President Donald Trump’s administration has instructed U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to commence raids across major cities, targeting immigrants with criminal backgrounds. These raids will negatively affect the agricultural industry in the U.S. I.C.E. officials have been documented detaining farm workers across central and southern California beginning with Kern County, which is ranked among the top three agricultural counties in the nation. Kern County farmers have reported a loss of up to 75% of their workforce in the days following the raids.
California supplies 79% of citrus production for the U.S. followed by Florida with 17% and Texas and Arizona supplying the remaining 4%. California’s citrus production is expected to increase for the 2024-2025 season from the previous year’s $2.55 billion production value. Along with having the second-largest undocumented immigrant worker population of 1.6 million, Texas’ citrus industry heavily relies on immigrant labor. The fear of deportation instilled by ongoing I.C.E. raids will likely cause labor shortages in farms across the state. With late January being the peak of the citrus harvesting season, farm owners must maintain a consistent workforce.
Consumers are expected to be impacted by the reduced citrus production, as well. Oranges, lemons, tangerines and other citrus fruits may become more expensive due to a decrease in supply, making these necessities unaffordable. Losing a substantial portion of agricultural workers in three days is a recipe for “absolute economic devastation,” according to Richard S. Gearhart, an associate professor of economics at California State University, Bakersfield. Furthermore, if labor shortages compel farmers to harvest produce prematurely, the quality and variety of citrus sold in supermarkets may suffer.
Policymakers and agricultural stakeholders need to look into ways to address these issues, like comprehensive immigration reforms that give agricultural workers an accessible legal route. Increasing the number of guest worker programs could contribute to the citrus industry’s labor force stability. Deportations will continue to jeopardize the nation’s agricultural sector in the absence of such safeguards, resulting in financial hardship for growers, laborers and consumers. The survival and competitiveness of Texas’ crucial agriculture sector depend on protecting the workforce.
