As the San Joaquin Valley now confronts widespread fear in its immigrant communities caused by recent sweeps by U.S. Border Patrol agents, one fact remains true as it has for years now:

If Donald Trump and congressional Republicans really wanted to solve the immigration and border crisis, they could do so.

But keeping the issue in the hot pot of politics is good for Republicans. It feeds the rage of Make America Great Again adherents, and thus sustains Republicans in office. Fox News and the conservative press spin up lots of coverage. What’s not to like?

Except, the issue never gets solved. Now the incoming president and his promise to have the biggest deportation campaign in American history is causing panic among undocumented workers throughout California’s rich agricultural valley, especially when it appears the deportation campaign has already begun.

Border Patrol sweep

Last week more than 60 agents with U.S. Customs and Border Protection went to Kern County for an operation they called “Return to Sender.” Customs officials said the focus was on removing criminals from California, and in fact 78 people were arrested, with the focus on those guilty of sex, drug and human trafficking crimes. But a Border Patrol supervisor admitted some people not on the arrest list were rounded up as well.

News of the Border Patrol action quickly spread through the immigrant community. That led to further impacts, such as parents not sending their children to school, or kids not wanting to go, which results in less funding for a district, as state funding is tied to attendance.

Farm worker Alejandro Padilla told Bee staff writer Erik Galicia that rumors of impending raids were rampant among ag workers. “A few people I have worked with told me they weren’t going to work,” he said. “They are afraid that if they are arrested, they will not be given a fair case, that they will be thrown out and separated from their children.”

Fresno and Bakersfield are at the leading edge of what could soon be occurring throughout the nation: Surprise raids by Border Patrol agents on the hunt for undocumented criminals illegally living in this country.

No one opposes catching bad guys. But law enforcement is only one aspect to solving illegal immigration.

The better way is to create an immigration process for undocumented people to become legal residents. Building the wall on the southern border and having Border Patrol agents chase immigrants for deportation is just a quick fix. Real political leadership does the hard work of creating new legal pathways. That work is decades overdue.

Do Trump and Republican congressional leaders have the will to do that? With history as a guide, the answer is likely no.

Republicans’ efforts

It was a year ago that Trump doomed efforts of Senate Republicans to secure an immigration reform bill. A group of senators, led by James Lankford of Oklahoma, worked extensively to create a reform bill that could win the support of hard-line Republicans as well as Democrats.

But Trump signaled his opposition because he did not want then-President Joe Biden to get a win on an issue that Trump wanted as a political foil. In the House, Republican Speaker Mike Johnson said he would not allow the Senate legislation to come up for a vote, despite how the bill would have increased Border Patrol staffing.

In 2017, Trump said he had “a great love” for Dreamers at the same time he moved to dismantle Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. A year later, he told Republican lawmakers he would take the heat for a sweeping immigration reform bill. The end result: Nothing.

In 2013, the U.S. Senate’s “Gang of Eight” — four Republicans and four Democrats, including now-Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Florida’s Marco Rubio — introduced the Border Security, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Modernization Act, which provided a legalization program for the undocumented. It passed on a 68-32 vote. House Speaker John Boehner refused to bring the bill to a floor vote, even though it was set to pass. Result: Nothing.

Through the years, farm worker advocates, growers, business interests and educators have supported immigration reform, to no avail.

To his credit, Rep. David Valadao, R-Hanford, has made repeated attempts to gain legal status for farm workers. His efforts have been for naught.

He also recognized the emotional toll of surprise Border Patrol sweeps. “I have received numerous calls from constituents expressing fear for their families’ safety, and I do not support inciting concern,” he said in a statement late Monday. “I think we can all agree known criminals should be expelled from the United States, but it is crucial that future operations are communicated clearly to avoid causing any further alarm among our farm workers.”

If Trump will work with Congress and back a bipartisan, well-crafted reform of the nation’s immigration process, he would greatly enhance his legacy. Conversely, if he makes immigration simply a policing activity, he will badly miss a chance for presidential leadership. Either way, his decisions will make history.

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