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Know This Now, November 14, 2025: Mass Deportations Fueling Worker Shortage and Driving Up Prices

By November 14, 2025November 17th, 2025No Comments

Deportation Overreach and Worker Fears are Worsening Severe Labor Shortages and Driving Up Food Prices

Food prices are rising, and not just for beef. According to the Consumer Price Index, overall grocery prices have risen during 2025—up 1.4% since January and 2.7% since last September. Many individual items saw increases, and five of six major grocery categories rose in price, including meat, beverages, cereals, and produce. Only dairy saw a slight decline.

While ground beef is up sharply (14.2%), dozens of other products have also increased, including coffee and bananas:

Experts say two of the administration’s policies are contributing to higher grocery costs: broad tariffs on imported goods and immigration crackdowns that are worsening farm labor shortages. 

About 70% of agriculture workers in the U.S. are immigrants, and even some workers with legal status are worried about getting caught up in raids and staying home.

NPR reports farmers are reaching a crisis point and are desperate for workers, and the Department of Labor warned in October the labor shortage is threatening the stability of food production and prices:

The administration’s immigration crackdown has worsened an already tight agriculture labor force, prompting pleas from farmers for President Trump to make it easier to hire foreign-born labor. Agriculture leaders and employers joined ABIC in Washington, D.C., last month for our fly-in, calling for urgent work permits for the nation’s many essential workers, to protect our food system and our farmers. 

“If we lose [immigrant workers], we lose the ability to feed ourselves. More than half of all agricultural labor, including in cattle and beef production, comes from immigrants. Yet our system treats their presence as a violation rather than a necessity,” said Matt Teagarden, CEO, Kansas Livestock Association and Chair of the ABIC Agriculture Council.

More from the ABIC Network:

United For Chicago: Business and Civic Leaders Say ICE Actions Harming Chicago’s Economy

A group of 30+ Chicago business and civic leaders, including ABIC’s CEO Rebecca Shi, joined together to voice their opposition to President Trump’s immigration-enforcement actions and tactics in the city, and raise awareness of the damage being done to the city’s economy:

“When you remove productive workers — restaurant and farm workers, hotel staff, landscapers, construction crews, child care and senior care providers — you reduce the labor force and push up prices of food, housing, and care for everyone. They’re not just part of our economy. They drive it.”

At the United for Chicago press conference last Friday, Shi spoke about the economic fallout of the ICE crackdown, along with other city leaders including Jack Lavin, CEO of the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce, Arne Duncan, former U.S. Secretary of Education and managing director of the violence prevention organization Chicago CRED, Lou Sandoval, former CEO of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce and many more. Watch coverage and read the letter here.

Also signing the letter was Craig Duchossois, chair emeritus of the Duchossois Group and a major Republican donor who contributed more than $18 million to GOP candidates and causes in the last election cycle, as well as Raul Raymundo, CEO of The Resurrection Project and a fellow ABIC board member.

ABIC CEO Rebecca Shi Named to MarketWatch 25

ABIC and Shi were recognized by MarketWatch on its annual list of ‘The 25 People Impacting Your Wallet — reshaping how we live, work, spend, save, and invest.’ The list includes Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and Costco CEO Ron Vachris, among others. This honor reflects the outstanding leadership of ABIC’s Board and the dedication of our entire team, who continue to make a difference at a critical time for our nation.

“Talented hardworking immigrants contribute to the economy and lower prices for everyone,” said Shi, thanking MarketWatch for the recognition of ABIC’s work.

Nebraska Business Leaders and ABIC Hold Immigration Round Table with Congressman Don Bacon (R–NE-02)

Business leaders from Nebraska met with ABIC and Rep. Bacon to discuss workforce challenges and the need to protect the current workforce. They discussed a range of potential bi-partisan solutions, like the Dignity Act.

Participants included Nebraska Hospitality Association, Nebraska State Dairy Association, Nebraska Pork Producers, Nebraska Tourism Commission, Fernando’s, Arbor Day Farm, Metropolitan Community College and Center for Immigrant and Refugee Advancement.

News Briefing:

Catholic Bishops Condemn ‘Indiscriminate Mass Deportation’ in Rare Statement
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops voted 216–5 to condemn the Trump administration’s mass deportations and immigration crackdown as an attack on “God-given human dignity.” Their statement, which is the second “Special Message” in 12 years, calls for an end to indiscriminate deportations, dehumanizing rhetoric, and harsh detention conditions. It also urges comprehensive immigration reform and highlights the fear and suffering facing undocumented families.

Watch the message released by USCCB:


Inc.: Employers Say Trump Immigration Policies Are Squeezing the Labor Force

U.S. employers say Trump’s aggressive immigration policies, including mass deportations and steep new limits on legal immigration, are worsening labor shortages across both high-skilled and low-skilled sectors.

