ELTOPIA, Wash. — Eastern Washington farmers are increasingly anxious about the potential consequences of President Donald Trump’s immigration policies on their livelihoods, particularly in the state’s multi-billion-dollar agriculture industry.
As the promise of mass deportations looms, they worry that their operations may collapse under the strain.
In a recent visit, KING 5’s Facing Race team documented the challenges faced by local farmers in their series ‘Harvest Under Pressure.’
At Alan Schreiber’s farm, located 15 miles north of Pasco, it is currently peak asparagus season.
Schreiber, who runs a diversified farm producing 350 different types of crops, notes that the intense hands-on work required for harvesting crops creates a reliance on a workforce that largely consists of immigrant labor.
Each asparagus spear is hand-picked and hand-packed, making the work particularly strenuous, often requiring long hours in challenging weather conditions.
As Schreiber explains, these tough conditions dissuade many U.S. citizens from filling these positions.
“The work is hard,” he said. “It’s too cold, too hot, too windy, too dusty, too dirty. There’s simply better jobs for people who are U.S. citizens.”
In recent times, however, Schreiber has noticed a decline in available farm workers.
“It always used to be no problem—we would be turning away farm workers, but that’s less and less the case now,” he said, highlighting the growing apprehension among laborers in light of immigration reforms.
According to the American Immigration Council, immigrants comprise a staggering 77% of miscellaneous agricultural workers in Washington, with approximately 21.6% being undocumented.
Schreiber, while noting that all his current workers are documented, is aware that many farm workers across Washington and the United States do not share the same status.
“For employment, I ask for a driver’s license and a social security card,” he explained.
“Yet, we know that in this population, a lot of farm workers in the state of Washington and across the country are not documented. We can’t lose these workers. If we had perfect enforcement of federal immigration rules, we’d starve in this country.”
Dr. Jacob Vigdor, a professor of public policy and governance at the University of Washington, echoed these concerns, stating that the agricultural sector in the western United States has long depended on immigrant labor since the 1940s.
“If we can no longer bring workers here to harvest food in the United States, we’re looking at a future where we’re just going to be importing even more of our food,” he warned.
“This will mean higher prices and potentially a shortage of certain items in grocery stores.”
Legal employment channels, such as the seasonal H-2A visas, have been available to farmers, but Vigdor pointed out the complexities and expenses surrounding their application and maintenance often make them unpopular among employers, particularly for small and medium-sized farms.
The agriculture industry is a significant pillar of Washington’s economy, accounting for roughly 12% of it.
It generates $10.6 billion annually in revenue and supports around 164,000 jobs, according to the Washington Farm Bureau.
Without agriculture, the state risks losing its standing as the third largest food exporter in the country.
Amidst these challenges, farm workers like Nancy, who was born in the U.S., express their dedication to their roles.
“I take pride in being a small slice of the big industry,” she said of her work on Schreiber Farms.
She acknowledged that the news regarding ICE arrests has unsettled her, despite her legal status.
“I’m not stealing or doing anything to hurt people,” she remarked. “But I still get scared and just decide to stay home.”
Yet, the reality of daily life compels many to work in spite of their fears.
“We’re just working to get money to support our families that we have, so they can have food on the table,” she explained.
Enocencio, another farm worker, also shares similar sentiments.
He sends his earnings home to his family in Vera Cruz, Mexico.
“For them, there is a better opportunity to live over there in my hometown, and I work here,” he conveyed through an interpreter.
“The little that I earn here, I send to them. And I also have my expenses.”
When asked about his worries, Enocencio dismissed them, stating simply, “I come and do my job. I’m not hurting anyone, I’m with family.”
Alan Schreiber, who has dedicated nearly three decades to farming in Eltopia, emphasizes the importance of caring for both his produce and his workers.
“I am closer to that family than I am my own biological family that’s still on the farm in Missouri,” he reflected.
He expressed a yearning for policymakers to better understand the realities faced by those in the agricultural sector.
“Whoever is pushing a ‘deport them all’ just doesn’t really understand what is going on out here in the fields, in the packing sheds and in the processing plants,” Schreiber lamented.
“They just don’t understand.”
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