SLO County Farm Bureau warns of impending Ice raids

June 13, 2025

By KAREN VELIE

With U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arresting undocumented immigrants in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties, the San Luis Obispo Farm Bureau provided its members a warning along with suggestions on how to deal with ICE agents.

“We send this email to alert you of confirmed ICE activity in Ventura County against agricultural operations that took place yesterday,” the Farm Bureau sent its members on Wednesday. “We want to make sure ag employers and employees are informed of their rights. We have been told current ICE activity could extend into San Luis Obispo County.”

With a criminal arrest warrant for one illegal immigrant, ICE agents pulled over a car in Santa Maria on Tuesday. Agents then arrested the suspect and four other undocumented immigrants who were in the car.

The SLO County Farm Bureau attached two documents penned by Fresno based attorney Patrick Moody that provide local farmers tips on dealing with ICE agents.

For example, farmers and ranchers should demand to see a search warrant that should include areas to be searched and permitted items to be seized, including “drugs, weapons or documents.”

The tips include informing workers to refer all inquires from ICE agents to management.

“Know your rights and advise your employees of their rights,” according to the SLO County Farm Bureau. “Please understand the information below is general information and should not be construed as legal advice.”

The Trump Administration announced it is targeting criminal illegal aliens. However, ICE agents have taken other undocumented immigrants found during the operations into custody.

In response to the more than 40 arrests across the Central Coast, U.S. Congressman Salud Carbajal called the arrests completely unjustified and deeply harmful.

“Let us be clear: these raids are not about public safety,” Carbajal wrote in a statement. “They are about stoking fear. These are not criminals being targeted. They are hardworking people and families who are an essential part of Ventura County. These men and women are the backbone of our farms, our fields, our construction and service industries, and our communities.”

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“The Trump administration said it has directed immigration officers to pause arrests at farms, restaurants and hotels, stressing that sweeps should focus on people in the U.S. illegally who have criminal backgrounds.” TACO King steals the dream and your retirement. When do we actually clue in to the fact we are being hoodwinked and conned?


Criminals need to be found and locked up in jail.


Everyone should pay their fair share of taxes including under the table immigrants and their employers.


Conmen developers like Petetit, Bersher and Trump are all cut from the same cloth.


Latest: Trump Directs ICE to Stop Raids in Agriculture, Hotel and Restaurant Industries — Focus Only on ‘Criminal’ Aliens https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2025/06/trump-directs-ice-stop-raids-agriculture-hotel-restaurant/


How long are we willing to see our cities and counties turned into war zones as we round up all of those who have come to our country illegally? (At least 11 million and probably closer to 20 million). Do we really want to put up with constant stories about workers or students who are leading productive lives rounded up by ICE for no reason other than they came here without credentials?


This seems untenable in the long run. Not to mention extremely expensive. How much does it cost to put the National Guard in downtown L.A. for several days?


I believe the only solution is for the Congress to pass legitimate comprehensive immigration reform, as we did in the 1980’s when Ronald Reagan was president. I’m pretty sure we really don’t want to deport all of these people. The impact on our economy would be destructive. Let’s spend the money to sort them out.


Obviously we will want to send many of them home, but I think we’d want to keep many of them, especially the skilled farm workers, construction workers, leisure and restaurant workers. That will take courts and time. For many of them we will want to give them amnesty as Reagan did.


Meanwhile, let’s continue to build walls in appropriate places along the border and fortify the area with more enforcement (rather than having them storming restaurants and farms in our cities and counties). This is what the Democratic Party has been calling for. Unfortunately, the Republicans, especially Trump, want to demagogue the issue so they can use it to win elections. What Trump is doing now is not sustainable. People will always want to come to America and Trump and his philosophy will not last.


Pay people in cash and they get to stay in the low income bracket, qualifying them for so many freebies, including “free” home solar installations, all on the backs of hard working Americans. Unscrupulous farmers enable the freeloaders.


So to all those crying that their avocados won’t get picked or their veggies will cost more, understand this. There is a guest worker program set up for farm workers. Those who are skilled, particularly those working in viticulture, and are paid well for those skills. Row crop workers are typically unskilled and so skip the program because they see this as a stepping stone to either higher pay in construction or, if they are lazy and unmotivated, benefits.


So, if you are a veggie consumer, suck it up and be willing to pay more and stop your whining. The farmers will either only hire H1b workers or buy machinery to do the work and pass on the cost.


Take it from a first generation immigrant who waited 5 years even with a sponsor, had to have a US bank account, pass medical and background and prove I had a skill in order to support myself, and sign an agreement that I would not apply for welfare, I have no patience for those who choose to skip the line and take the place of a person like me because American wrist wringers want to virtue signal.


Well, the illegals rushed to come here; now they can just go. The free money and food stamps and health care benefits are no longer. Come back when you’re documented, and learn the language, low lifes. And take your babies with you.


Why aren’t the employers that are employing illegal workers being arrested as well?


I’m really tired of hearing our supposed representatives do nothing but bash the administration, while they have done absolutely nothing for the people who voted for them! I am also tired of the illegal invasion of people from other countries who do nothing but tear our nation apart. What a slap in the faces of those people who have worked hard to become legal citizens of America!

Finally, I am fed up with my hard earned money going into pockets of thriving politicians, while those of us who ARE working, struggle to make ends meet. It needs to stop!


Start arresting the business owners. Enough is enough