The COVID-19 pandemic has forced the world to adapt to some degree of isolation due to physical distancing and other public health guidelines. Business establishments, workplaces, and social gatherings have all moved to virtual spaces in an effort to maintain social connections, learning environments, and—for those fortunate enough—to continue working.
And yet some communities have lived at the margins in social and geographic isolation with few resources since before the pandemic. Undocumented migrant farmworkers, for instance, experience physical, psychological, and financial duress while living and working in the United States. Being undocumented means that migrants–in the agricultural sector and elsewhere–are more prone to workplace injury and harassment, lack of adequate health insurance, and the ever-present fear of deportation and potential family separation. To exacerbate their precarious situation, many migrants also fear the repercussions of the anti-immigrant rhetoric that lingers after Donald Trump’s administration.
Latina farmworkers fare no better than their male counterparts. Research conducted by social scientists and published in the journal Culture, Agriculture, Food and Environment, notes that Latina farmworkers in southwestern Idaho not only live in isolation and fear deportation but also experience stress compounded by gender disparities. By conducting surveys, focus groups, and interviews with dozens of Latina farmworkers, the authors–Drs. Lisa Melerotto, Rebecca L. Som Castellano, and Cynthia Curi at Boise State University–were able to better understand the layers of structural violence Latina farmworkers experience at home and in the fields.
Due to the geographic and social isolation, Latina farmworkers are forced to cope with limited childcare options, a higher likelihood of domestic violence (with few resources to call on), lack of adequate health insurance (if at all available), living in substandard labor camps (with limited affordable housing nearby), and more recently, the disruption of communities with increasing arrival of predominantly-male seasonal workers (H-2A visa holders), which worsens the lack of socialization in their communities stemming from fear of deportation and family separation.
“They just have to stay quiet and keep working.”
Latina Farmworker
Furthermore, Latina farmworkers who participated in the study also revealed that they often bear the brunt of the emotional labor at home. Due to the fear of deportation and family separation, they have no other choice but to “be strong” for the family, especially for those with children at home. One farmworker shares: “[The women] don’t have options of whether they get to sit in their bed and cry all day. That’s just not an option for them. They have kids that they need to attend to. And so, they make themselves strong. And maybe it’s really not how they feel, but they tell themselves that, and that’s how they get through, you know?” Another farmworker notes: “They just have to stay quiet and keep working.”
The authors explain that many of these factors stem from ‘structural violence,’ or the institutional and social systems that cause physical, psychological, and emotional harm towards an individual and communities. Migrant communities have few resources at their disposal when they need help, and even when resources are made available, fear of deportation and family separation often discourages them from accepting it.
There are signs that farmworkers might see some positive changes with the new administration, though it will require significant bipartisan support. If passed by Congress, President Biden’s U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021 claims to prioritize keeping families together, strengthening the economy, addressing the root causes of migration from Central America, and ensuring labor protections. Regarding the latter, Dreamers, Temporary Protected Status holders, and immigrant farmworkers who meet specific requirements would be eligible for green cards effective immediately. According to the Editorial Board of the Wall Street Journal, the bill will likely undergo heavy revisions driven by GOP lawmakers seeking stronger border security legislation, so it is unclear which provisions will pass.
In any case, addressing these layers of structural violence will require further research on their effects on Latina farmworkers, whose physical and emotional labor is often overlooked and underestimated. Additionally, farmworkers across the country are experiencing increased geographic and social isolation combined with inadequate healthcare and no hazard pay amidst the recent COVID-19 pandemic, which is disproportionately affecting communities of color, and most acutely, essential workers of color.
Reference:
- Editorial Board. “Biden’s Immigration Opportunity.” The Wall Street Journal, February 19, 2021. https://www.wsj.com/articles/bidens-immigration-opportunity-11613777993
- Melerotto, Lisa, Rebecca L. Som Castellano, and Cynthia Curi. “Isolation and Fear of Deportation: Intersectional Barriers to Well-Being Among Latina Farmworkers in Southwestern Idaho.” Culture, Agriculture, Food and Environment 42, no. 2 (2020): 93-102.
- The White House. “Fact Sheet: President Biden Sends Immigration Bill to Congress as Part of His Commitment to Modernize our Immigration System.” Statements and Releases, January 20, 2021. https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/01/20/fact-sheet-president-biden-sends-immigration-bill-to-congress-as-part-of-his-commitment-to-modernize-our-immigration-system/