By Cynthia Strathman, Executive Director

June 13, 2025

SAJE’s mission is to build community leadership and power for economic justice.

To do that, we need a functioning economy.

The Trump Administration has already engaged in a breathtakingly, jaw-droppingly, utterly stunning (it’s been common to hear some progressives say “there are no words” in regard to this administration’s activities, but there are so, so many ways to describe just how dumb this is) moronic approach to tariffs that is expected to push prices up and prompt job losses. Their latest policy moves won’t help.

Not only are the ICE raids in Los Angeles completely failing to address shortcomings in our immigration law (in addition to being mind-bogglingly cruel), but they are also damaging the city’s economy. Once-thriving areas are now ghost towns. Businesses are closing, and workers are staying home. 

This isn’t just bad for Los Angeles—it’s bad for the nation. L.A. County is the 19th biggest economy in the world. The Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles handle 40% of all incoming goods to the U.S., and together they are the largest ports complex in the Western Hemisphere. California supplies one-third of the nation’s vegetables. 

The economy depends on the ability to make things, sell things, or buy things. If L.A.’s economy isn’t working, it’s just a matter of time before the rest of the country feels it.

Even now, many in the U.S. are cheering on the wanton cruelty of ICE agents. But will those same people be happy when they’re paying eight dollars for a head of lettuce? If they can get lettuce? 

It would be some kind of economic justice, just not the type we were hoping for.