> At a Glance
> – Day laborers helping rebuild after the 2025 Eaton Fire are avoiding work sites due to fear of ICE raids
> – Reconstruction efforts, including toxic soil removal, are being delayed by the labor shortage
> – Community groups demand immigration enforcement halt in all LA County fire zones
> – Why it matters: Without these workers, families cannot return to their homes, stalling community recovery
Immigrant day laborers who are essential to rebuilding homes destroyed in the Eaton Fire are staying away from work sites across Altadena, paralyzed by reports of masked ICE agents in unmarked vehicles sweeping through the burn zone.
Work Sites Go Quiet
Jose Madera, director of the Pasadena Community Job Center, stood in front of a leveled Altadena home and said construction has “slowed to a crawl” because crews fear arrest. He described armed, masked agents arriving in unmarked cars, creating what he called “hate and terror” that is “halting the rebuilding” and keeping families from returning.
The labor shortage is affecting more than framing and roofing. Madera emphasized that wildfire-contaminated soil must be safely removed before anyone can move back, a task many migrant workers are trained to handle. His center and partner groups are trying to organize bioremediation crews so future construction and eventual re-occupation will be safe.
Organizers Sound the Alarm
Advocacy groups-including the National Day Laborer Organizing Network-say thousands of day laborers across Los Angeles County now view fire-zone jobs as potential traps.
Pablo Alvarado from the organizing network called it “irrefutable” that LA cannot rebuild without immigrant labor. He framed the situation as a contradiction: “Our country’s willing to accept migrant labor. But our country’s not willing to accept our humanity and give us our rights, and yet we keep showing up because we believe in what is right.”
A Homeowner’s View
Leigh Adams, whose house was reduced to ash, has turned her property into a gathering spot for workers and neighbors. She agreed that the same laborers who historically supported the community are now receiving little protection in return. “The people here supported this community as day laborers. And they’re not being supported by the community,” Adams said.
Enforcement Uncertainty
The Department of Homeland Security did not respond to a request for comment, and News Of Los Angeles could not independently verify ICE activity in Altadena. Community organizers, however, say the mere rumor of raids has been enough to empty work crews.
Demands for Action
The Pasadena Community Job Center and allied organizations are calling for:
- Immediate suspension of all immigration enforcement in fire-damaged neighborhoods
- Clear public statements protecting disaster-response laborers
- Coordination with local agencies to ensure rebuilding continues unimpeded
Key Takeaways
- Fear of ICE operations is keeping immigrant workers away from Eaton Fire rebuilding sites
- Soil remediation and home construction are both stalled as crews stay home
- Community groups say LA’s recovery hinges on immigrant labor
- Organizers want immigration enforcement paused across all county fire zones
Until workers feel safe, families like Leigh Adams’ cannot move forward, leaving entire neighborhoods frozen between disaster and recovery.
