California Governor Gavin Newsom slammed Donald Trump's deportation crackdown this week, mocking the policy as both cruel and counterproductive after farmers raised concerns that it's stripping them of long-time workers.
President Trump has long promoted mass deportation as central to his immigration agenda, vowing to remove undocumented immigrants en masse in the name of law and order. But his approach has drawn backlash for sweeping up immigrants without criminal records and sparking public unrest.
Despite the administration's previous claims that it's targeting dangerous offenders, their position has seemingly shifted. In a recent post on Truth Social, Trump admitted that his immigration raids are hurting businesses, especially farms and hotels that depend on undocumented labor.
"Very good, long time workers" are being lost, he wrote, adding that those jobs are "almost impossible to replace."
Newsom then responded with a blistering message on X, writing, "Turns out, chasing hard working people through ranches and farms and snatching women and children off the streets is not good policy."
Turns out, chasing hard working people through ranches and farms and snatching women and children off the streets is not good policy. pic.twitter.com/DPoGvyhDvv
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) June 12, 2025
His post echoed mounting frustration in California, where ICE raids have targeted schools, courthouses, and public spaces, triggering protests.
Though Trump said "changes are coming," he has yet to offer any formal updates to his immigration strategy. Meanwhile, deportation efforts are expanding, and the administration has deployed National Guard troops to bolster enforcement.
Despite recognizing that his policies are disrupting those sectors, Trump has not proposed legislation to allow these workers to remain.
Originally published on Latin Times
