Trump’s Immigration Raids Threaten US Food Supply, Say Farmers

Lisa Tate, a farmer from Ventura County, California, whose family has cultivated land there since 1876, says she has never seen a threat to agriculture like the one posed by Donald Trump’s aggressive anti-immigration policies.

Tate fears that the recent crackdown on undocumented workers could do far more harm than good, potentially crippling the local economy and jeopardising the nation’s food security.

“I began to get really concerned when we saw a group of border control agents come up to the Central Valley and just start going onto farms… trying to chase people down, evading the property owner,” said Tate, aged 46, who farms avocados, citrus, and coffee.

“That’s not something we’re used to happening in agriculture,” she added.

A Threat to the Entire Agricultural Chain

Tate stressed that the impact is not limited to harvesters:

“There’s a whole food chain involved – from field workers to truck drivers, people working in packing houses, and in sales.”

The fear is palpable across the region.

“It’s just, everybody’s scared,” she said. “Even someone like me – a multi-generational American. I’m nervous and I’m scared, because we’re feeling like we’re being attacked.”

Several other farmers refused to speak publicly out of fear of retaliation by the Trump administration.

Persistent Labour Shortages

The farming industry has long struggled with labour shortages, and many are calling for permanent solutions rather than temporary fixes like seasonal work permits.

Tate explained:

“Some of the work we have is seasonal. But really, around here, we need workers that are year-round.”

According to US Department of Labor statistics, the number of government-certified positions for temporary agricultural workers nearly tripled between 2014 and 2024, reflecting the deep reliance on foreign labour in US agriculture.

A 2022 study by the Department of Agriculture revealed that approximately 42% of farm workers in the US lack legal authorisation to work.

Statistics: Agricultural Labour in the US

Tate warns that deporting those currently working the fields would be devastating:

“Farms and ranches could take years to recover. Food prices will skyrocket. We may even have to import food that was once grown right here.”

She called for a comprehensive legislative solution:

“What we really need is some legislation that creates the kind of programme that works for the workers, ensures their safety, provides a fair playing field for international trade, and meets domestic needs.”

“Everyone Loses”

Some farmworkers, speaking to AFP under condition of anonymity due to fear of arrest, echoed Tate’s concerns.

One worker, Silvia, said:

“All we do is work.”
She described how several of her friends were arrested during a raid in Oxnard, just 10 miles west of Ventura.

Aged 32 and originally from Mexico, Silvia lives in constant fear of being separated from her two US-born daughters.

“We’re between a rock and a hard place. If we don’t work, how do we pay our bills? If we go out, we risk being picked up by ICE agents.”

Another worker, Miguel, aged 54, who has spent three decades working in southern California’s fields, said bluntly:

“The way the government is working right now, everybody loses.”

He emphasised that:

• Workers are losing jobs
• Farm owners are losing labour
• The country is losing its food

Miguel, who also worked throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, described the labour as “very hard jobs” and said he now feels like a target.

“They should do some research so they understand. The food they eat comes from the fields, right?”

“It would be good if they were more aware and gave us the opportunity to contribute positively – not send us into hiding.”

The Bigger Picture

The ongoing raids and their ripple effects have fuelled a growing alarm among farmers, labourers, and food policy analysts. The sentiment is clear: without a stable and protected agricultural workforce, the very system that feeds America could be thrown into crisis.