Large-scale deportation of undocumented workers will exacerbate the chronic labor shortages facing the labor-intensive farm sector. The articles in this theme examine the consequences of the Trump administration’s deportation policies to the farm sector and the general economy, and the need for increasing the H-2A workers.

President Trump ramped up immigration enforcement efforts after taking office in January 2025. After six months, the major short-term effects of Trump 2.0 migration policies include disruptions from immigration enforcement actions, fear in immigrant communities, and more H-2A guest workers, but few effects on consumer prices.

The number of H-2A workers has been steadily growing and helps to partially alleviate farm-labor shortages. With the Trump administration deporting undocumented workers, this program will become more important to farmers in need of low-skilled workers. Streamlining the H-2A program could help farmers recruit these workers.

Curbing unauthorized immigration is a top priority of the second Trump administration. What tools does the government have to achieve this goal? This article analyzes trends in repatriations, the role of programs like Secure Communities, 287(g) agreements, E-Verify, and state-specific policies, and their impact on labor supply and the economy.

We simulate the effect of mass deportations and identify substantial declines in output of agriculture, construction, and hospitality sectors, with secondary effects on other industries and overall GDP. The findings underscore the economic risks of aggressive deportation policies and the importance of balancing immigration enforcement with labor market realities.