Workplace Immigration Raids Cause Fear and Confusion in Industries Dependent on Migrant Workers

A surge in immigration raids nationwide has left migrant workers and industries that rely on them, such as farming and hospitality, in a state of uncertainty. North Carolina, which heavily depends on migrant workers for essential tasks like harvesting sweet potatoes and Christmas trees, is particularly vulnerable to the consequences of these raids. The state's agriculture industry, which relies on immigrant labor for the harvest of foods and plants, fears disruptions to its workforce could send shockwaves through the economy.

Key Takeaways:

North Carolina's labor force is comprised of approximately 11% immigrants, with nearly 30% of the state's construction workers and one in four workers in the agriculture industry being foreign-born.
The industries with a significant immigrant workforce include administrative support and waste management, accommodation and food services, and manufacturing.
A disruption to the migrant workforce could have severe economic consequences for North Carolina, particularly for the agriculture industry.
President Trump's immigration policies have led to increased immigration enforcement, with ICE aiming to arrest 3,000 immigrants a day.
The H-2A visa program, which allows farmers to hire foreign workers for nine months a year, provides a reliable source of labor for farms like Whitaker Farms, but its future is uncertain.
Many farmers, like Shawn Harding, president of the North Carolina Farm Bureau, rely on seasonal labor and are in need of a dependable guest worker program that assures them an affordable, legal workforce.
Lynn Minges, president and CEO of the North Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association, expresses concerns about the hospitality industry being targeted in immigration raids.
Immigration in general is beneficial for economic growth, according to Tarek Hassan, a professor of economics at Boston University.

Statistics:

11% of North Carolina's labor force is comprised of immigrants (North Carolina Justice Center)
30% of state's construction workers are foreign-born (N.C. Commerce Department)
One in four workers in the agriculture industry is foreign-born (N.C. Commerce Department)
Immigrants make up a significant portion of workers in administrative support and waste management (N.C. Commerce Department)
Agriculture industry relies heavily on immigrant labor, particularly for the harvest of foods and plants (North Carolina Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler)

Sources:

(https://www.axios.com/2025/07/03/trump-immigration-ice-raids-restaurant-workers)
(https://apnews.com/article/trump-immigration-ice-raids-undocumented-workers-aa451dc90dda76004fdc5636b21bde97)
(https://www.axios.com/local/charlotte/2019/11/12/look-at-their-hands-a-charlotte-bakery-owner-delivers-bread-and-comfort-to-north-carolinas-migrant-christmas-tree-farmworkers-186391)
(https://www.axios.com/2025/06/12/trump-immigration-enforcement-farms-hotels)
(https://www.ncjustice.org/publications/immigrants-in-labor-force-help-n-c-s-economy-thrive/)
(https://www.commerce.nc.gov/news/the-lead-feed/impact-immigration-north-carolinas-workforce)
(https://www.axios.com/2025/05/28/immigration-ice-deportations-stephen-miller)
(https://www.axios.com/2025/06/16/ice-cash-crisis-immigration-crackdown-trump)
(https://www.whitakerfarm.com/)
(https://www.elpasoinc.com/news/puente_collaborative/uncertainty-ahead-for-migrant-agricultural-workers-as-farms-employ-them-more-than-ever-from-west/article_7bf80adb-ec3d-4325-8a9c-8375ab8912f1.html)
(https://www.axios.com/2025/06/17/pew-americans-deportations-oppose-raids)
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(https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2025-06-10/how-the-federal-immigration-raids-could-disrupt-californias-economy)