California Attorney General Xavier Becerra met with local officials from across the San Joaquin Valley in Fresno today.
After addressing DACA and criminal justice reform, Becerra said that over the weekend he plans to meet with employers, like growers, to discuss what to expect from federal immigration authorities now that California is officially a sanctuary state.
"I want to make sure employers understand what their rights are but also what their responsibilities are toward their employees," he said.
Though he has at times been outspoken against the Trump administration’s immigration policies, Becerra said the most important thing for employers and employees is to know their rights.
"There’s no conflict between federal and state law," he said. "There are certain ways that ICE can go about its business to make sure it stays within the confines of federal law, and the ways employers should conduct themselves within state law."
Earlier this week, Fowler grower Bee Sweet Citrus claimed it lost roughly a fifth of its workforce due to a state law that requires employers to notify their employees when federal immigration authorities plan to inspect their workplace.
