Hanford Native & Trump’s Labor Secretary Discuss Immigrant Workers and Job Training in Clovis

On her inaugural visit to California as Labor Secretary, Lori Chavez-DeRemer stopped at a well-known location on Friday—the Central Valley.

She remarked, 'It feels good to be back,' adding simply, 'Good to be back.'

The secretary took a seat at a roundtable held at Wawona Frozen Foods in Clovis to learn more about the area’s Good Job initiative aimed at workforce development.

Stephen Avila mentioned about the program, "While gaining technical skills, individuals become part of a team responsible for ensuring both their own safety and the safety of those around them."

The workforce in The Valley holds a special place for the secretary. Growing up in Hanford, she recalled that her initial job was packaging peaches.

In 1986, she completed her studies at Hanford High and obtained a business degree from Fresno State University.

She climbed the ranks of local politics in Oregon before securing a seat in Congress. Currently, as part of President Trump's Cabinet, she manages labor issues across the country.

She mentioned that approximately 9,000 jobs were added in total," he stated. "There were 228,000 positions filled last month, with manufacturing contributing 9,000 of those roles.

The secretary’s meeting takes place just before President Trump reaches his first 100 days in office. She suggested that the upcoming 100 days of the Trump administration will be even more thrilling than the initial period.

"I truly refer to him as the president of the American workforce because this has been his priority, which is precisely why he appointed me for this role—to transform how we conduct business in our nation," stated Secretary Chavez-DeRemer.

However, when the secretary delivered the president's message to town, several Valley employees expressed worry over the recently conducted immigration raids.

New federal data indicates that almost half of California's agricultural laborers might not have proper documentation. The Valley alone has thousands in this situation.

Border Czar Tom Homan stated, "Everyone is still an option."

"During our discussion on the visa program, I understand that we’re addressing issues related to year-round agricultural needs. Secretary Noem and I plan to hold these discussions," stated Secretary Chavez-DeRemer.

She proposed that a new initiative might assist immigrant farmworkers.

We aim not to replace American workers, yet we definitely have to support and enhance American businesses at their points of greatest need. There are numerous agricultural sectors spread throughout the nation—these require a very limited timeframe for product movement in and out, so we must ensure an adequate workforce is available to manage this.

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