Public-Private Study Reinforces the Need for a Pathway to Citizenship for California’s Essential Workers

SACRAMENTO, CA – Assemblymember Anamarie Ávila Farías (D-Martinez) issued the following statement in response to the report released by the Bay Area Council Economic Institute in partnership with UC Merced, The Economic Impact of Mass Deportation in California:

“Today, more than 1.5 million undocumented workers are a backbone of California’s economy — contributing billions of dollars annually and make up nearly 5% of our entire state GDP. Think about that.

“Whether it’s in agriculture, caregiving, construction, or transportation, undocumented workers fill some of the most critical and demanding jobs in our state.

“Yet despite their vital contributions, these workers, including many who are Contra Costa residents, live under the constant threat of deportation. This fear doesn’t just hurt families — it disrupts entire industries. It means delayed housing projects, gaps in health care staffing, strained food supply chains, and higher prices for everyone.

“This federal administration claimed it would target criminals, not law-abiding, tax-paying members of our communities. But, these mass deportation policies are targeting the very people who keep California running — and risking economic chaos in the process.

“That’s why California must step up. My bill, AB 1442 — the Essential Worker Commission and Economic Stabilization Act — offers a practical, state-based approach to protecting these workers and the industries that rely on them. We must ensure these essential workers can remain on the job and contribute without fear.

“It’s time to lead with both economic sense and moral clarity. Doing right by our workers means doing right by California’s future.”