U.S. Food Industry and Undocumented Immigrants – U.S. Correspondence by Jay Lee (152)

16% of Supply Chain Relies on Undocumented Labor in Processing Plants

Trump’s Deportations Lead to Labor Shortages in Farms and Restaurants… Opposition to Crackdowns

Restaurant Associations Warn of Price Hikes, Prompting Temporary Suspension

△ Jay Lee, CEO of J&B Food Consulting

In recent weeks, protests against former President Trump’s crackdown on undocumented immigrants have erupted across the United States, with tensions escalating into riots and a hardline standoff between opposing sides.

The fresh produce filling supermarket shelves, the processed foods in every aisle, the hamburgers and salads served effortlessly at fast food outlets—none of these are made solely by machines or corporate systems. At the foundation of America’s food industry are millions of immigrant workers, many of whom labor over 10 hours a day in the fields, on processing lines, and in restaurant kitchens—and a significant portion of them are undocumented.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Migration Policy Institute, about 73% of U.S. agricultural workers are immigrants, and over half of them are estimated to be undocumented. These workers are not only in farms but also in food processing plants, transportation, restaurants, and hotel food and beverage departments. In other words, without immigrants—especially undocumented ones—America’s dining tables could not be maintained in their current form. Estimates suggest that around 16% of the entire U.S. food supply chain relies on undocumented labor, a figure that is far from an exaggeration.

Yet this “invisible labor force” receives neither legal protection nor social recognition, remaining in a precarious position. The meals produced by their hands are entirely legal, but those same hands can be deported at any moment.

In 2025, President Trump returned to the political stage pledging an intensified crackdown on undocumented immigrants. Large-scale urban raids have already begun, with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers deployed to detain thousands daily. While the stated goals are “law enforcement” and “restoring border order,” the ripple effects are deeper and more complex than anticipated.

Labor shortages are already becoming a reality. Farm and processing plant workers are avoiding reporting to work, and some restaurant kitchens have been forced to close due to hiring difficulties. The food industry has reacted urgently. The American Farm Bureau Federation and the National Restaurant Association warned that continued immigrant crackdowns would inevitably lead to food supply chain disruptions and nationwide price increases.

The Trump administration eventually announced a temporary suspension of enforcement in the agriculture, hotel, and restaurant sectors. However, this is more of a “political compromise” than a legal easing. The fear of raids remains, and within undocumented communities, work boycotts and restrictions on travel between regions persist. In short, the food industry continues to rest precariously on an unstable labor force with no institutional guarantees.

Food companies are well aware that without immigrant labor, the U.S. food industry cannot sustain itself. This structure directly affects the diets of America’s poor and low-income populations. When crackdowns reduce the labor force, production costs rise, and these increases are ultimately passed on to consumers.

It remains to be seen how far the Trump administration’s crackdown on undocumented immigrants will go.

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