Farm workers in the US are reeling from the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigration, including increased raids and deportations, according to a new survey conducted by the United Farm Workers Foundation released on Thursday.
The survey features responses from 2,250 farm workers, many of whom are undocumented, about their experiences with immigration enforcement that has intensified under the second Trump administration.
The vast majority (92%) of farm workers said that raids and deportations have affected their employment, while 90% said they worry about family separation. Fears are widespread and have affected their everyday lives: 61% said they are shopping less and 29% say they are not seeking medical attention for fear of immigration enforcement. Another 17% said they fear having to do forced labor in immigration detention if arrested.
These fears are prevalent despite many respondents being longtime US residents, with 80% workers saying they have been in the US for more than 10 years, while 41% said they have been in the US for more than 20 years.
“When I leave to work, I’m afraid to not come home and to never see my daughters again,” said Yasmine, a farm worker, during a press conference about the survey on Thursday. A mother of two daughters who are US citizens, she said: “We only go out when its absolutely necessary, but if we do go out, its for necessities like groceries.”
Yasmine, who did not provide her last name, said she has been in the US for more than 20 years and is a Daca recipient, though she is experiencing delays getting her work permits renewed. Her husband is an undocumented immigrant.
“I’ve even had to have conversations with our daughters about what could possibly happen. They’re small and don’t really understand what’s happening, but I try to talk to them and make sure we have a plan,” she said. “The other day was our daughter’s 11th birthday and we couldn’t celebrate it out of fear of going out. Family separation worries me a lot. I don’t know what’s going to happen. I live with stress, uncertainty and fear.”
There are more than 2.6 million farm workers in the US. Most (73%) are Hispanic, 66% are noncitizen immigrants and 47% report lacking work authorization, according to data from the 2022 National Agricultural Workers Survey.
Many hope that the US government can eventually shape up its immigration system, with 76% wanting protections from deportation and detention and 53% expressing hope for a pathway to legal status and US citizenship. Many workers are also unable to visit family in their home countries because of their immigration status, with 87% saying they would be able to visit their families if Congress passed immigration reform that gave them legal status.
Yasmine emphasized having a pathway to citizenship would be life-changing for her family.
“Having a pathway to citizenship would mean a lot for me. It would change a lot for me and my family, and it would make sure that my husband and I could give a better life for our daughters,” she said. “I would finally have stability, something right now I don’t have.”
The UFW Foundation noted that gathering data from undocumented farm workers is difficult, but it drew from its farm worker database to conduct the survey.
“This is the first in-depth study to survey the concerns and fears of undocumented farm workers as well as their hopes and aspirations,” said Erica Lomeli Corcoran, CEO of the UFW Foundation, in a statement. “We hope this survey will shine a light so those in power can understand the realities faced by those who are the most powerless. Then perhaps undocumented farm workers who produce the greatest abundance of food the world has ever seen will be seen and treated like the important human beings they are.”
In a statement, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security said: “Worksite enforcement remains a cornerstone of our efforts to protect public safety, national security, and economic stability while rescuing individuals who may be victims of labor trafficking or exploitation.”
