User:Arianab914/sandbox

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Dianan.nguyen/sandbox

Undocumented communities: Agriculture is a major industry in the United States, with California accounting for over 12% of the U.S. agriculture cash receipts. Over half of agricultural workers in California, contributing to the state's agriculture economy and providing the nation with over half of all fruits and vegetables, are undocumented. Despite undocumented laborers contributing to the agriculture industry, farm work and labor is among one of the lowest paid occupations in the U.S. Many undocumented communities suffer from food insecurity due to low wages, forcing families to purchase economically viable unhealthy food. Though existing food pantry and food stamp programs aide in reducing the amount of food insecure individuals, undocumented immigrants are ineligible for social service programs and studies have found that limited English acts as a barrier to food stamp program participation. Due to a lack of education, encounters with government agents, language barriers, undocumented individuals pose higher rates of food insecurity and hunger when compared to legal citizens. Moreover, current government administration is attempting to draft new stricter immigration policies, creating restrictions on who is allowed to enter the United States. Before, immigration policies under the Obama administration focused on deporting immigrants that pose a threat to national security. Now, under President Trump's administration, immigration agents can deport anyone, without placing higher priority on certain populations. Undocumented individuals fear being deported under the new policies, further limiting their interactions with government agencies, social service programs (i.e. Food Stamp), increasing their susceptibility to food insecurity. Further, food insecurity among undocumented communities can be traced to environmental injustices. Certain agricultural communities, for example along the Central Valley of California, have large populations of undocumented communities. Studies show that towns located across the Central Valley of CA exhibit some of the highest rates of air, water and pesticide pollution in the state. Researchers argue air and water pollution consequently drive climate change, increasing food insecurity due to drought or floods. Environmental justice experts have expanded on the discourse, arguing it extends to address issues on food security and on the food systems of the U.S.