Surge in ICE farmworker arrests worries WA farmers as harvest nears | Opinion

Washington state farmers fear the surge in federal immigration enforcement arrests could spell disaster for the upcoming growing season, as many of the state’s family farms already teeter on the brink of survival thanks to skyrocketing cost pressures.

Farmers in some areas report a troubling uptick in detentions of farmworkers in recent weeks, including people with proper documentation and no criminal records. From the beginning of this crackdown, farmers here in Washington state have been clear: this approach doesn’t solve the deep dysfunction in America’s broken immigration system.

While the Trump administration initially indicated the immigration crackdown would target undocumented people committing crimes, its track record shows a different story. Many with no criminal past, and even some with the correct immigration documents, have been swept up in the federal government’s campaign.

Not only does the ongoing enforcement activity fail to provide meaningful reform, it threatens the future of our farms and our entire food system. Farm families, regardless of immigration status, are plunged into a dangerous atmosphere of fear and uncertainty. The government’s approach is silencing voices and stripping away the dignity of those who contribute daily to our nation’s food supply.

Last year, the crackdown led to significant harm to Washington state’s cherry harvest, as workers both with and without legal documents at times stayed away from jobs, fearing workplace immigration raids and arrests. As immigration arrests surge here in 2026, the risk is even greater. Farming in Washington state is currently experiencing unprecedented losses, with skyrocketing labor costs and an acute labor shortage leading the list of factors pushing many farmers deeper into the red.

Continuing to increase enforcement activity against farmworkers in Washington state could spell disaster for the upcoming harvest seasons. Already prior to the crackdown, federal data showed Washington state losing an average of two farms every day. If the administration continues to increase pressure on farmworkers, farms will shut down and the consequences will ripple across our food supply.

Let us repeat what we at Save Family Farming said over a year ago: Justice demands a fair and orderly immigration process — one that does not rely on fear or intimidation to control the lives of those who simply seek to work and provide for their families. It is time for leaders on all sides to recognize that farmworkers are not political pawns. They and their families are essential members of our communities. We call on federal leaders to immediately pursue real solutions to fix America’s broken immigration system.

The federal government has a responsibility to protect Americans from criminal aliens without jeopardizing the future of our nation’s farms, our food system, and the people who sustain it. This too is a paramount issue of national security.

Ben Tindall is executive director of Save Family Farming based in Everson.