Latest news with #Oxnard
New York Times
a day ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Cowboys mailbag: Dak Prescott optimism? Trevon Diggs' future? Summer standouts?
The waiting game for training camp is officially on. The Dallas Cowboys have wrapped up OTAs and mandatory minicamp. The next time the team gathers will be for its flight to Oxnard, Calif. We opened the floor to you to ask whatever is on your mind, and got some great questions. Let's discuss practice standouts, Trevon Diggs' future, the wide receiver depth chart, optimism for Dak Prescott and more. Advertisement I see no real reason to believe Dak Prescott will be a better QB than previously after another devastating injury and a year older. Tell me why I'm wrong. — Mark C. Personally, I do believe that Prescott is a quality top-half-of-the-league starting quarterback who can play at a top-10 level on any given Sunday. I do believe you can win it all with Prescott as your quarterback. But Prescott is going into his 10th season, and there's too much of a sample size of coming up short in the big moments and, in recent years, of injuries hampering his abilities to perform at his best. I understand the skepticism. If I were to sell somebody on why Prescott could be better than most of his previous years, I would start with the fact that CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens may be the best receiver duo Prescott has had in his career. That's not to dismiss the 2021 duo of Lamb and Amari Cooper, but this year's tandem has the potential to be even better. Prescott also has good chemistry with Jake Ferguson, who should be extra motivated in a contract year. The offensive line and running back situation are wild cards, but the floor for both would seem to be performing at a decent level. Does that mean Prescott will be better than what he's been previously? It's hard to see him topping his 2023 campaign when he was the MVP runner-up. But at this point in his career, it's not about how good he can be overall, but can he be at his best in the biggest moments. fired up for this 😤 — Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) June 13, 2025 Who is currently standing out for the Cowboys during practice? — Dallas S. All of the necessary caveats apply before answering this question, specifically about how much physicality is limited during OTAs and minicamp. That essentially eliminates players on the offensive and defensive lines, as well as running backs, from really standing out. Pickens had a fantastic first day of mandatory minicamp. He's a big body, a deep-ball threat and a good route runner. I'm curious to see how Prescott incorporates him because Prescott hasn't really worked too much with a receiver of Pickens' style, outside of a couple of short stints with Dez Bryant and Michael Gallup. If Pickens can keep his head on straight throughout the season — a legitimate if — then this trade has potential to be a steal for the Cowboys. Advertisement Ferguson was the star of the second day of minicamp. He looked a lot more like his 2023 version, which is a welcome sight after he struggled in 2024 while dealing with injuries and quarterback instability. I also thought DaRon Bland looked pretty good. He's a physical cornerback, so I don't think these practices allowed him to play to his full extent, but he's always in position and has remarkable closing speed. Jonathan Mingo, Kaiir Elam and Brevyn Spann-Ford also had their moments. One player who really caught my attention was quarterback Joe Milton. He's very strong and makes throws down the field rolling to his off side look effortless. You can tell he still needs to process the game a little faster, but he's a young player in a new system. I'll be fascinated to see how he performs during training camp and preseason games. He has the tools to develop into something more for the Cowboys down the road. When is the earliest that they can get rid of Diggs without too bad of cap ramifications? — Daniel B. The earliest would be the 2026 offseason. According to Spotrac, the Cowboys could cut Diggs early next offseason and carry a dead cap hit of just under $6 million in 2026, saving more than $12.5 million, or designate him a post-June 1 release and save $15.5 million and spread the dead cap over 2026 and 2027 at just under $3 million each year. Unless there's a huge bounce back from Diggs in 2025, it's easy to see why the injuries and regression over the past two years would lead the Cowboys to want to get out of that contract. Diggs is a boom-or-bust type of player to begin with, but since his monster year in 2021, there's been a lot more bust than boom. Couple that with Bland being in the final year of his rookie deal and will be due a sizable extension, it's hard to imagine a realistic scenario in which this isn't Diggs' final year in Dallas. A bit skeptical of the backfield led by Javonte Williams, but wanted to know if you've seen any reason for optimism. — Kmason0903 As I mentioned earlier, it's been hard to get a real read on the running backs because of the nature of these practices, and