As California works to recover from some of the most destructive wildfires in its history, a new report by The New York Times highlights how immigration enforcement operations are impeding cleanup and reconstruction efforts across the state.
In the aftermath of the Eaton and Palisades Fires, which together destroyed over 16,000 structures and killed 30 people in January, immigrant laborers—many of them undocumented—have played a key role in clearing debris, decontaminating homes, and beginning repairs. But recent raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents have left many workers too afraid to show up to job sites.
