American Network: Trump’s plan to deport undocumented immigrants threatens the agricultural sector

US farms face major challenges under Trump administration plan to deport undocumented immigrants; Which threatens work in the agricultural sector in particular… according to a report by the American CBS News network.

The American farmer Nate Chittenden confirmed, in his interview with the American network, that working in agriculture is one of the most difficult jobs… saying “This is a 24-hour job so I need people who are willing to work shifts at different times of the day.”

Chittenden added that it is difficult to find such workers; This reflects the difficulty that farmers face in securing the required labor.

According to the US Department of Agriculture, the number of farms in the United States decreased by 7% between 2017 and 2022, equivalent to about 142 thousand farms in less than five years. Only. 

Farmers also face major challenges such as climate change, bird flu outbreaks, and high costs of feed and fertilizers, which further complicates the situation for them, but the greatest threat they face is This sector is the plan developed by the Trump administration that aims to deport millions of undocumented immigrants; This will lead to the loss of a large portion of the agricultural labor force, which raises concern among farmers.

Reports indicate that more than two-thirds of agricultural workers in the United States are immigrants, while the US Department of Agriculture indicated that many of them have entered the country. Through temporary work visas known as “H-2A” But estimates indicate that about 42% of these workers do not have legal documents.

The American farmer from New Jersey, Kurt Alstead, explained that the current administration’s policies raise concern… saying: “Any change in the policies that Reducing the number of workers in the agricultural sector will make things very difficult, and we are in big trouble if we lose this workforce.” On the other hand, Antonio de Loera, communications director at the American Farm Workers Federation, said: There is an increase in the number of immigrants requesting assistance, noting that deportation threats raise fear and anxiety in the agricultural community.

However, De Loyera emphasized that agricultural workers, more than any other group, understand well that agricultural work will not be done without them, saying: “This sector relies heavily on these workers to ensure the continuity of production.”

And within the framework of analyzing the impacts potential Due to the labor shortage.. Diane Charlton, an economist at the American University of Montana, pointed out that the decrease in the number of agricultural workers may lead to a decline in local crops, especially with regard to fruits and vegetables.

Charlton stated that consumers may not notice major changes in the markets for food products. ; Due to the increase in imports from abroad, although this will not fully compensate for the decrease in domestic production.

The American network (CBS) News added that the impact of Trump’s plan to deport immigrants is still not entirely clear on the agricultural sector, and with The Trump administration has confirmed its commitment to deporting undocumented immigrants, focusing on those it considers “criminals.”

While these policies may face major legal challenges, they raise a state of fear and anxiety in the American farming community, which They fear that it will lead to a severe shortage of the workforce, on which the agricultural sector mainly depends.

Trump had promised that he would begin implementing the “largest deportation operation” For illegal immigrants on the first day after he officially assumes his presidential duties, which will be the most prominent measures that the new administration will work on, according to a report by Politico magazine. she; Intensifying mass deportations, which may affect about 11 million undocumented immigrants, according to estimates by the US Department of Homeland Security.  The process will begin with people who have been criminally convicted or have final orders for deportation and have not left. The U.S. Immigration Council estimates that there are 1.19 million illegal immigrants, meaning their cases have made their way through immigration court and judges have decided they should leave. The American magazine added earlier that among the measures was stopping the work of the “CBP One” electronic application, which was launched during Joe Biden’s term; With the aim of enabling migrants to schedule appointments to submit asylum applications, in addition to retracting the “Mayorkas Memorandum”, which was issued by then-DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas early in Biden’s term, through which he prioritized migrants who should be deported, especially people who threaten national security and public safety; Finally, ending the parole program for people who came from Haiti, Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela, which was also launched during the Biden term, which is a special process for the humanitarian release without a visa for the people of these countries.

• For more: Follow Khaleejion 24 Arabic, Khaleejion 24 English, Khaleejion 24 Live, and for social media follow us on Facebook and