There’s nothing wrong with my lungs or body. This is a heart thing. A soul thing. I hurt, I fear, I feel.
I grew up in Tulare County in California’s Central Valley. Miles of farm land surrounded my hometown. You couldn’t get to the next town without driving past and through dairies, farms, ranches. You’d see laborers in the field year round. Planting, harvesting, pruning, irrigating. These were not white people bent over, picking and carrying. These were migrants and others who took jobs most white residents didn’t want. Too much pride. And frankly, it was far too physically demanding. Who wants to do back breaking work? Isn’t that too much like folks in cotton fields? Poor folks, uneducated folks, folks not like us.
I grew up with Greeks, Armenians, Dutch, Portuguese, Hmong, Mexicans. I went to school with all of them. And I never once thought to ask, or care, if they were legal, or if their parents were legal. The kids I knew came from hardworking families and whether brown, white, black they were all contributing. Did any of these kids belong to gangs? I’m sure. We had all kinds of gangs, too. Not just Mexican. There were rough white groups that felt their supremacy. There are always groups that want to flex and dominate.
But those people are in the minority. Those are not the families, and parents, and grandparents who have worked their entire lives to give their children opportunities they didn’t know back ‘home’, wherever that home was. I was always so proud to be an American because my America in my Central Valley was diverse. It was special. It was a point of pride that we could all be different but come together and be one nation, under God.
ICE has no place in my Central California, or my California. The Native American tribes were here first, and the Mexicans, and the Spaniards. We have never been a lily white Jamestown, God fearing Christians fleeing from religious persecution. California is a land of land…acreage, farms, ranches, and the people to turn this land into something that can feed and clothe America.
I mean, sure, ICE, round up the criminals, the ones that committed violent crimes, but not the ones that are defined as criminal because they came here illegally. Not the people I have known my entire life, people who filled my classroom as fellow students, and then later as my students at St. Helen’s in Clovis, a school where the majority of my students came from Spanish speaking homes, and so many of the parents worked two jobs–in the fields and canneries–to send their kids to Catholic school because they too wanted the American dream.
Here’s the thing. ICE isn’t just getting the violent criminals despite what President Trump says. ICE has quotas. ICE has to meet those quotas, just like the highway patrol has quotas each month, too.
There’s no need to come to me or at me with your reasons why what is happening is good. If you’re a citizen you have the luxury to say it’s good. You have no fear. You have safety. But I love people, real people, not just the wealthy and the privileged, and those who can sit in a high tower above the pain. I choose the people. I choose the pain. I would rather love with those that Christ loved, then turn a blind eye and think oh well, it had to be done.
Did it?
Did it, really.
I’m scared for our country
Me, too.
Me too
Amen girl.I live in an area where we have migrants work the fields and work in our factories. .Don’t see how this is ever going to work out. But I am getting old 78 and don’t alit of what goes on now days. I miss the good old days.
Well said! I stand by you ❤️
Again, you expressed my thoughts exactly. I’m a 4th generation Los Angeleno and grew up with kids of all colors. Never even thought about their color, race or religion.
I’m devastated at what’s going on 🙁
It’s a scary time!1 He’s a heartless man!
Jane, I cherish you. You were at my side during one of the more chaotic times in my life (I doubt you remember… it was so long ago…)
I spent a weekend with you once in your beloved Visalia. It was my only time to visit, but I can still see it through your eyes.
My heart goes out to you from up here in the Great White North (also known these days as Nightmare Adjacent…)
My heart is hurting. Can our country survive four years of bullying by people in charge
Bless you Jane for putting words to what is on my heart. My heart is full with visions of golden waves of grain and stooped figures working the fields to feed our America. We grow harder with every dollar taken from programs that grow minds and care for our people. We lose civility with each dollar redistributed to punitive, hate filled crusades. Where will it end? So soon we forget that we are becoming the very hate mongering, reactive society that our forebears came to escape.
I grew up with you in the same schools. I believe in imagination and we do need them to work our farms they are essential that’s the first thing I will say. Next I’m sure we differ on this we need to fix the immigration system everybody that wants to work and has a job should get a working visa that’s good for one year and get renewed every year as long as they don’t break our laws. I’m for this but if you let 12 million migrants in and they are on our welfare system healthcare and doesn’t work they can’t stay. If you break our laws you can’t stay. I think you’re a wonderful human I’ve always thought a lot of you. I feel for all the parents in the USA that has buried their children because of the abuse at the boarder here just an opinion for the other side. I think we should put Americans first!