A new survey shows nearly a third of foreign STEM workers in the U.S. are considering leaving, driven in part by the administration’s order raising H-1B visa fees to $100,000.
32% of U.S.-based STEM professionals said they were actively looking for positions outside the U.S

Companies warn this could push top talent to Europe or the Middle East, where competition for skilled workers is growing.

At the same time, mass deportations are already disrupting industries like agriculture, construction, hospitality, and health care. A National Foundation for American Policy study projects these policies will shrink the workforce by millions and reduce U.S. GDP by up to $12 trillion by 2035.


WSJ Editorial Board: Trump vs. Vance on Legal Immigration


A split is emerging on the right over legal immigration: President Trump says the U.S. needs skilled immigrants to power industries like tech and manufacturing, even criticizing raids that removed foreign specialists. JD Vance, however, wants to sharply reduce legal immigration, claiming it depresses wages and undermines social cohesion.

The WSJ Editorial Board wrote research shows immigrants boost wages, fill critical labor shortages, and drive innovation, while restricting them will shrink the workforce and hurt growth:

“Studies have generally found that immigration raises average wages and employment of native-born workers, in part because their work is complementary.”

America has long succeeded at assimilating newcomers, the editorial says, and it concludes that Trump is right that America needs global talent and should persuade Vance of this.

Wapo: Some Korean Workers Detained in Georgia Immigration Raid Have Returned to Their Jobs At Hyundai Site

Some of the more than 300 South Korean engineers detained in a September immigration raid at Hyundai’s Georgia EV site have now returned to resume work, the battery plant operator said. The raid halted construction and sparked outrage in South Korea after workers with expired visas or visa waivers were detained and deported.

HL-GA Battery says construction is back on track with a mix of returning and new workers, though the number of returnees isn’t clear. While some workers are hesitant to come back after the experience, recent U.S.–South Korea talks have eased visa rules for short-term technical specialists.

NPR: Is the Job Market Getting Worse? Without Official Jobs Data Here is What We Know
The government shutdown has halted official jobs data for a second month, leaving policymakers without the usual Bureau of Labor Statistics reports.

Private indicators paint a mixed picture: ADP shows modest job gains in October, while firms like Challenger report a sharp rise in layoff announcements. Worker confidence is falling, though the jobless rate, last reported in August at 4.3%, is still historically low.

“Economists generally agree that the labor force is growing more slowly than in the recent past, partly because of the aging population but primarily because of President Trump’s strict immigration policies,” reported the New York Times.

The Shut Down is Over But Most Government Funding, Including for DHS, is Still in Limbo

Congress ended the longest government shutdown in U.S. history on Wednesday night, passing a bipartisan deal that fully funds three relatively uncontroversial areas: veterans’ programs, food assistance, and agriculture support, along with congressional operations.

However, most federal agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security, are only funded through Jan. 30 under a short-term extension.

Congress still hasn’t released the DHS funding proposal “amid a deep partisan dispute over curbing Trump’s immigration agenda,” Politico reports. About $170 billion was approved for immigration enforcement via the ‘Big Beautiful’ Megabill earlier this year, but DHS, including ICE, still relies on Congress to pass an annual budget.

A Year Later: Why Optimism For Trump Among Austin Latino Day Laborers Has Collapsed

A year after initially supporting President Trump, Austin Latino day laborers report fewer jobs, stagnant wages, higher living costs, and rising deportation fears. They also say they believe the Trump administration has been disingenuous and that they have become targets of its deportation efforts despite promises to focus on those who commit crimes.

“I’ll be honest with you,” said Hector, 46, who is originally from Honduras. “I was in agreement with a lot of what Trump had to say. But now, it’s a war on immigrants, especially Hispanics.”

Polls show Latino support for Trump has dropped sharply as promised economic gains have not materialized.



Forbes: Ford CEO says he has 5,000 open mechanic jobs due to shortage of manually skilled workers

Ford CEO Jim Farley warned that the U.S. faces a severe shortage of skilled manual workers, saying Ford alone has 5,000 unfilled mechanic jobs paying about $120,000 a year. Farley said the problem extends far beyond Ford, with more than a million open jobs in emergency services, trucking, factories, and the trades.

Despite President Trump’s push to revive U.S. manufacturing, more than 400,000 manufacturing positions remain vacant.

PBS: Some Chicago Businesses Say Sales as Bad as During the Pandemic

Enforcement News:
Reports Say Federal Officials Could Launch Immigration Operation in Charlotte

Federal officials are expected to launch a new immigration enforcement operation in Charlotte, N.C., with U.S. Customs and Border Protection reportedly shifting resources from Chicago to the city in the coming weeks. Similar operations have already taken place in Chicago and Los Angeles. Advocates say they expect a heightened law enforcement presence, noting that past operations brought ICE officers, National Guard, and other agencies into major cities, creating fear in immigrant communities.

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