Amid rising grocery bills, Americans are hoping for relief, especially following President-elect Donald Trump’s promises to cut living costs. However, one of Trump’s key pledges—mass deportation of undocumented immigrants—could lead to a drastic increase in grocery prices, experts warn.
During his campaign, Trump pledged to tackle high costs in stores, tapping into widespread frustrations over affordability. Yet, his plan to deport millions of undocumented workers directly threatens the workforce that supports America’s agriculture and food production sectors. Industry experts, economists, and farm executives caution that deporting these workers could severely disrupt the food supply chain, leading to inflated prices across supermarkets.
Agriculture leaders explain the potential impact: “If these workers are removed, food production would drop, and prices would rise substantially,” said Chuck Conner, President of the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives. With nearly 300,000 undocumented workers in the agriculture industry alone, Trump’s immigration policy could pose a challenge for the food economy, where worker shortages have direct implications on availability and price stability.
Experts also note the broader impacts of Trump’s economic policies. In addition to labor challenges, proposed tariffs on imported foods could drive up prices for goods such as tropical fruits, seafood, and coffee, which the U.S. imports heavily. Mark Zandi, Chief Economist at Moody’s Analytics, warned that a combination of workforce shortages and new tariffs could lead to considerable cost increases for essential items, especially fresh produce, meat, and dairy.
In regions like Idaho, where up to 90% of dairy jobs are filled by foreign-born workers, the absence of a permanent visa program for farm laborers means the agriculture industry heavily relies on undocumented labor. Without these workers, consumers may experience a surge in costs for milk, cheese, and other dairy products, indicating a significant financial impact on American families if Trump’s policies are enacted as planned.
Source: Swifteradio.com
