California Gov. Gavin Newsom took a shot at President Donald Trump this week over his aggressive immigration enforcement, saying on X, “Turns out, chasing hard working people through ranches and farms and snatching women and children off the streets is not good policy.”
Newsom shared a recent Truth Social post from Trump. In that post, the president admitted his crackdown is causing problems for American businesses.
“Our great Farmers and people in the Hotel and Leisure business have been stating that our very aggressive policy on immigration is taking very good, long time workers away from them, with those jobs being almost impossible to replace,” Trump wrote Thursday.
He added: “This is not good. We must protect our Farmers, but get the CRIMINALS OUT OF THE USA. Changes are coming!”
Farmers and Allies Warn of Fallout
The American Farm Bureau Federation welcomed Trump’s comments, warning that deporting too many workers could disrupt the food supply chain.
“We appreciate President Trump’s comments… recognizing the contributions of farmworkers… and committing to preserve the ability of farms to provide a safe and secure food supply,” said President Zippy Duvall.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, about 42% of crop farmworkers between 2020 and 2022 lacked legal status.
Still, enforcement actions have intensified. A top aide to Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem reportedly wants immigration agents to arrest 3,000 people per day, triple the rate from earlier in Trump’s term, according to Axios.
Growing Backlash from Both Sides
Video from ABC7 Eyewitness News showed agents chasing a farmworker through crops in Oxnard, California.
That scene and others like it fueled condemnation from groups such as the United Farm Workers.
These federal actions are “designed to terrorize and separate farm worker communities,” the group said in a statement.
They are “an attack on Californians and a dangerous waste of resources.”
Some Republicans have also criticized the crackdown. Rep. Tony Gonzales, (R-TX), said the focus should be on removing violent offenders, not “a milker of cows.”
Rep. David Valadao, (R-CA) echoed that, calling for the administration to “prioritize the removal of known criminals over the hardworking people who have lived peacefully in the Valley for years.”
Comment Sections Turn Heated
Newsom’s post got a lot of replies on X. Some accused him of hypocrisy and failing California.
Others sided with him, blasting the federal government for what they see as cruel tactics.
One person wrote, “You can’t call them criminals one day and essential workers the next. If they pick your food, clean your rooms, raise your children—they’re not the threat. They’re the backbone.”
Another said, “Trump is having a really hard time finding the criminals he so dearly longs to deport. So, he’s going after the soft targets.”
But others fired back, defending the policy. “Turns out, arresting criminals makes California safer,” wrote one critic of Newsom.
Trump Signals a Shift Ahead
Trump said Thursday during a bill signing that he understood farmers’ concerns.
“They’ve worked for them for 20 years; they’re not citizens, but they’ve turned out to be … great, and we’re going to have to do something about that.”
He promised a related executive order is coming “pretty soon.”
What happens next could reshape how the U.S. handles undocumented workers in key industries like farming and hospitality.
Both workers and business owners are now waiting to see if Trump’s promised changes will offer relief or bring even more disruption.
IMAGE CREDIT: “Gavin Newsom” by Gage Skidmore, via Flickr. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. Image adjusted for layout.