not just us, but all of the local businesses,” she said. “We’ve definitely had a hit, but hopefully we get better days.”
“We want to support the community any way we can,” Cosio added. “They supported us for many years, and this affects us not just business-wise, but seeing our community in pain and scared, that definitely is sad.”
Alvaro Acosta, whose business MJ Bees Honey began selling last year, said he has seen a 30% decline in his walk-up business at both the Watsonville and the Salinas markets.
“Everyone is afraid,” he said. “They don’t feel free walking around.”
The same is true at the Tu Universo farms produce stand, said that some customers are now having their food delivered, rather than risk going to the market in person.
Citlalli Nunez, 23, who has been working at the Watsonville farmers market for 14 years, said she has seen a huge decline in business at local markets.
“Ever since we got the notice that ice was in town, people are scared,” she said. “But I try to encourage people to come out and get what they need, because everyone has to eat.”
Farmers Market Manager Jesus Madrigal said the problem is the same across the U.S.
“I think there are a lot of people who are afraid of being out,” he said.
One vendor stopped coming, saying they said they didn’t want to put their employees at risk.
“You get the feeling it’s not very festive,” he said. “It feels more quiet.”
Madrigal says he has not yet seen any immigration enforcement at the market.
A big part of the problem, he said, is that many people are spreading rumors that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents are in town—and even at the market—without first checking on the truth of the claims.
In Santa Cruz County, that can be done through Your Allied Rapid Response (YARR) and in Monterey County at the Solidarity Network Monterey County Response.
Spreading rumors without checking their veracity, Madrigal said, can unnecessarily scare residents and harm businesses.
Still, there have been confirmed actions by ICE in both Watsonville and Santa Cruz.
According to the city of Watsonville, ICE contacted Watsonville eight times between March 1 and June 19 to say they were conducting various operations, and each time called to report when they were finished. The federal agency did not, however, request assistance from WPD.
“There are a lot of people that are afraid, for very good reasons, and we see that throughout the country,” Madrigal said. “There is a fear that if you are legally here and you happen to look a certain way, they will take you.”
The foot traffic now, he said, is far lower than the 3,000-plus people he usually sees on a typical Friday.
“I’d like to say don’t be afraid, but I can’t say that because it is happening throughout California and throughout the country. The fear is real,” he said.
He suggests people have a plan wherever they go, and to refer to the “red card” listing everyone’s rights and responses when contacted by immigration officials.
“Everybody has rights, even if they are illegally here,” Madrigal said.
Check the swap meets! San Jose, Denio’s, Oakland.
All GHOST TOWNS!
WElCOME TO THE NEW GREAT AMERICA!!!!
The only good alien is a dead alien.
HUNT DOWN AND IKILL ALL BROWN SCUM! NOW!!!
If legal and you carry your docs – there is nothing to fear.
If you are overextended on your visa or crossed illegally, then you should self-deport, take the $$$ and free flight. You also have the right to return legally.
If you are deported by ICE, you lose the right to return legally.
Fred, you are an A$$hat!!!
Biden caused this mess with his open border policies.
USA is getting closer to a closed border.
DACA should be allowed a legal path, bec children should not pay a price for their parents errs or sins.
But that will not happen bec the Dems do not want to lose ability to fund raise and demigod the issue.
And God forbid they should allow PDJT do anything good for Central and South Americans.
Maybe Dems will change, but I doubt it.
If you’re not in the U.S. ILLEGALLY then you have nothing to worry about frofm ICE.
If you ARE in the U.S. Illegally then you SHOULD Be afraid of ICE. More to the point you should just leave and go home since you are a slap in the face to every LEGAL Immigrant to the U.S.
Those who follow our Laws we welcome and want as ouyr neighbors. Those who don’t we don’t want and if you won’t leave on your own then ICE will ensure you do.
It sounds like Trumps plan is working. If you are in the USA without legal papers you arev a criminal.
There is no if and or buts about it.
IVCE is more than happy to give you a FREE flight back home.
Sign up take the $1000 and them once you have the proper papers you can come back.
