SUPPORTERS OF IMMIGRANT WORKERS took to the steps of Oakland City Hall this week, asking city officials to restore $440,000 in budget cuts for day laborer programs.
The Street Level Health Project estimates there are 300 to 400 day laborers who wait for work at informal hiring sites in Oakland. Beyond the day laborers they serve, SLHP has seen more immigrants recently coming through their doors.
While Oakland city officials are seeking to close a deficit, the budget cuts come at a time of increased peril for immigrant laborers with high-profile ICE raids nationwide. Day laborers work in essential industries, such as construction, landscaping, and moving.
“We’re seeing an increase in people wanting more information. They’re fearful, and we’re a part of the rapid response network,” said Gabriela Galicia, the executive director of the project, which operates the Oakland Workers’ Collective for day laborers.
Located in Fruitvale, which has the largest Latino population in Oakland, SLHP is an instrumental group for recent immigrants, including day laborers. It provides a Health Access Program for under- or uninsured immigrants and information on housing, along with employment opportunities.
The city of Oakland voted June 11 on a 2025-2027 budget that effectively defunded the Oakland Workers’ Collective by $440,000 over the two-year period. This is over 50% of SLHP’s entire budget, Galicia said.
“We are deeply disappointed in the City of Oakland’s decision to exclude critical funding for the day labor program in this current budget,” Galicia said. “While we acknowledge that there are difficult fiscal choices that the city faces, day laborers — every single day — know about making these hard choices.”
The budget cuts could impact navigation services, food distribution program, and the job matching program that SLHP provides. For populations that face food insecurity and poverty, the cuts could worsen these problems in Oakland.
District 5 Councilmember Noel Gallo was among those attending Thursday as a long-term SLHP supporter.
“I’ve known the history and certainly the need in the community, in the Fruitvale area specifically,” Gallo said. “We have a lot of newcomers coming in from different parts of the world, and the services that they provide have been extremely helpful, not only for the worker, but for the entire family.”
‘Not optional’
Gallo said his office will donate money to support the organization amid budget cuts for this coming year. However, he continues his fight to appeal to the Oakland administrator and mayor.
“Day laborers right now are very fearful of what’s happening,” Galicia said. “They’re watching the news very closely — what’s happening in LA. They are scared that something similar might happen here.”
Galicia referred to ICE raids at Home Depots in Los Angeles, a popular day laborer stop and meeting ground for Latino immigrant communities. SLHC is paying attention to the Home Depot in Oakland in anticipation of ICE activity.
“These workers, who are just simply trying to get by, pay taxes, and contribute to the local, state, and federal economy, are now facing national scrutiny and real danger, simply just trying to show up at a day labor stop and wait for work,” Galicia said.
“This program is not optional. It is a vital resource and the first line of defense for Oakland day laborers, especially at this time, offering safety, support and dignity to some of the city’s most vulnerable.”
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