California fast food workers call on employers to protect them from ICE raids
Fast food workers at an El Pollo Loco in San Jose walked off the job Tuesday, protesting dangerous heat conditions as South Bay temperatures climbed into the 80s. The strike is part of a wave of actions across California this summer, as fast food employees raise alarm over both extreme workplace heat and the escalating threat of immigration enforcement.
The protest highlights growing concerns among a workforce largely made up of Latino and immigrant workers. Many are still reeling from widespread ICE raids in Los Angeles earlier this summer that resulted in over 1,600 arrests, sparking what labor advocates describe as a climate of “extreme terror” throughout the industry.
“At In-N-Out in San Jose, the fear is palpable,” said former employee Margarita Fedorova. “People talk about being too scared to go to work or even drop their kids off at school. They’re afraid someone could just come and grab them.”
Similar fears surfaced in Oakland last month, when McDonald’s workers spotted ICE officers near their restaurant. “Managers had to lock the doors,” said Maria Maldonado, statewide director of the California Fast Food Workers Union. “Employees were too afraid to come out. It’s been really scary.”
Latino and immigrant workers make up the backbone of California’s fast food industry, which employs over 550,000 people. According to UCLA’s Labor Center, about 60% of fast food workers are Latino, over 25% are immigrants, and nearly two-thirds are women—making them especially vulnerable to exploitation, Maldonado noted.
Longstanding issues like wage theft, unsafe conditions, and retaliation against workers who speak up have only been intensified by the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement efforts.
In response, labor organizers are pushing employers to adopt stronger protections. This month, fast food workers published an open letter urging companies to sign a “Constitutional Pledge to Protect California Workers’ Rights,” which includes limiting ICE access without a warrant and safeguarding worker privacy during audits.
Meanwhile, Santa Clara County is moving forward with a training program to educate its 26,000 fast food workers on their rights, including wage laws, workplace safety, and anti-discrimination protections. Advocates hope to finalize the program by the end of the month.
The initiative is the latest win for the California Fast Food Workers Union, which launched in February 2024 as the country’s first union specifically for fast food employees. Since then, it has helped secure a $20 minimum wage and new indoor heat protections for workers.
As the union gains strength, its members are demanding that fast food corporations and government leaders take real steps to protect a workforce facing not only economic insecurity, but also growing fear of deportation. How they respond may shape the future of fast food labor rights in California—and beyond.
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