I don't want to just provide feel-good fluff. However, there are reasons I would feel more optimistic, and they start with the offensive line. You know what you are going to get in Tyler Smith, but I feel like Cooper Beebe's confidence with all that comes with the center position will help him take a big step in his sophomore season. I think Tyler Booker is ready to hit the ground running. Even though I've seen some people saying that his great performance would be a wash, at best, as he takes over for a future Hall of Famer, I would say that Zack Martin was not performing at his usual Hall-of-Fame level last year before he was shut down with the injury. Tyler Guyton and Terence Steele are wild cards for me up front but the Cowboys feel optimistic. Advertisement In terms of the backfield itself, I think it's smart that the Cowboys haven't declared a formula already, as they did last year when they said it would be a committee approach. In the limited scope so far, I've seen some positive things from Williams, Miles Sanders and Jaydon Blue, but training camp will be the time where players get to separate themselves. If nobody makes a strong impression, this could be a year the Cowboys fall into a committee approach. The difference from last year is that, top to bottom, you'd have to feel better about the committee members. Who do you expect to have the biggest total impact on the field this year between Mingo, Jalen Tolbert and KaVontae Turpin? — Reed C. From that group, I would cast my vote for Turpin. I think the bulk of the receiving production will come from Lamb, Pickens and Ferguson, with Mingo, Tolbert and Spann-Ford as my lead candidates to factor into the downfield passing game. However, I feel like Turpin will be used more as a playmaker than a receiver this year, which is better suited for who he is. This offseason, we've seen Turpin carry the ball out of the backfield and run quick routes close to the line of scrimmage that enable him to get the ball in space. There was some of that last year, but last year also featured some deep balls in third-and-10 situations that aren't what Turpin is built for. With Lamb and Pickens handling their business, the underneath should open up more for Turpin. (Top photo of Diggs: Sam Hodde / Getty Images)
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Five Cowboys Cut Candidates As Training Camp Nears
Five Cowboys Cut Candidates As Training Camp Nears originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Training camp is getting closer and with it comes the harsh reality of roster cut candidates. The Dallas Cowboys enter this period with a revamped roster and a new coaching staff that's making everybody earn every position and every rep. … And a handful of players could now be walking into Oxnard with a target on their back. Advertisement Damone Clark is one of them. His leadership, toughness, and recovery story from spinal fusion surgery are beyond admirable. But in a linebacker room now featuring Marist Liufau, Jack Sanborn, Kenneth Murray Jr., Shemar James, and the return of DeMarvion Overshown, Clark's $3.3 million cap hit suddenly becomes a real conversation. The Cowboys could cut him, save over $3 million in cap space, and take on just $60,000 in dead money. There's no question about Clark's character and football ability at full health — but he simply may find himself the odd man out if a cheaper, younger linebacker earns the trust of the new staff. Tyrus Wheat is another potential cut candidate. He had his shot — and it came amidst a plethora of injuries and opportunity in 2024. Still, he didn't make his mark. Now, much like the linebacker position, after the addition of three edges in free agency and the draft, including second-round pick Donovan Ezeiruaku, he could get lost in a crowded and talented edge room. Advertisement At running back, the surprise cut candidate name might be Miles Sanders. Yes, he ran with the 1s during OTAs and minicamp. But that was likely a nod to his veteran status, not necessarily his long-term value. Javonte Williams is the money back. Jaydon Blue brings home-run ability. Phil Mafah is the physical outlier. Deuce Vaughn's short-area quickness is too unique to dismiss. And Hunter Leupke is the swiss army knife for his ability to play three different positions. Sanders being the elder statesman in the room will certainly bring some value, but as far as his physical ability goes, he's not exactly unique to the rest of the group. This is going to be a fascinating competition to track. by Mike Fisher View the 1 images of this gallery on the original article Advertisement Matt Waletzko is another player on borrowed time. Drafted for his rare athleticism, his career has been wrecked by injuries. He's played in just 11 games in three years and enters a packed offensive line room full of experienced veterans and up and coming prospects. Nate Thomas, Asim Richards, and Ajani Cornelius to name a few. Add in the fact that Waletzko no longer has a 'sponsor' in the building and it's easy to see the writing on the wall. And then there's