Nonprofits and groups from the four-county region discussed solutions in the face of reckless, harmful immigration policies from Washington and the White House. Speaker Rivas vowed to protect workers, businesses, schools, and families.
- Cynthia Moreno
- Press Secretary
- 916-319-2029
- Cynthia.Moreno@asm.ca.gov
SALINAS— Speaker Robert Rivas hosted a community discussion on immigration last Friday at the UFW headquarters in Salinas, bringing together nonprofits, groups and leaders to listen and learn how best to protect California’s immigrant communities and their contributions to the state economy.
Participants from the Central Coast included more than two dozen immigrant advocacy nonprofits, the Consulate General of Mexico in San Jose, the Salinas Unified School District, among other organizations that serve the diverse communities across the region.
Participants cited a lack of affordable and reliable legal services by accredited nonprofits, a dire need for more in-language access to services for multilingual populations, federal and state funding to continue food and school programs, and many other issues.
Many of these services and programs are currently under threat by the Trump administration, a fact that several community leaders noted.
Friday’s conversation is the third in a series of conversations on immigration. Speaker Rivas held a roundtable discussion in Fresno in March and another in Los Angeles in February.
Earlier this year, Assembly Democrats’ voted to approve $25 million in funding for legal assistance for Californians and immigrant communities, supporting pro bono legal services for especially vulnerable Californians, including immigrant veterans, people with disabilities, unhoused youth, those facing eviction, seniors, and victims of domestic violence, wage theft, and human trafficking.
What Speaker Robert Rivas Says
Speaker Rivas shared the following remarks at the meeting:
“Being in Salinas is special to me, because this is home. I come from a family of immigrant farm workers who immigrated here from Mexico in the early ’60s. And why? Because this was a place of economic prosperity for families, a place of opportunity. So when we talk about immigration, it’s personal to me, as it’s personal to all of you.”
“Here on the Central Coast, our economy depends on immigrant labor. California lawmakers, we know that, I know that, my colleagues know that. And we are acting to support the people who keep California running.”
“We have the fourth largest economy in the world, fueled because of our diversity and our immigrant communities.”
“Our farmworkers feed the state, feed the nation, and feed the world.”
What Community Leaders Say
“I was honored to join Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas and community leaders from across the district for a vital discussion on immigration. Speaker Rivas has long stood with Community Bridges and immigrant families in their fight for dignity, opportunity, and the American Dream. As federal threats against immigrant communities grow, this roundtable reaffirmed our shared commitment to worker protections, legal services, food access, mental health care, and more. Thank you, Speaker Rivas, for leading with compassion and conviction.” - Raymon Cancino, CEO of Community Bridges
“I am grateful for Speaker Rivas’ leadership in guiding this important and timely stakeholder discussion on immigration. The meeting and breakout groups allowed local advocates to discuss the unique challenges immigrants are facing in our communities and, more importantly, to brainstorm solutions where the state can help address those needs. I look forward to Speaker Rivas’ continued support and advocacy at the state level for impacted families living in the region.”- Magnolia Zarraga, Immigration Attorney and member of Monterey County Solidarity Network & Monterey County & San Benito County Rapid Response Network
“In this moment of intensified federal action, information, coordination, and connection are critical to protecting our immigrant youth, families, and frontline organizations. I am grateful to Speaker Rivas for bringing together this group of Central Coast stakeholders to strengthen our collective response and ensure California leads with action, compassion, and an unwavering defense of civil and human rights.” - Diane Ortiz, CEO, Youth Alliance
“I’m grateful to Speaker Rivas and his team for hosting a gathering with colleagues from multiple sectors to discuss Immigration Legal Services in our region. It was a productive meeting discussing the complex issues that our immigrant community faces, as well as the rich value they bring to our society and local economy. I am grateful for Speaker Rivas' support in advocating for services and resources to uplift our neighbors. Catholic Charities is honored to partner in providing services for people in Santa Cruz, Monterey, San Benito, and San Luis Obispo Counties.” - Angela Di Novella, Executive Director, Catholic Charities Diocese of Monterey
Economic Impact of California Immigrant Workers
- California immigrants pay nearly $130 billion annually in state and federal taxes (USC CA Immigrant Data Portal 2021)
- 88% of farmworkers in CA are immigrants—that’s 880,000 people. Approximately half are undocumented. (JBS International for the US Department of Labor)
- Immigrants hold one-third of all tourism and hospitality jobs in California. (LA Times Analysis of 2022 US Census Data)
- We must rebuild LA and increase affordable housing. Neither will happen without immigrants, who make up 41% of the construction workforce. (National Association of Homebuilders 2023)
- 50% of certified nursing assistants in CA nursing homes are immigrants. (Health Affairs 2021), and about 40% of child day-care workers. (LA Times Analysis of 2022 US Census Data)
- California immigrants contribute $715 billion in gross domestic product. (CA Immigrant Policy Center 2016)
- In 2022, undocumented immigrants contributed $8.5B in state and local taxes — an amount that would rise to $10.3B if these taxpayers were granted work authorization. (Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP) 2022)
For news media outlets who could not attend the Immigration Conversation with Speaker Rivas, the following links include media feed with soundbites, audio, and b-roll in both English and Spanish:
Audio: SRR Immigration Roundtable Salinas 04252025 | Assembly Democratic Caucus
Video Soundbites & B-Roll: Speaker Rivas Immigration Roundtable on Vimeo
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For additional information, please contact:
Speaker Robert Rivas Press Secretary, Cynthia.Moreno@asm.ca.gov.
Speaker of the Assembly Robert Rivas represents California’s 29th Assembly District, which includes all of San Benito County and portions of Monterey, Santa Cruz, and Santa Clara Counties. For a full biography of Speaker Rivas, click here.