I’m afraid I spent too many years traveling all over the world, living in different countries to say put Americans first. I don’t know what that means. Christ had no borders. He didn’t define people by where they lived. People were to be loved regardless.
I love your heart, Jane! I came from an island, Jamaica, and our motto is “Out of Many One People”. We are an island of people from very diverse backgrounds, and we learn to love people as people.
Like you, I’m am a believer. As you said, “Christ has no borders.” He just loves people no matter who they are or what they have done. I wish we could all be more like Him. this world would be a much better place.
Peace and love,
Paula R.
Putting America first to me is making sure our citizens have what we need to carry on with life. Resources, food, housing, medical care, etc.. If our resources are limited because our taxes, funds, etc. are being redirected to (current) non citizens, how can we properly take care of ourselves? We can love all people but part of love is respect. If there are people here illegally, they do not respect us. Why is it wrong to put our citizens first and make sure we are taken care of?
Exactly. What is an American? My grandmother was Norwegian and my grandfather Welsh. They immigrated with their children, including my mom, from Canada. My father’s family is from French Polynesia. This immigration debacle is based on hate and fear.
Let’s just end the healthcare misinformation: undocumented immigrants ARE NOT eligible for federally funded assistance or healthcare. Full stop.
THANK YOU. This is one of the biggest lies spread. Illegal immigrants do not get healthcare. They don’t get federal assistance. They don’t receive welfare. They are not draining the system.
Diana, not sure if you’ll see this but illegal aliens do not:
1) get welfare
2) federal assistance in any form
3) medicare
They are not draining America financially.
Jane, with all due respect, you’re absolutely wrong. They DO get government assistance. How else could they come into our country and have anywhere to go? You think they all have instant jobs? Where do you think they’re living? It’s a known FACT that they’re given housing, medical, and cash assistance. I don’t know where you get your information, but it’s false.
Also, ICE is going after criminals, but they have said that if others are caught with them who are in the country illegally, they’ll go as well. They explicitly stated that. You say how your heart breaks for them, yet what you describe is them working as slaves? Those are your beautiful memories?
Also, you say how bad it is to not want people coming into our country illegally, yet if you found people who broke into your house and were living in your basement, you’d call the police and have them forcefully removed.
I’ve seen videos of people who are against Trump’s administration who are violent, aggressive, yelling, throwing things, cursing, and basically anything but loving and respectful. DOGE is revealing the hundreds of millions that our corrupt government has sent to other countries for RIDICULOUS reasons, using taxpayer money. Yet people are angry over the corruption being exposed, not the corrupt people. It’s absurd.
Our country is already more safe now than it was. Immigration is a wonderful thing, but it has to be done LEGALLY. There’s nothing good about breaking the law to enter a country, and you couldn’t get away with it ANYWHERE else.
PS Diana, if you’ll have a look at my new blog today, these illegal immigrants are NOT in our welfare system, they don’t receive medicaid, they do not get subsidized housing, they don’t receive food stamps or assistance, and they DO pay taxes. Billions and billions every year.
PS And for your Denise, please email me privately ([email protected]) and I’ll give you my phone number and we can talk, and I will give you access to all the websites, and the laws, and the information you say I have wrong. My passion is truth. I am not speaking against President Trump. I am not name calling anyone. I am asking we look at facts, not videos. That we study the numbers and not the media reports.
Beautifully said. We are more beautiful as a mosaic. All of us came from somewhere. Who are we to deny others the chance at the better life that we got.
So much this. Not just here in California, but everywhere. It is all so scary. I hate that hate is being normalized. I am terrified for our future with everything happening.
You are so right Jane. I have read about people who came here legally, have jobs, pay taxes and did everything right only to receive notice that they have to leave the country. They have built lives here. They have friends, family and pets that they have to leave behind. It hurts my soul that we have let it get to this point. And no doubt about it, this is horrendous. Certain people complain that jobs are being taken away from Americans but they refuse to work those hard jobs. It’s so sad and disheartening. What happened to us? What caused this tragic mindset? I sincerely hope we can turn back to the days when people cared for each other.
