Donald Trump’s inner war (2/2)

The roundups of immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) who continue to target agricultural workers in California are intended to counter the social advances obtained in recent years by these in charge (read our column of July 1, 2025). In addition, On July 11, a man died during one of these roundups. Furthermore, Jaime Alanís Garcia has dropped from the roof of a greenhouse in an agricultural exploitation of Camarilla. Nevertheless, northwest of Los Angeles, while he was trying to escape the militia.
At the very moment when she cried the death of Garcia. In addition, the United Farm Workers (UFW), who organized the Californian agricultural employees, obtained a legal victory. Moreover, At the request of the UFW and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), a federal judge estimated these illegal roundups. For example, Federal agents cannot arrests on the basis donald trump’s inner war (2/2) of skin color, spoken language or workplace. Similarly, Evidence of a suspicion based on offense must be brought. However, this decision does not suspend the action of the ICE and concerns only one county.

Among the people who welcomed this judgment, is the Democratic Governor of California, Gavin Newsom. Nevertheless, It has been displayed since the start of roundups as an opponent of Donald Trump. Similarly, a defender of Californian agricultural employees. The reasons which lead the Democratic Governor to this position are however ambiguous. They deserve. I believe, that we stop there, because they are emblematic of a political configuration which exceeds the Californian case.

During his visit to the town hall of San Francisco, Newsom was less defying with regard to the ICE. The practice of the municipality consisted in not denouncing to the federal immigration control agencies residents who do not. have a residence permit. During his donald trump’s inner war (2/2) town hall, Gavin Newsom broke with this practice. His current position on ICE’s roundups therefore appears above all opportunistic: Newsom is one of the potential democratic candidates for the presidency at the end of Trump’s mandate. he must therefore appear as an opponent.

Even more significant is Newsom’s policy on the rights of workers. Newsom is not stingy with the right of veto. which he has as governor, to block proposals of law in favor of the rights of employees. In 2021, Newsom blocked a law allowing employees to unionize more easily. It was only at the cost of a fierce campaign of the United Farm Workers that the politician agreed. to sign the implementing decree. Last year. it was the SB 1299 law that came up against its veto: it was to facilitate the conditions of work stoppage in the event of a heat wave.

Newsom’s career out of donald trump’s inner war (2/2) politics lights up its duplicity. A 24 -year -old. he founded Plumpjack Winery, wine -growing and wine trade, with the help of Gordon Getty, a family friend and heir to the Empire of oil Oil. Plumpjack produces wine at over $ 300 per bottle and import great French vintages which it sells at stratospheric prices. As an agricultural entrepreneur, Gavin Newsom has every interest in having a cheap workforce with degraded working conditions.

Many of the left -wing. supposedly such as such, from Keir Starmer to Sahra Wagenknecht via François Ruffin, believe that a free circulation policy of people is incompatible with the defense of the rights of the country’s employees. Supported by theorists like Wolfgang Streeck (The NationJune 18. 2025) or Perry Anderson (London Review of BooksApril 3, 2025), they see in the claim of the free movement of people a humanist weakness of the left. For Anderson, it donald trump’s inner war (2/2) is not able to properly understand what he calls “the problem of immigration”. The struggles of the Californian agricultural employees show. on the contrary, that the action of a basic union can converge the interests of all workers, regardless of their status, towards a general improvement in working conditions. It is this fight. and certainly not the opportunism of a luxury winegrower of Napa Valley, which constitutes the real resistance to Donald Trump and his militias.

Frédéric Deshusses observer in the agricultural world