In California, protests grow against raids targeting undocumented farmworkers
The footage of farmworkers pursued by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) through the fields was seen nationwide. The scene, filmed on June 10 in Oxnard, the "California strawberry capital" in Ventura County, about 100 kilometers west of Los Angeles, shocked residents and sparked unprecedented solidarity to protect undocumented people.
Unmarked vehicles arrived early in the morning. It was a coordinated raid involving several units. "We had never seen border patrol and immigration police patrolling together," explained Primitiva Hernandez, executive director of the nonprofit 805 UndocuFund, which raises money to support undocumented immigrants.
The raid caused panic among farmworkers. California produces more than a third of the nation's vegetables and three-quarters of its fruit and nuts. The sector employs 255,000 people, 60% of whom are undocumented. Ventura County, which includes Oxnard, is home to around 30,000 agricultural workers across about 20 farms. Most hail from Indigenous regions of Mexico, particularly around Oaxaca in the south. Many speak neither Spanish nor English fluently.
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LeMonde
12 hours ago
- LeMonde
In California, protests grow against raids targeting undocumented farmworkers
The footage of farmworkers pursued by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) through the fields was seen nationwide. The scene, filmed on June 10 in Oxnard, the "California strawberry capital" in Ventura County, about 100 kilometers west of Los Angeles, shocked residents and sparked unprecedented solidarity to protect undocumented people. Unmarked vehicles arrived early in the morning. It was a coordinated raid involving several units. "We had never seen border patrol and immigration police patrolling together," explained Primitiva Hernandez, executive director of the nonprofit 805 UndocuFund, which raises money to support undocumented immigrants. The raid caused panic among farmworkers. California produces more than a third of the nation's vegetables and three-quarters of its fruit and nuts. The sector employs 255,000 people, 60% of whom are undocumented. Ventura County, which includes Oxnard, is home to around 30,000 agricultural workers across about 20 farms. Most hail from Indigenous regions of Mexico, particularly around Oaxaca in the south. Many speak neither Spanish nor English fluently.
LeMonde
2 days ago
- LeMonde
Sean 'Diddy' Combs' attorney takes aim at accusers in closing argument, defends rapper's sexual 'lifestyle'
Sean "Diddy" Combs's lawyer aimed Friday, June 27, to skewer the credibility of the music mogul's accusers, saying in closing arguments they were out for money while rejecting any notion he led a criminal ring. Defense attorney Marc Agnifilo scoffed at the picture painted by prosecutors of a violent, domineering man, who used his employees, wealth and power to foster "a climate of fear" and force women into demeaning, unlawful sex parties. Combs, 55, is a "self-made, successful Black entrepreneur" who had romantic relationships that were "complicated" but ultimately consensual "love stories," Agnifilo said. In his meandering closing arguments, Agnifilo aimed to confuse the narrative US attorney Christy Slavik provided one day prior. She had spent nearly five hours methodically walking the jury through the charges, summarizing thousands of phone, financial, travel and audiovisual records along with nearly seven weeks of testimony from 34 witnesses. In explaining the most serious charge of racketeering, the prosecution said Combs led a criminal enterprise of "loyal lieutenants" and "foot soldiers" who "existed to serve his needs." Central to their case is the claim that senior employees – including his chief-of-staff and security guards – were aware of his actions and actively enabled them. But Agnifilo underscored that none of those individuals testified against Combs, nor were they named as co-conspirators in the indictment. "This is supposed to be simple," the defense counsel told jurors. "If you find that you're in the weeds of this great complexity, maybe it's because it just isn't there." "It takes a lot of courage to acquit," he said in closing. If convicted, Combs faces potential life in prison. 'Not sex trafficking' Agnifilo spent ample time dissecting the testimony of singer Casandra Ventura and a woman who spoke under the pseudonym Jane. Both witnesses described abuse and coercion under Combs in excruciating detail. Help us improve Le Monde in English Dear reader, We'd love to hear your thoughts on Le Monde in English! Take this quick survey to help us improve it for you. Take the survey As in their opening statements, Combs's defense conceded that while domestic violence was a feature of the artist's relationships, his outbursts did not amount to the sex trafficking he's charged with. The prosecution showed multiple examples they say are "crystal clear" evidence of trafficking that included coercion into drug-addled sex with paid escorts under threat of reputational, physical or financial harm. The defense countered that the women were consenting adults making their own choices – at times even making light of their harrowing witness testimony. Agnifilo pointed to Ventura's civil lawsuit against Combs in which she was granted $20 million: "If you had to pick a winner in this whole thing, it would be Cassie," he said. Ventura spent days on the stand, speaking through tears as she described brutal physical violence, emotional manipulation and fear that Combs would ruin her career or reputation if she left him. Addressing an infamous video of Combs beating Ventura in a hotel hallway, Agnifilo acknowledged it was "terrible" and "very much domestic violence," but insisted the video "is not sex trafficking." 'Drugged, covered in oil' Prosecutors have explained to jurors however that the case is "not about free choices" and that the women involved were "drugged, covered in oil, sore, exhausted." Agnifilo questioned testimony from both Ventura and Jane about being coerced into sex with male escorts, scenarios core to charges related to transportation for purposes of prostitution. "This was a lifestyle. You want to call it swingers, you want to call it threesomes... that's all it is," Agnifilo said. In taking on drug distribution accusations, which are among the eight possible acts that could result in a racketeering conviction, Agnifilo said that too was simply part of Combs's party boy lifestyle. "They seem to be doing what people in creative fields do," the lawyer said. Throughout the trial, jurors were shown voluminous phone records, including messages of affection and desire from both women – but prosecutor Slavik said taking those words literally, and in isolation, doesn't paint the whole picture. Slavik repeatedly referenced testimony from a forensic psychologist who explained to jurors how victims become ensnared by their abusers. The government has the last word: Prosecutor Maurene Comey will rebut Agnifilo's argument, the last piece of the proceedings jurors will hear before they head into the weekend. And on Monday, Judge Arun Subramanian will instruct jurors on how they are to apply the law to the evidence during their deliberations before they are handed the case.
Local France
3 days ago
- Local France
French Phrase of the day: Mettre la puce à l'oreille
Why do I need to know mettre la puce à l'oreille? Once you know this expression, it will come up in more social situations than you think, whether you want to subtly warn a friend about something or notice someone acting off. What does it mean? Mettre la puce à l'oreille , roughly pronounced met-ruh lah poos ah lor-ay, literally translates to to put a flea in somebody's ear. However, it really means to make someone suspicious or cause them to worry about something. You might come across this expression in the news or a true crime story where someone comes across a clue or suspect. There isn't quite an English equivalent to this phrase, but the closest ones would be to put an idea in someone's head, to raise suspicions or tip someone off. Advertisement English does have a phrase 'to give someone a flea in their ear' - but the meaning is different to the French version, referring to telling someone off, scolding them or generally giving them a piece of your mind. The most common use would be "I sent him/her away with a flea in his/her ear". Mettre la puce à l'oreille first appeared in France in the 13th century, at a time when fleas were a part of daily life for many people. At that time, the expression meant to provoke or romantically desire someone. It was only in the 17th century that the idiom began to be used in its current meaning. Fleas do still have a romantic connotation, though - ma puce (my flea) is a common pet name, usually used between lovers. READ ALSO : Language of love - 15 of the best romantic French phrases✎ Use it like this Le fait qu'elle ait changé son histoire à plusieurs reprises devrait vous mettre la puce à l'oreille - The fact that she changed her story several times should make you suspicious. Ne dis rien à la police qui pourrait leur mettre la puce à l'oreille – Don't say anything to the police that might tip them off.
