Amidst the wildfires in California and a global pandemic, Latino immigrants are still in the fields picking your fruits and veggies. They receive no hazard pay, no overtime and no sick days. 

   These vital workers are currently suffering in even more horrid conditions than usual, they are working in the smoke of wildfires for hours. Even in the evacuation zones, where the flames served a large enough threat for officials to ask residents to leave the area, agricultural workers still continued to work in the fields.

   To shed some light on the importance of illegal immigrant workers, the Department of Agriculture estimates that about half of the nation’s farm workers are unauthorized. The agriculture industry would crash and burn without these workers. These workers are vital to our economy. They make up 10% of the workforce in California, where the wildfires are happening. 

   There is currently no visa-program for year round workers on many of these farms. This poses serious concerns for the economic viability of the dairy industry and the U.S. fruit, vegetable and meat industries have a similar risk. 

   Overall, without the help of the unauthorized workers, production would drop causing consumers to see higher prices for all of these products. 

   These workers are in no position to decline an offer for work, considering how economically drained they are because of the pandemic and fear of being replaced in their jobs. It is very competitive among undocumented workers who are fleeing their home countries to come to our country.

      What is needed for the workers is an economic safety net for times of disaster like now. This would prevent the workers from having to accept perilous work and changes to immigration laws. 

   California has passed some of the only labor rules in the U.S. even with the extreme heat and wildfire smoke. What is currently happening in California to these workers will eventually be mimicked throughout the U.S.

    This issue needs to stop going unnoticed. Not nearly enough people are talking about this, we need to use our voices. People can help by using their social media to bring more attention to the issue, or creating petitions, or even not purchasing products of companies that abuse their workers.