With the clock ticking down to his inauguration, President-elect Donald Trump’s promise of mass deportations is sending ripples of fear and uncertainty throughout immigrant communities and the agricultural sectors of the United States. Immigrants, who make up around two-thirds of the nation’s crop farmworkers, are anxiously awaiting the new administration’s policies come January 20, 2025.
Agricultural employers, heavily reliant on farm labor, warn of dire consequences if Trump follows through with his mass deportation plans. Bruce Lampman, owner of Lampman Dairy Farm in Idaho, directly addressed the stakes involved, stating, “My business and every agriculture business in the U.S. will be crippled if they want to get rid of everybody who does the work.” Lampman, whose dairy farm has supplied the market with thousands of pounds of milk daily, added, “We have five to six employees who do the work nobody else will do. We wouldn’t survive without them.”
The sense of labor scarcity is not anecdotal. Economists have noted for years the challenges faced by farmers trying to find enough legal U.S.-born labor willing to work the low-wage, arduous agricultural jobs. According to Colorado State University professor Anita Alves Pena, “Farmers across the country… are often talking about labor shortages — and that's even with the current status quo of having a fairly high percentage of unauthorized individuals in the workforce.”
The looming deportation policy raises alarm not only among laborers but within entire farming communities reliant on immigrant labor. The National Milk Producers Federation has echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the integral role foreign workers play within the U.S. dairy industry. Jaime Castaneda, the group’s executive vice president, remarked, “Foreign workers are important to the success of U.S. dairy.”
Compounding the situation is the fact many undocumented immigrants are long-term residents who have built lives and contributed significantly to their communities. The fear of deportation is palpable. Immigration advocates stress the importance of having pathways to citizenship for those already contributing to society. Antonio De Loera-Brust, of the United Farm Workers, expressed, “They deserve… labor rights, they deserve citizenship.”
The threat of deportation extends beyond economics; it fractures families and communities. For many undocumented families, the risk of separation is ever-present, prompting individuals to prepare for the worst. Des Moines attorney Ben Bergmann advises those affected to have their documentation updated, noting, “Having updated documents is important.” Bergmann’s insights reflect the apprehension gripping families, many of whom may now feel compelled to consult legal assistance as the deadline approaches.
Many families are confronted with the heavy task of planning for contingencies, hoping to shield their loved ones from being swept up in deportation efforts. Bergmann noted the importance of making preparations: “If something happens to me, what are my wishes for my children.” Efforts to create plans to safeguard children and property are already underway at organizations such as Hope CommUnity Center, where families are developing what’s known as the ‘dignity plan’ – measures intended to empower individuals to regain control over their lives.
The emotional toll on individuals touched by these policies is substantial. Felipe Sousa-Lazaballet from the Hope CommUnity Center described the atmosphere as Christmas approaches, with many families grappling with the thought, “Is this the last dinner we’re ever going to have together?” The narrative between hope and despair remains sharply divided among immigrant families.
Meanwhile, ICE is ramping up plans for swift deportations. Kenneth Genalo, leading the operations for the agency, provided insight on current enforcement tactics, “It’s called targeted enforcement. We don’t grab people and then take them to JFK and put them on a plane.” This implies attempts to focus on specific individuals rather than carry out large-scale operations, but anxieties remain about potential collateral consequences.
The clampdown on immigration policies also coincides with rising tensions over Trump’s broader immigration agenda, including his plans to end birthright citizenship—a constitutional right under the 14th Amendment. He plans to introduce executive orders curtailing these constitutional protections, questioning the very fabric of immigrant rights.
Throughout all these discussions, the repercussions of mass deportations on the agricultural economy cannot be understated. Georgia, for example, relies heavily on seasonal labor, depending on the H-2A visa program to fill about 60% of agricultural jobs. The result would potentially be agricultural decline, increased prices, and food supply chain disruptions if immigrants are expelled rapidly without any immediate viable alternatives to sustain the labor demands.
Millions of Americans depend on immigrant labor for their daily needs, and those within the agricultural sector are particularly vulnerable to sudden changes. Experts are cautioning about the inevitable impacts mass deportations could generate—heightening food prices, labor shortages, and breaking apart communities.
While many wait to see how policies will shape under Trump’s leadership, one thing remains clear: the repercussions will reverberate through families, economies, and industries, marking what could be one of the most contentious periods for immigrant rights and agricultural labor. The questions remain, how will communities adjust, and what measures will they take to safeguard their futures?
