Removal of Immigrant and Migrant Farm Workers will Paralyze American Farmers
- Social Safety Net Team
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
Immigrant and migrant farmworkers have been an essential part of our nation’s food supply chain and have allowed the U.S. to export more food than any other country in the world. Farming contributed $136 billion to the economy in 2020. It relies on about 2.9 million farm workers. Farm workers pay federal, state, and local taxes as well as Social Security even though they do not qualify for Social Security benefits. Their purchases from local stores improve local economies. There is no evidence that immigrant and migrant farm workers lessen the opportunities of American workers. Instead, their contributions to the economy increase job opportunities for all Americans.
To keep growing our economy, the U.S. will need more immigrant and migrant workers in the future, not less. Yet farm owners are worried that current workers are getting older. Over the last few years they have seen a huge decrease in numbers of immigrant and migrant workers who want to work on farms, leaving them short-handed.
The Trump Administration is continuing to pursue its plan to eliminate undocumented immigrants without considering the damage to farmers and their ability to supply our food needs. Trump is willing to risk our food security just to create the false impression that he is pushing out a multitude of illegal immigrants. This is in spite of knowing that insufficient workers could devastate farm income and the ability of farmers to supply food to Americans. It could contribute to a slowing economy and rising inflation as food prices skyrocket. Many farms, especially small ones, may not survive.
We all want a reliable food supply and an economy that keeps on growing. If we protect the farmers and their workers who contribute so much, we are much more likely to have a future that provides us with health and stability.
Help all of us make that future possible by contacting your senators and representatives. Tell them to oppose mass deportation to avoid the economic fallout, inflation and food shortages related to worker shortages. Demand reform to our rules for immigration and consideration of a plan to put undocumented farm workers and their families on a path to permanent legal status or even a path towards becoming citizens if they qualify.
References:
a. National Immigration Forum Statement for the Record U.S. Committee on the Judiciary Hearing on “Immigrant Farmworkers Are Essential to Feeding America” By Arturo Castellanos-Canales July 21, 2021
b. Immigration and the Food System By Hannah Tremblay and Jessica Kurn Farm Aid January 9, 2025
c. Agriculture Labor and Immigration Reform American Dairy Farms and NMFP
d. Legal status and Migration Practices of Hired Crop Farmworkers By Farm Labor/Economic Research Services
e. The Importance of Immigrant labor to the US Economy By Kevin Appleby Center for Migration Studies September 2, 2024
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