Ha ha ha, y’all are so whiny. Watsonville will
Definitely go to sh*t if they start rounding up undocumented workers. Watsonville, Salinas, Gilroy, Prunedale, Hollister, the amount of produce that comes out of those tons is Phenomenal. Who’s gonna tend the crops?? Oh yeah, they re bringing back child labor! Yalls kids n grandkids can learn work ethic before their 9th birthday and help support their families making minimum wage. All those people yall are calling “illegal” are descendants of Indigenous peoples of North America. Their Ancestors have been here since Time Immemorial. They may have a little Spanish or French, but the majority of their DNA is Indigenous American. Y’all are descendants of IMMIGRANTS. Yall go back to where your ancestors came. Our Indigenous peoples prospered before colonization. First and Foremost, our Ancestors Bathed, not only practiced hygiene, but there was very little disease here, our ancestors had Open Boarders, Trade Routes, Agriculture, and a hell of a Barter system, they had empathy and compassion. Too bad our ancestors found out too late how your colonizing ancestors lacked humanity and basic hygiene. Here we are 500 years later and we are sharing space with whiny ass little big men…🙄
SOME ACTUAL HISTORY OF CA IS NEEDED FROM SOMEONE WHO TAUGHT CA HISTORY AND COWROTE THE MEXICAN AMERICAN HISTORY COURSE FOR THE SALINAS UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT WITH MY COLLEAGUE MANUEL LOPEZ I N 1992.
THAT WOULD BE ME .
the decline of the indigenous CA population began with the arrival of the disgusting genocidal murderer JUAN RODRIGUEZ CABRILLO in 1542. ( this is why we need to rename the college. that issue is on hold until summer 2028. we have not rescinded it. ) when Mexico took over CA in the 1700’s, it organized a loosely , and poorly, enforced government based on thw whims of Mexican leaders. CA remained a territory of Mexico until an invasion force of US soldiers ( sound familiar?) invaded in the late 1840’s. the invasion force at sea, led by commander Sloat, sailed into Monterey Bay and took control. CA became an official state of the USA on Sept. 9, 1850, nearly 175 years ago. the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, on display in the basement of our state capitol in Sacramento, guarantees the right of Mexicans to stay in CA , use their langurage, religion , customs and keep their land. The Rodriguez family had to go to court to fight against Texas transplanted racist ( he even brought his slave!) Charles Watson (yes, the namesake of Watsonville) who wanted to turn CA against LIncoln and make CA a slave state. HE LOST in court. Despite his disgusting views, the name Watsonville stuck, with the help of a Monterey county sheriff deputy. Charles Watson was run out of town and went to mine silver in Nevada. he died broke, with no wife or children in the desert of NV. better to have the Rodriguez family descendants here in Watsonville than the foul, racist MAGA MORONS who think because they are white they are better. I am so grateful i brought the story of Cabrillo to the board of trustees in 2020, when i was first elected. i will do everything in my power to rid his name from our GREAT OOLLEGE. the student council voted to name our new dorms(completion date , summer 2027) COSTA VISTA. a great new name, in Spanish , for a truly great college that I am honored to represent in district 7.
Round them up and send them back to there country, no other country tolerates this, we shouldn’t either.
The callous trolls making racist and even violent comments will be the first to complain when the cost of their produce rises or it is not available. These same people will complain when the food in their favorite restaurants goes up in price, the wait is longer, or the businesses go bankkrupt. I can only imagine how many Trumpster’s have hired people to tend to their yard, work on their home, and watch their kids.
Undocumented immigrants working in the fields, restaurants, and other legitimate businesses are paying taxes, including Social Security. They will get nothing back, no social security or Medicare benefits. This extra money has been delaying the inevitable bankruptcy of both systems. The bigots will complain when either their Social Security benefits are reduced, their Medicare premiums are raised, and/or the OASDI withholding rate is increased.
My originally undocumented sister-in-law was a devout Catholic, worked in a local school district, and gave birth to a couple of amazing children, one a family nurse practitioner and the other a mechanical engineer. My spouse is of parents that crossed undocumented into Texas and picked cotton. Later my father-on-law got a job paving highways in Imperial County where summer temperatures often exceed 110 and overnight lows are about 90. I am just waiting to see how many Anglos hit the. fields or the many other less than desirable jobs that hardworking immigrants have done for my entire lifetime. My wife is also college educated and worked her career with special education students, including in the Pajaro Valley Unified School District.
If our politicians had a coherent immigration policy with legal pathways, there would not be the issues we have now. Unless we are native-americas, as were my wife’s parents, we are all immigrants. Historically immigrants have come because there is high demand for their labor doing the work Anglos have no interest in dong, especially for the wages and working conditions that come with them. If there was no demand for the services of undocumented workers, they would stop coming.
I am Irish, but I love my latino/latina family and friends. I respect their work ethic, and I appreciate the cultural diversity they brings with their many beautiful traditions.
Finally, out country has a falling brith rate. Immigrant families tend to have more children. This will lead to the slowing and ultimate contraction of our population and the atrophying of our economy.