Farm groups in the United States are warning President-elect Donald Trump that his mass deportation plan could upend the food supply with nearly half of farm workers lacking legal status.
The U.S. farm sector is urging Trump to exempt agricultural workers from his mass deportation plan, because the industry is dependent on the labor of undocumented immigrants, Reuters reported.
Trump's mass deportation plan could slash the U.S. GDP by up to 6.8%.
Nearly half of the nation's 2 million farm workers are undocumented migrants, and many others in sectors like meatpacking and dairy also lack legal status according to the Department of Labor and Agriculture.
Farmers told Reuters that these individuals play a critical role in their industry, essentially filling jobs that many American workers are unwilling to do.
Rep. John Duarte, a Republican who represents the Central Valley in California, said that small towns would "collapse" if Trump's deportation plans were to go into effect, a stark cry from MAGA hardliners who claim immigration hurts American workers.
He suggested that Trump's administration should not target immigrant workers who've been in the country longer than five years and maintained a clean criminal record.
David Ortega, a professor of food economics and policy at Michigan State University, told Reuters the deportation plans could drive consumer grocery prices higher across the nation, hurting economic growth.
"They're filling critical roles that many U.S.-born workers are either unable or unwilling to perform," Ortega said.
Government programs to exempt immigrants costly, according to reports
While the H-2A visa program has given certification to 378,000 seasonal workers, the program has many barriers–mainly, many immigrants cannot afford the visa's wage and housing requirements said Reuters.
Amidst talks of deportation and how it can negatively affect the economy, Trump's "border czar" Tom Homan has not announced any exemptions.
Trump promise of mass deportation
The farm industry has a reason for concern about Trump fulfilling his deportation promises. In Trump's first term in 2017, his administration conducted raids at agricultural worksites, including poultry processing plants in Mississippi and produce facilities in Nebraska.
Last week, U.S. military leaders expressed concern over Trump possibly using the armed forces to assist with mass deportations.
