In the heart of Hawaii’s Big Island, where generations of immigrant labor have sustained the iconic Kona coffee industry, local families are reeling from a sharp rise in immigration enforcement actions. Coffee farmer Victoria Magana, whose family has worked the land for decades, described the atmosphere as “terrifying.”
“People today are seeing their parents arrested right in front of them,” Magana said. “These children are seeing their parents treated as criminals.”
Magana, who took over her father’s farm after he was deported in 2017, recalled the deep personal toll: “My brother and my sister were 12 and 14. It still rips my heart out to this day.”
The crackdown, intensified during the Trump administration, has left many in the close-knit Kona farming community grieving. “We’re all affected and we’re all grieving that loss,” she said. “It’s a very sad time for the Kona community and the Big Island.”
In response to reports of ICE targeting workers at coffee farms, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security defended the enforcement actions, stating that ICE is focused on arresting individuals charged with serious crimes, including kidnapping, drug trafficking, assault, and theft. The agency also noted that part of its operations includes welfare checks on unaccompanied minors to ensure they are not victims of abuse or exploitation.
The contrasting narratives underscore a broader tension: between community members who see families torn apart and federal authorities who frame the actions as focused on public safety and child welfare.
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