The American Immigration Council does not endorse or oppose candidates for elected office. We aim to provide an analysis of the election’s impact on the U.S. immigration system.
As Thanksgiving approaches and many families celebrate with food and gratitude, it’s worth taking a moment to think about the people who helped make Thanksgiving celebrations possible. Many of the fruits, vegetables, and other staple foods that are essential to Thanksgiving celebrations are harvested by immigrant farm workers.
In fruit and vegetable production, 49.6% of the workforce is made up of immigrants and 24.3% of the workforce is made up of illegal immigrants. These workers play a critical role in our nation’s food supply, but as the incoming Trump administration rolls out plans for mass deportations of undocumented and documented immigrants, including asylum seekers and immigrants with Temporary Protected Status, , their future in the United States remains uncertain.
The United States is already facing labor shortages in agriculture, making it even more dependent on imported food. Labor costs rose from 2010 to 2019 due to a decrease in the number of illegal immigrants entering the country in recent years. On the other hand, the value of U.S. agricultural imports increased by an average of 3.7% annually from fiscal 2004 to fiscal 2023 after adjusting for inflation. In September 2024, the Department of Agriculture predicted that agricultural imports would reach $204 billion in fiscal year 2024 and a record high of $212 billion in fiscal year 2025, accounting for 6% of total imports into the country. Removing large numbers of undocumented immigrant workers would make the problem even worse, putting U.S. food security at greater risk.
The migrant workforce in agriculture is already under strain due to demographic changes and the demanding nature of the work.
The average age of migrant crop workers has increased by four years since 2006, and is now 41.6 years old. This trend reflects the significant challenge of fewer young immigrants entering agricultural jobs. The people who plant and harvest our food are gradually aging, a trend that will only exacerbate labor shortages.
Moreover, these are not jobs that favor older people. These essential crop workers perform long physical hours in extreme heat with limited access to health care. Rising temperatures are making matters worse for workers, especially in southern states. More than one in seven, or 13.7%, of people with H-2A visas for seasonal agricultural workers work when the average local temperature is 90°F (32°C), according to a council analysis of Department of Labor data. It turned out that he had been working for more than a month. In Arizona, Georgia, New Mexico, and Texas, more than one in four H-2A certified workers are exposed to these extreme conditions.
Despite this situation, immigrant farmworkers continue to work in the fields as the backbone of food production in the United States. Without their labor, many farms would struggle to produce enough food.
In the current political climate, the threat of mass deportation looms. Undocumented workers make up a significant portion of the agricultural workforce, and their removal could have devastating consequences. Beyond their direct impact on farms, these practices can disrupt supply chains, increase food prices, and burden communities that depend on agriculture.
Programs like the H-2A visa program provide temporary relief from labor shortages, but they are not sufficient to address the root causes of the agricultural workforce crisis. Major reforms are essential to ensuring a stable and sustainable workforce on American farms.
This Thanksgiving, as many of us sit down with loved ones, let’s be thankful not just for the food we shared, but also for the hands that made it possible. Immigrant farmworkers are an integral part of our nation’s agricultural success. Their labor sustains us, and their contributions deserve our recognition and support.
Field: Farmworker, H-2A
