The Department of Labor has quietly acknowledged that the Donald Trump administration’s aggressive immigration policies could disrupt American agriculture, leading to food shortages and higher prices for consumers.
The Department of Labor identifies the risks of immigration policy to American agriculture
In a filing published on October 2 in the Federal Register warned the Labor Department that the near halt to the influx of undocumented workers, combined with stricter enforcement, “poses sufficient risk of supply-shock-induced food shortages to warrant immediate implementation” of a new H-2A visa rule.
The program allows temporary foreign workers for agriculture, and the department emphasized that American workers are unlikely to replace them.
A shortage of American farm workers could threaten the food supply
“Additionally, the Department does not believe that U.S. workers currently unemployed or marginally employed will make themselves readily available in sufficient numbers to replace large numbers of aliens who are no longer entering the country,” the filing said.
Foreign-born workers account for roughly 38% of jobs in agriculture, fishing and forestry, and the Department of Labor estimates that 42% of agricultural workers are now unable or unwilling to work as a result of the crackdown.
The agency noted that agricultural labor is physically demanding, involves long hours and exposes workers to extreme weather conditions, contributing to an ongoing shortage of willing American workers.
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Trump’s immigration and trade policies are driving inflation
Earlier this month, the Trump administration faced legal and economic backlash over its immigration and trade policies.
A proposed $100,000 fee for new H-1B visas sparked a lawsuit from unions, universities and employers, who said it undermined a program vital to the U.S. technology and research sectors.
In August, Sen Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) criticized Trump’s tariffs, noting that wholesale vegetable prices rose 40% in July, the largest single-month summer increase in nearly a century.
The same month, Moody’s became chief economist Mark Zandi warned that Trump’s immigration policies, including daily deportations, could push inflation from 2.5% to nearly 4% early next year.
He cited rising producer prices and a shrinking workforce abroad as costs in agriculture, construction, retail and elderly care.
The White House denied that deportations caused inflation and emphasized gains for native workers, but economists expressed concern that labor shortages could continue to raise costs and destabilize markets.
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Disclaimer: This content was produced in part using AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga’s editorial staff.
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