Andrew Booth — a former second-round pick the Cowboys took a flier on last offseason. He struggled significantly when injuries forced him into extended snaps down the stretch in 2024. Dallas responded by drafting Shavon Revel Jr., a corner with first-round pedigree who only fell due to injury. And trading for former first round pick Kaiir Elam who's been the talk of OTA's and Minicamp so far. It seems as if Booth's best shot at sticking will be tied to the health and rehabilitation of others — not necessarily his own performance. Andrew Dieb-Imagn Images View the 1 images of this gallery on the original article Advertisement In a normal offseason, some of these players might survive. But this isn't a normal offseason. The Cowboys are deeper, the pressure is real, and the standard under this new staff is clear: compete every day, and earn every rep — or you're out. Related: Why The Cowboys Must Ignore Trevon Diggs Update News Related: Cowboys Update Diggs Rehab Amid Positive Trade Buzz On Elam at Mandatory Minicamp This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 18, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Cowboys Rave About Shocking Rise Of UDFA 'Stealing' Snaps
Cowboys Rave About Shocking Rise Of UDFA 'Stealing' Snaps originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Every offseason, we see a player take a jump that not many see coming, and as OTAs and minicamp have concluded for the Dallas Cowboys, undrafted free agent Brevyn Spann-Ford appears to be that guy. Advertisement With a tight end room consisting of Jake Ferguson, who is coming off a down year, and Luke Schoonmaker, who hasn't amounted to anything substantial in his two seasons, Spann-Ford is making head coach Brian Schottenheimer take notice. Viewed by some as not the most fluid pass catcher, but more of a stud blocker, Spann-Ford has been putting in the work this offseason, to the point where some think that as we turn to training camp in Oxnard, he is the No. 2 tight end behind Ferguson. 'He had an incredible offseason, he really did,' Schottenheimer said of Brevyn. 'The size alone, he really moves well. I think he added like six or seven pounds of lean muscle mass. This guy is not just a run blocker, pass protector, this guy can be a weapon because of his size in the middle of the field, matched up on linebackers and safeties. "The thing I've loved about Brev from day one is you knew that this was not too big for him, mentally he knew I belong here doesn't matter how I got here, I belong here. He's pushing Fergie and Schoony and he's already made the jump, again he's another guy that when he puts the pads on you're going to see him and feel him.' Tim Heitman-Imagn Images Again, this was the Underwear Olympics, so when the pads come on in training camp, we will see if Spann-Ford – noticeable at 6-7 and 270 pounds – can carry over his good work. Advertisement But one thing is for certain – he's off to a cracking start. Says insider Mike Fisher: "Ferguson is the guy. But Spann-Ford is stealing snaps at tight end.'' While he still needs more polish as a pass catcher, he has shown he can be a viable option, having had three games with 20+ yards receiving, including a four-reception, 42-yard game against the Houston Texans last season. So the upside is there. Now he just has to make it count in training camp, because while Dallas won't be cutting Schoonmaker, it could easily "relegate" him to be the third tight end on the depth chart. And if that happens, who knows what that means for his Cowboys future, because Spann-Ford, right now, is showing him a clean set of heels. Advertisement Related: Cowboys Insider Says Miles Sanders Bidding For Starting Role at OTAs Related: Schotty Delivers Emotional Message To Dallas Cowboys This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 14, 2025, where it first appeared.
BBC News
7 days ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Hiding in the fields - farm workers fearing deportation stay in California's shadows
The women crouch down motionless, kneeling between endless rows of fruit bushes, almost hidden from view."Are you from ICE?" one of the women, a farm worker in a hat and purple bandana, asks us assuring her that we're not with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which has been raiding nearby farms and arresting workers over the past week, she straightens her back, rising slightly out of the dirt."Have you seen any ICE vans? Are there patrol cars out there?" she asks, still unsure if we can be trusted and she can woman, an undocumented migrant from Mexico, has been picking berries in Oxnard, California since arriving in the US two years ago. It's a town which boasts of being the "strawberry capital of the world".As her work shift ended on Wednesday, she and her co-workers hid in the fields, waiting to be picked up by a friend and unsure whether it was safe to venture out into the parking the previous day, nine farms in the Oxnard area were visited by ICE agents, say local activists, but without search warrants they were denied entry and instead picked up people on