Trump’s mass deportation promise sparks fear in Kern County’s immigrant community

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – In a social media post, President-elect Donald Trump confirmed plans to declare a national emergency and use the US military for mass deportations. This announcement sent shockwaves through immigrant communities nationwide, including in Kern County.

Win Eaton, an immigration attorney in Bakersfield, said his law firm has been inundated with phone calls, including from naturalized citizens.

“It’s like a shockwave has gone through the community and it’s not being noticed as much by the general population,” Eaton said. “What we are hearing is absolute terror.” People are panicking, and not because they necessarily have no papers. They are afraid of what might come after the presidential inauguration.”

Yuridia Lopez, an organizer with the farmworker advocacy group Lideres Campesinas, said the prospect of mass deportations is causing great fear among farmworkers in the Central Valley.

“We heard that six families have returned to their country,” Lopez said. “They are afraid and didn’t want to live with this uncertainty.”

Lopez expressed concern that working conditions for farm workers who do heavy labor could worsen over the next four years.

“It will happen to us again. That’s why it’s important that we know our rights,” she said.

DACA recipients like Flor Alvarado also struggle with uncertainty.

“Right now I think I will be one of the first to be deported,” Alvarado said. “The reason for this is because the government has all my information.”

Despite California’s efforts to “Trump-proof” state laws, many residents remain concerned about the potential impact of mass deportations. Eaton warned that these deportations could have a catastrophic impact on the construction, hospitality and agricultural industries.

“I can never remember a time when there was such terror,” Eaton said. “And I use that term conservatively.” People are very concerned. I don’t know how else to describe it.