“Sheer Panic” on the Farm: ICE Raids Trigger Labor Crisis Across U.S. Agriculture

A wave of immigration raids under the Trump administration has sparked fear among undocumented workers, crippling daily operations on farms, in factories, and across food supply chains. In Texas, Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller warns that dairy producers are in “sheer panic” as laborers—many undocumented—stay home, afraid of being detained. Despite some hopes that farms would be spared, federal authorities say enforcement will not exclude any sector.

With over 40% of U.S. farmworkers reportedly undocumented, experts warn of rising prices, food shortages, and economic losses, especially in states like California where deportations could slash billions from the economy. Farmers are caught between the law and the land—and sounding the alarm.