the nearby streets, arresting 35. The workplace raids are part of President Donald Trump's goal of arresting 3,000 undocumented immigrants per day. On the campaign trail he had vowed to deport noncitizens accused of violent crimes, a promise that received widespread support, even among some Hispanics. But in Los Angeles there was a public backlash and street protests that sometimes turned violent, prompting him to controversially send in the military to the second largest city in the US."They treat us like criminals, but we only came here to work and have a better life," says the woman, who left her children behind in Mexico two years ago and hopes to return to them next year."We don't want to leave the house anymore. We don't want to go to the store. We're afraid they'll catch us." Large-scale raids on workplaces in California's agricultural heartland haven't been seen for the last 15 years, says Lucas Zucker, a community organiser in California's Central Coast that seems to have changed this past week."They are just sweeping through immigrant communities like Oxnard indiscriminately, looking for anyone they can find to meet their politically-driven quotas," he than 40% of US farmworkers are undocumented immigrants, according to a 2022 report by the US Department of Agriculture. In California, more than 75% are undocumented, according to the University of California, at farms and businesses that rely on the agricultural industry throughout California, and across the entire country, have ramped up this arrests have raised fears of shortages to America's food supply, if the migrants are arrested or forced into hiding, afraid to come to work. This impact has not been lost on the White House. Despite winning the election decisively after promising mass deportations, Trump on Thursday acknowledged the tough time his crackdown is inflicting on the farming sector."Our farmers are being hurt badly. You know, they have very good workers. They've worked for them for 20 years. They're not citizens, but they've turned out to be, you know, great."Who has been arrested by ICE under Trump?In April, he said that some migrants may be authorised to continue working in the US, on the condition that they have a formal recommendation from their employer and that they first leave the US. The result of one raid on Tuesday in Oxnard, a municipality 60 miles (100km) from downtown Los Angeles, can be seen in a video posted to Instagram by a local flower short clip shows a man running in a vast field of crops, through a haze of thick morning fog, as agents give chase on foot and in trucks. He is then seen falling to the ground, among the rows of plants, as agents move to arrest the BBC visited Oxnard on Wednesday, a US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) truck was seen parked outside an organic produce trucking company. A security guard insisted their visit was not related to immigration, saying: "This is not ICE. We would never let ICE in here."Many tractors and trucks sat idle surrounded by acres of farmland, as an unknown number of workers chose to stay and peril in Newsom's fight with TrumpJesus polished luxury cars in LA - then ICE showed upThe impact is having ripple effects on other businesses. Watching from her family's Mexican restaurant, Raquel Pérez saw masked CBP agents attempt to enter Boskovich Farms, a vegetable and herb packing facility across the her business, Casa Grande Cafe, has only one customer during the normally busy lunch hour, because farm workers have stayed home. She estimates that at least half of her normal clientele are undocumented."No one came in today," says her mother, Paula Pérez. "We're all on edge."Raquel says she's more concerned now for the future of the restaurant - serving chilaquiles, flan, and other Mexican delicacies - than she was during Covid, when her customers continued their work as usual, keeping the nation supplied with fresh foods."They don't realise the domino effect this is going to have," she says about the raids. Other companies around her that rely on agriculture have already been affected. The adjacent business buying and selling wooden pallets is closed, and a local car mechanic too."If the strawberries or vegetables aren't picked, that means there's gonna be nothing coming into the packing houses. Which means there's not gonna be no trucks to take the stuff." A migrant selling strawberries from his truck on the side of the road says the raids have already had a devastating effect - on both his business and his hopes of becoming a legal resident of the US."Fewer people are going out for trips, and they buy less from me," says Óscar, who comes from the Mexican state of Tlaxcala and, while undocumented himself, has children who were born in the US."I'm scared, but I can't stop going out to work. I have to provide for my family," he says.Óscar says he has been working to finalise his immigration status, but with ICE agents now waiting outside courthouses for migrants seeking to process paperwork, he's unsure of what to do next."There aren't many ways left to be here legally."