My heart hurts for the families who are affected. My hear hurts for all the empaths who feel deeply.
My heart also hurts for the violent ones who came here illegally and did harm. My heart hearts for the families of those victims. My heart hurts for those along the border who’s lives were changed.
I am not “coming for anyone”, especially you and I am not sitting in a tower high above anyone’s pain.
There are two sides minimum to this issue. All countries have immigration laws in place; whose who don’t abide, deal with those consequences.
It wasn’t right allowing them to enter illegally over the last 4 years. Coming here in that manner was the start to what is happening now.
We have lots of migrant workers in our fields in Kentucky. We need them here and we respect them.
Here in California, they have come illegally for at least as long as I was alive, to work the Fields, to do the jobs that needed to be done. I’m not speaking for any other state but here in California from San Diego county to northern counties we need laborers, field workers, people willing to get dirty. And they’re not coming from other states in America to help.
Americans collect trash, they clean toilets, they work on oil rigs, they’re roofers, and they’re plumbers. But you think Americans won’t work in fields? Again , it sounds like you’re saying we should keep illegals so they can do menial labor.
Jane, I understand the need to cry. I’ve been doing. a lot of that lately. It is difficult keeping the worry at bay, but I know God is in control. I have to have faith and believe that He will bring us through.
Peace and love,
Paula R.
Yes, Amen.
That creature is so ignorant, has no idea the ramifications of his unfiltered words…when his undocumented workers are rounded up, perhaps he’ll figure it out.
The destruction of the UNITED States of America is horrifying and heartbreaking….
Well said Jane .
Sometimes there are just no words to describe what is happening , but so many emotions .
My Fathers parents came from Mexico to have better lives , they worked picking dates in 116 degree weather when my Dad was a baby, strawberries and melons . As the years went on they became employees of City of SD and Carnation Tuna . I was very proud of them always .
I was taught there were no limits what you could do in life if you worked hard , we were taught colors of skin and race and Gender do not matter . I admire my son teaching my Granddaughter this as well .
I am saddened of all that is happening now and angry .
I agree I’m really scared for our country. I’m an American citizen, but I’m scared for myself. I’m scared for my neighbors. I’m scared for people coming here. I’m scared for people who are here working their butts off. Waiting for their citizenship to come through. I’m scared for everybody. I believe there’s no safe place to go in the entire world due to this administration and my heart is breaking every single day.. also all the lies that have been told about how many people are coming over to make people hate other people and I can even see in some of the comments that people are believing those lies and that makes me really sad. The truth is people coming into this country is lower than it’s been in a long time but putting America first and the way that’s being done is something that hurts my heart every single day. I don’t think as an American citizen I should be afraid of our president, but I am very, very afraid.. my father came here from Italy legally and became an American citizen before I was born and he came here because of how bad it was over there during World War II and immediately after. He was very proud to be an American but right now I’m happy that he’s no longer with us so he cannot see what this country is turning into.. again I am very very afraid and I am an American woman born and raised here.
I’m in deep red Texas where I know the people I know voted for him. Voted for him…and .some of this. It’s very hard to be with them now as all of our futures fall into a black hole of uncertainty and they do their best to erase all of us not white, male and privileged. Those of us who aren’t that, are scared here . But the apathy at the other end is what scares me most. They don’t want to see what’s coming. The camps being built here. The people disappearing. It’s terrifying. I’m so sad for America.
I’m terrified of what will happen next. The DOGE is beyond anything I could imagine and our national security is at risk. I simply cannot comprehend the scope and scale of hateful damaging things that are being unleashed on so many people in our nation. I’m still resisting but I’m exhausted.
I’m praying but it’s a scary world. I never felt such evil as this is becoming.
Sending prayers to the United States as a whole, we need them.
Hugs and prayers for you to Jane.
Thanks, Jane, for stating what’s on the heart and minds of so many of us.
I’m Australian. I felt ashamed to call myself that when our government was turning away boat people or interring them offshore, out of sight, out of mind. I don’t understand when we stop recognising that we are all people and surely we all deserve a chance to make a life. I hate watching what is happening in your country. I fear for you but I also fear for the rest of the world because these actions will have ramifications everywhere in one way or another. I pray that things will get better and that your heart will heal.
