Can the US face food crisis due to Trump’s immigrant crackdown? Labour Dept issues subtle warning

US President Donald Trump's Labour Department issued a subtle warning that the crackdown on immigration norms in the United States poses a potential risk of ‘supply shock-induced food shortages’ in the US economy.

The US Labour Department also highlighted that the ‘current and imminent labour shortage’ has stopped the inflow of illegal immigrants in the United States, but this also poses the risk of a food shortage in the economy due to the immediate implementation.

“The current and imminent labour shortage exacerbated by the near total cessation of the inflow of illegal aliens, increased enforcement of existing immigration law, and global competitiveness pressures described below, presents a sufficient risk of supply shock-induced food shortages to justify immediate implementation,” said the US Department of Labour, according to a report by a local news portal, American Prospect.

Threat to US food production?

The Labour Department's announcement on 2 October 2025, focused on how the severe labour shortages in the US economy, if left unattended, will result in the disruption of food production in the nation.

“Without prompt action, agricultural employers will face severe labour shortages, resulting in disruption to food production, higher prices, and reduced access for U.S. consumers, particularly to fresh fruit and vegetables,” according to the official announcement.

Under the new rule of the US H-2A visa programme, a new regulation mandates that the minimum wage will be lowered for workers under the policy in the United States.

The US Labour Department also stated that studies show that even a 10% drop in the agricultural workforce can result in a 4.2% decline in fruit and vegetable production and a 5.5% decrease in farm revenue in the nation's economy, as reported by the news portal Forbes.

Disruption in production cost?

According to the Forbes report, the lack of undocumented and documented workers in the United States “results in significant disruptions to production costs, and threatening the stability of domestic food production and prices for U.S consumers.”

The Labour Department, in its 2 October announcement, also mentioned that despite the opportunities arising in the nation due to the crackdown on illegal immigration, the eligible US-based workers “will not make themselves available in sufficient numbers” even at the current wage level.

This comes amid Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins' vow to make the US agricultural workforce ‘100% American’ as a result of the immigration crackdown. However, it looks like the labour department has a varied outlook.

“In addition, the Department does not believe American workers currently unemployed or marginally employed will make themselves readily available in sufficient numbers to replace large numbers of aliens no longer entering the country, voluntarily leaving, or choosing to exit the labour force due to the self-perceived potential for their removal based on their illegal entry and status,” the Department said in the 2 October 2025 announcement.

However, the US Labour Department did not respond to the queries sent by Forbes on the development.

How many immigrants are farmers in US?

The news portal also cited data collected from the Census Bureau, which shed light on how nearly 19% of the US labour force comprises foreign-born workers, and 38% of these workers are employed in farming, fishing, and forestry opportunities in the United States.

This risk of a potential labour and food production shortage in the US economy comes as the Trump administration is pushing towards reducing the number of illegal immigrants residing in the US.

According to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) data, during the first 100 days of US President Donald Trump's second term in office, the department arrested “66,463 illegal aliens and removed 65,682 aliens, including criminals who threaten public safety and national security. Three in four arrests were criminal illegal aliens, putting the worst first.”

“During President Trump’s first 100 days, ICE alone has arrested over 65,000 illegal aliens — including 2,288 gang members from Tren de Aragua, MS-13, 18th Street and other gangs. Additionally, 1,329 were accused or convicted of sex offences, and 498 were accused or convicted of murder,” said ICE acting Director Todd M. Lyons in the official statement.