Nearly 40 years ago, two parents clutched their frightened daughters’ hands to make a treacherous overnight escape from war-torn Iran in the 1980s.
The family couldn’t carry more than a suitcase of family photos and mementos. They narrowly fled air bombs dropped by Saddam Hussein’s regime on their country, fleeing buildings and hospitals where tarps covered windows to hide the people inside.
Those were my parents. And at three years old, they brought my sister and I to San Jose in search of a better life. I know my story is not unique. Thousands of families made a heroic sacrifice — crossing deadly rivers and scorching deserts — to give their children a chance to live in a land of opportunity. The promise of America — for us to go to school, find good jobs and live meaningful lives.
Now that promise is at risk in our hometown and across the country.
– Ramona Giwargis, CEO
A daily diet of fear has settled over immigrant families and it’s unrelenting. Parents are keeping children home from school, not going to work or shopping, frightened of being arrested and disappearing.
Federal deportation raids across California have not left Santa Clara County unscathed.
The rising anxiety levels are bona fide since U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) doesn’t appear to be vetting most people, especially individuals who look Latino. President Donald Trump’s unleashing of his massive immigration crackdown is destroying the lives of undocumented and documented individuals who’ve been here for decades contributing to the country — and Santa Clara County has the data to prove the federal administration’s heartless policy is blatantly wrong.
The New Americans in Santa Clara County 2024 report in partnership with the Office of Immigrant Relations shows immigrants in the county paid $5.1 billion into Social Security and $1.8 billion into Medicare in 2021. In a county with a population of close to 2 million people, 765,800 or about 40% are immigrants who contribute to a region where they dreamed of a better life.
Santa Clara County estimates roughly 134,000 individuals are undocumented and about 44% are Mexican. These individuals will never see a dime from entitlement programs, even though they’re helping feed a system where more people are receiving retirement benefits than contributing. The argument these individuals are taking versus giving isn’t true. In fact, 50% of business owners in the county are immigrants, and they generated $1.5 billion locally in business income in 2021, according to county data.
In East San Jose, there are about 600 small business owners who are undocumented. This section of San Jose generates $4.2 million in tax revenue per year and provides up to 8,000 jobs, reports show. Now most business owners live in fear of losing their livelihood and being grabbed in an ICE raid. It’s caused a steep decline in revenue — business is down by 40% as frightened shoppers stay away.
If Trump’s policy results in a major immigrant evacuation, it could cause an economic downturn due to labor shortages. It’s naïve to believe unemployed Americans would fill the void. They didn’t leap into agriculture, construction and hospitality post-pandemic when jobs were readily available. Why would they do so now?
Immigrants are a critical part of Silicon Valley’s labor force, accounting for about 64% of the region’s manufacturing workers and 53% of professional service workers, according to county data. In South County, there are about 8,000 agricultural workers who help bring in more than $300 million for the local economy. Who will do the work with threats of farm raids?
About 42% of all farm workers in the U.S. are undocumented immigrants, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The California agriculture industry could be decimated, as would other immigrant-heavy sectors of industry such as caregivers.
Trump might carve out an exemption from immigration raids at farms and hotels. But so far nothing has changed and he has been mum since he brought it up.
Santa Clara County has remained steadfast in its policy to protect the immigrant community through the first half of this year. It has longstanding policies to not cooperate with immigration enforcement. County resources, information and staff — including law enforcement — will not be shared with ICE for immigration enforcement. San Jose plans to provide at least $1 million in one-time funding for undocumented immigrant support organizations like the Rapid Response Network and SIREN. Similarly, school districts will not comply with ICE.
But none of this means life is livable in an environment of fear and unpredictability.
The federal government says it’s capturing undocumented criminals, murders and rapists, but that’s not what is happening here. Trump’s deportation policy has thrown a wide net into a sea of people and is pulling in those who are decent, hardworking and contributing to society. It’s creating chaos and despair.
The foundation of this country was shaped through those who immigrated to America looking for a better life. It hasn’t all been smooth, but it’s what makes America the country it is today.
Moryt Milo is an editor at San José Spotlight. Contact Moryt at [email protected] or follow her at @morytmilo on X. Catch up on her monthly editorials here. Contact Ramona Giwargis at [email protected] or follow @RamonaGiwargis on X.
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