Thanks for your words, Jane. My heart hurts for these mothers, fathers, seniors and little children, who are suffering because of these draconian orders. These aren’t criminals. They are human beings, worthy of being treated with dignity, not like cattle to be rounded up and shipped off to awful places like Guantanamo. They are parents and grandparents, desperate enough to commit civil infractions to give their children a chance at a better life. As a parent who loves my children, I might have made the same choices if I were walking in their shoes. I realize we have to have immigration laws, but when we make it impossible to come legally, desperate people will make reckless choices. It frustrates me most to hear “Christians” supporting this awful treatment of our fellow children of God. “He who does not love does not know God; for God is love.” 1 John 4:8 (RSV)
I agree with you Jane. I’m African American, and my family worked in the fields picking cotton and other things. I myself worked in the fields picking cucumbers, tomatoes and other things. All immigrants are not illegal. I’m praying for our country.
You nailed it Jane. I am so afraid for the freedom and future of this country. I taught the children of those immigrants. This country wouldn’t be what it is if it wasn’t for all the immigrants that were welcomed, including my grandparents. You are not alone in feeling this way.
Hi Jane, your words brought tears to me. I am terrified also. All of your words described what we are all feeling. Thank you for writing this.. Trish. (Jackie’s friend❤️❤️)
I’m not okay with what is happening. I am at a loss because America chose to hate over love. Yet at the same time as a Christian, I knew this time was coming. Doesn’t mean I didn’t fight…and that I am not still fighting. But as a Black woman I am exhausted. I am not going to say I am scared…I am fighting mad…. never scared. I am from the Central Valley too and I remember life as you stated. If only it were as simple as it were then. But the fact of the matter is, the world let’s money rule…and America is definitely a big part of that. All we can do is continue to pray and stand on the side of right. Love you Jane. Always.
My heart breaks for all those feeling like they can’t go to school or church, or kids not knowing if their parents will be home when they get there. There has always been people crossing the borders to work for many years, it is not just a sudden issue. I think there are better ways to handle this. I am not ok with all the changes and cuts being done. We all know that there needs to be budget cuts, and stuff being redirected, but I have a problem with people that have no idea are doing the cutting. Every day I dread getting a letter in the mail telling me my co pays have gone up, or another med is not covered, etc. So far I have had to fight for 2 of my meds, and I have had to pay more for labs, etc. I am lucky, I have family support, but if I didn’t, I would be in a world of hurt. I have friends that have not been as lucky. I do believe America can be great again, but people have to be there for each other and not think one way is the only way.
I weep for what is happening in our country. I fear for those who are being “hunted”, being targeted, who have had their rights stripped from them. I pray that things change soon, before we lose too many hard fought for rights and have to start all over again.
I’m praying for the USA. We need more love, peace, compassion, and understanding.
Jesus is in Heaven and looking down on the United States and wondering what happened. We have a convicted FELON in the White House. A man who has 5 children with 3 different women. A man who is not obeying court orders. He doesn’t care about anyone except himself. No kindness, love, or empathy unless it will benefit him. He could care less about the American people.
Immigrants have MADE this country. Unless you’re Native American, we all decend from immigrants. My family came from Greece, Persia, Ireland, Scotland, England, and Italy. All coming with nothing but a dream…the same way immigrants are now coming. They work the fields, the overnight shifts, the jobs that for some reason, many Americans feel are beneath them. When we no longer have this workforce, who will do those jobs?
I am scared for the citizenry and for myself and my family. My sister married a man who was born in Puerto Rico. He was in the United States Army. He is a citizen by birth. They live in Utah. He’s been stopped and asked about his citizenship. Because his skin is brown. My nieces go to school with mostly blond haired blue eyed kids. My sister was asked to bring my nieces birth certificates to the school ‘just in case’. Everything is crazy.
Thank you, Jane for posting the truth about illligal immigrants and that they don’t get everything handed to the. Once again this has been broadly posted as the truth and it is not! If you say somethingblong enough and loud enough it will sound correct.
I am also having a hard time breathing. My heart is breaking.