President Trump threatens to bite the hand that feeds him and millions of Americans. Promising to carry out “the largest deportation operation in the history of our country,” President Trump’s current immigration strategy spells disaster for the U.S.’s agriculture sector. Despite claims to target the “worst of the worst,” ICE raids have played out in agricultural worksites across the nation, disrupting operations and leaving crops dying in unworked fields. Relying largely on immigrant labor, both documented and undocumented, agribusinesses have already started to show signs of strain under the administration’s migrant attacks. If the administration continues these restrictive immigration policies, it will not only be migrants who are put in danger, but also Americans nationwide who will pay the price.
The Backbone of American Agriculture
Providing cheap and often exploitable labor, a predominantly migrant labor force is crucial to U.S. agricultural operations. One survey by the US Department of Labor finds that 66% of agricultural workers are noncitizen immigrants, with 47% reportedly lacking work authorization. With farm work often involving difficult and harsh conditions, these migrants, both visa holders and mostly undocumented workers, fill the labor shortages for jobs that no other Americans want to do. Now, the Trump administration’s anti-migrant policies add another layer of danger for migrant workers, particularly undocumented farmhands, turning many away from the agricultural sector.
Empty Fields, Rotting Crops
Faced with heightened ICE presence at worksites, undocumented farmhands must make the decision between safety and work, leaving fields across the country now empty. As early as June, farm owners and representatives reported that 70% of farm workers had stopped reporting for work. In a Guardian interview, undocumented farmworkers cited feeling “hunted like animals,” describing a newfound sense of risk associated with fieldwork. In the absence of migrant workers, farms have been left unable to harvest their crops. One California farm owner noted in a Reuters interview that, “If 70% of your workforce doesn’t show up, 70% of your crop doesn’t get picked and can go bad in one day.” Relying so heavily on undocumented workers, the U.S. agricultural sector is being heavily hit by Trump’s deportation efforts, a hit that agribusinesses will soon be transferring to their consumers.
Lower Production, Higher Prices
The loss of a migrant workforce has very direct consequences for everyday consumers, limiting the selection of produce and increasing market prices. A report by the American Farm Bureau Federation estimates that Trump’s enforcement-only strategy could result in a 30% decline in fruit production and a 15% decline in vegetable production. This would largely limit the products consumers see on store shelves, potentially restricting access to fruits such as California strawberries and New York apples, which largely rely on migrant workers. This produce shortage is likely to also be followed by inflated prices, with food costs potentially growing by 5-6% over the next five years, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation. These projections show how the effects of the Trump administration’s immigration policy are likely to trickle down to every sector of daily life.
No migrants, No America
Migrant workers are at the core of the U.S.’s agricultural sector; without them, crops are left to rot, and store shelves go empty. Yet, the Trump administration’s current immigration strategy spits in the face of this dependence on migrants, attempting to cut off what is, in essence, a vital limb to the American nation. The Trump administration thus cannot continue to ignore the crucial role of migrants within American operations, especially in agriculture, as it executes its immigration policy. Rather than seeking to target migrant farmworkers, President Trump must leverage this reliable workforce; otherwise, he risks depriving America of one of its most effective advantages in agriculture. By expanding and making more accessible legal avenues for migrant laborers, the U.S. can continue to benefit from migrants’ work while also rewarding them for their contributions and place within the American nation. If the Trump administration does not heed these warnings, it will soon irrevocably sink its teeth into the hand that has fed it from its beginning and soon learn that an attack on migrants is an attack on all Americans.
Fabiola Peñafiel is a second-year student at Brown University studying International & Public Affairs with a focus on migration.