Here are the morning’s top stories on Wednesday, April 8, 2026

A new report is shedding light on the lives of California farmworkers. It argues low wages are not just an economic issue, but a public health crisis. The report is called Beyond the Cycle of Survival, and it looks at how pay impacts workers’ health, families, and communities.
An investigation is underway after federal authorities shot and wounded a person they were apparently trying to arrest. In a statement, the Department of Homeland Security says it happened after officers pulled over the man in Patterson in Stanislaus County on Tuesday.
A bill to restore state health care coverage for low-income undocumented Californians will face its first hearing at the state Capitol on Wednesday.

Low wages, inequity affecting the health of farmworkers in California

Agriculture has long been one of the driving forces of California’s economy. But a new report is shining some light on the plight of farmworkers themselves.

The report, “Beyond the Cycle of Survival: Wages, Health, and Justice for Farmworkers” looked at how low wages and inequity are impacting the health of farmworkers and their families. “What we found is that California’s agricultural economy generates substantial wealth, but that wealth is not distributed equitably,” said Elana Muldavin with the organization Health in Partnership, one of the organizations that conducted the study. “Agriculture in California is a $60 billion industry, yet farmworker wages fall far below what’s considered livable anywhere in our state. Crop farmworkers in California earn $17.10 per hour statewide, and previous research from UC Merced found that farmworkers earn $15,000 a year.”

And the low pay is not just an economic issue. The report found that it’s also causing a public health crisis, contributing to higher rates of workplace injuries, chronic illness, poor birth outcomes, stress, and anxiety among farmworker families. “Every single person that we interviewed said that their wages aren’t enough to cover the cost of their basic needs. People talked about having to make impossible trade-offs, like having to pick between going to the doctor and having something to eat,” Muldavin said. “Entire families are affected. People spoke about how it’s difficult to afford the things that their children want and need, like diapers, food and clothes. And it’s also difficult for farmworking parents to spend enough time with their children when they come home exhausted from working so hard to make ends meet.”

Muldavin said their research underscored the need for an industry-wide livable wage standard for farmworkers and how doing so would improve the public health and well-being for farmworkers and their families.

Conflicting reports over man shot by immigration agents in Patterson

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents shot and wounded a person who they said is a suspected gang member in central California. The agency said he is wanted in El Salvador for questioning in connection to a murder.

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ICE officers were attempting to arrest Carlos Ivan Mendoza Hernandez in the town of Patterson when they say he tried to run over one of the agents. DHS said the officers opened fire to protect themselves. Mendoza was wounded and taken to a hospital, officials said.

An attorney representing Mendoza Hernandez said his client did not try to run over officers and disputed claims about a warrant in El Salvador.

Bill to restore health care for undocumented Californians has first hearing

Only two Democratic lawmakers voted against Gov. Gavin Newsom’s budget proposal last year curtailing health care for undocumented immigrants. Sen. Maria Elena Durazo was one them. Now, Durazo, a Democrat from Los Angeles, is proposing legislation that would reverse many of those immigrant health care cuts and reinstate Medi-Cal eligibility for all income-qualifying residents regardless of citizenship.

Senate Bill 1422 would ensure that all immigrant adults age 19 and older could enroll in Medi-Cal. It would not reverse limits placed on dental benefits that last year’s state budget included, nor would it eliminate the $30 monthly premium required of the same population starting in July 2027. The state budget last year did not cut benefits for children without legal status.

The bill is having its first hearing in Sacramento on Wednesday. The 2025-26 State Budget froze Medi-Cal enrollment for undocumented adults, a move that is projected to save the state more than $5 billion a year.

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New Report Highlights Low Pay, Dangerous Working Conditions for Farmworkers