Fuentes has lived in Bakersfield all her life and says she's never seen anything like it. In one instance, she said a man and woman drove up to the store together, and the man went inside. Border Patrol detained the man as he walked out, Fuentes said, and then demanded the woman get out of the vehicle. When she refused, another agent parked his vehicle behind the woman, blocking her car. Fuentes said it wasn't until the local Univision station showed up that Border Patrol agents backed up their car and allowed the woman to leave.
Richard S. Gearhart pointed out, "If this is the new normal, this is absolute economic devastation. In the short term, he predicted farms and dairies could make up the losses, but that homebuilders, restaurants and small businesses would be most hurt financially."
Gearhart further elaborated, "You are talking about a recession-level event if this is the new long-term norm. Agriculture comprises about 10% of Kern County's gross domestic product and undocumented workers may comprise half of the workforce, so you WILL see, in the long run, food inflation and food shortages."
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