CNN
13-06-2025
- Business
- CNN
ICE workplace raids are taking a toll on America's businesses and workers
In the early morning on Tuesday, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents chased farmworkers through a field in Oxnard, California. Agents tackled and restrained workers amid rows of produce, as seen in video from CNN affiliate KABC. 'What I fear is that sometimes, out of necessity, we show up wherever there's work,' one farmworker with her face covered told KABC in Spanish. 'With everything that is happening it's a bit difficult for us.' ICE, racing to fulfill President Donald Trump's goal to increase deportations, has increasingly targeted work sites for immigration sweeps in recent weeks. The escalation is creating a chilling effect on the businesses that rely on immigrant labor and the workers themselves, with some staying home out of fear. America's agriculture, construction, health care and hospitality industries are powered by immigrant workers, both legal and undocumented. 'Recent immigration enforcement raids on businesses nationwide are creating serious challenges for local economies, communities, and industries that depend on immigrant labor to operate and prosper,' said Rebecca Shi, the CEO of American Business Immigration Coalition, a group representing employers with immigrants. Undocumented immigrants make up 4% to 5% of the total US workforce, but 15% to 20% or more in industries such as crop production, food processing and construction, according to Goldman Sachs. United Farm Workers President Teresa Romero told CNN that she's been getting calls from concerned farmworkers across California about ICE crackdowns in the state. There are 2.4 million farmworkers in the United States, according to the Economic Policy Institute, 40% of whom the Agriculture Department estimates lack legal status. Despite the threat of deportation, migrant workers often can't afford to stay home, Romero said. 'They're terrified, but they have a family to support. They have a rent to pay, they have children to take to school, buy clothing and everything,' she said. 'They have to tell their children what to do if they don't come home.' Trump appeared to acknowledge Thursday that his immigration policies are straining farmers and businesses. 'Our great Farmers and people in the Hotel and Leisure business have been stating that our very aggressive policy on immigration is taking very good, long time workers away from them, with those jobs being almost impossible to replace,' Trump said on Truth Social. 'We must protect our Farmers, but get the CRIMINALS OUT OF THE USA. Changes are coming!' But some farm owners worry that the Trump administration's current crackdown on undocumented immigrants will affect the nation's ability to produce food, Romero said. 'I can guarantee you that we're not going to have the workers that we need to do this work in agriculture,' she said. 'The agriculture industry in this country is going to disappear.' Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass told reporters on Thursday that she's already getting reports of people not going to work and store shelves being empty because people in the city are worried about being detained by ICE. Los Angeles' immigrant community is essential to the city's economy, she added. 'There are entire sectors of our economy that will not function if the immigrant community is too afraid to go to work and too afraid to go to school,' Bass said. Mass workplace immigration raids were a priority during Trump's first term, culminating in at least 680 arrests during a 2019 raid on chicken processing plants in Mississippi. The Biden administration ended the practice, saying employers exploited the raids to suppress workers from reporting labor violations. But ICE has stepped up sweeps again in recent weeks on industries that rely heavily on immigrant workers. That includes a local construction company in Exeter, Pennsylvania; construction sites in Brownsville, Texas; and a flood control project in New Orleans. ICE arrested about 40 people in Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard, two prominent vacation spots in Massachusetts, last month. CNN asked ICE how many raids have been made under Trump's second term. The agency acknowledged CNN's request but did not respond to the question. 'Worksite enforcement operations are going to massively expand,' White House border czar Tom Homan said in an interview with Semafor on Wednesday. Detaining employees can have a significant impact on small businesses. For example, after authorities took dozens of workers away in buses following a raid at an Omaha meat production plant Tuesday morning, the plant was left running at about 30% capacity. The restaurant industry employs 1 million undocumented workers, or 10% of the total workforce, according to the Center for Migration Studies. It would be difficult for some restaurants to run without undocumented workers. 'The reality is … there clearly are not enough people in the United States who are authorized to work to fill all the available jobs,' said Andrew Rigie, executive director of the not-for-profit group NYC Hospitality Alliance. 'And because of that, you have people that have come to our country for many different reasons that are not authorized to work but find their way into the workforce to meet the needs and demands of United States citizens.' Arrests of migrant workers outside one business have become a flash point for opponents of Trump's immigration crackdown: Home Depot. Day laborers have long gathered outside the parking lots of Home Depot or similar retailers to find work. Home Depot, in particular, is a convenient spot for contractors and homeowners in many communities to approach and hire laborers to paint walls, nail down roofing and complete other manual labor projects. Day laborers are often paid in cash, and many return to these locations every day in hope of getting more work. Immigration agents conducted a sweep Friday outside a Home Depot in Westlake, Los Angeles, setting off days of protests around the city. Trump deployed National Guard troops to Los Angeles, overriding California Governor Gavin Newsom. Home Depot told CNN that it is not notified when immigration officials and law enforcement conduct sweeps and that the company is not involved in the operations. The retail chain has been a target of immigration arrests — and protests — well before last week. In a raid on a Home Depot in Pomona, California, in April, 10 undocumented immigrants were detained, a senior official from the Department of Homeland Security told CNN. That led to a protest outside Home Depot among advocates for day laborers. 'Construction companies, contractors, private homeowners — they have historically gone to the Home Depot to buy their materials and then they come outside and hire a day laborer,' Alexis Teodoro, the worker rights director for the Pomona Economic Opportunity Center, a non-profit that helps day laborers find work and job training, told CNN at the time. 'This is common knowledge and is almost as American as apple pie now.' CNN's Stephanie Elam, Elise Hammond and Priscilla Alvarez contributed to this story.
