Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: Deportation program could lead to higher food prices for Americans

Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has warned that President Donald Trump's flagship deportation program could lead to higher food prices for Americans, leaving farms deserted. "For all of the people who cast a vote based on grocery prices and inflation, if you think your groceries are expensive now, wait until the farms are empty," she said on Sunday's "Latino USA" podcast.

Why It Matters

Trump made immigration a core component of his successful presidential campaign. Voters have shown in polls that there is widespread support for immigration reform overall but disagree about how policies such as deportations should be carried out.

What To Know

Ocasio-Cortez spoke out against the Trump administration's aggressive immigration enforcement, which has led to thousands of arrests by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

As nationwide raids continue, the Democratic lawmaker stressed the risk of overlooking undocumented immigrants as valuable contributors to the U.S. economy.

Experts told Newsweek that mass deportations will hit the construction, agriculture, and hospitality industries the hardest, as well as the manufacturing and landscaping industries.

Trump's mass removal policy could impose a staggering one-time cost of $315 billion on the U.S., according to the American Immigration Council. Deporting 1 million people a year could cost up to $88 billion annually.

Agricultural output will fall between $30 and $60 billion if Trump's flagship policy is carried out, according to the American Business Immigration Coalition (ABIC).

According to Pew Research, approximately 11 million undocumented immigrants live in the U.S. The majority have no criminal record, and their circumstances differ widely, ranging from asylum seekers who crossed the border to individuals who originally entered on a tourist visa but overstayed.

What People Are Saying

Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said on the "Latino USA" podcast Sunday: "But let's be clear, the people who are voting in this way oftentimes don't respond to a case of compassion and humanity."

"And so, if you want to be hard-nosed about it, understand that America's immigration force and our community of immigrants, including and especially the millions of undocumented people in this country, are why America has prospered, especially why we survived the COVID-19 pandemic."

"If you think houses are expensive now, wait until there's no one building them. If you think that having someone in your home to take care of your ailing mother or grandmother while you have to go out and earn an honest living while you're at work if you think that's expensive now, wait until that immigrant workforce is gone. Understand the consequences of what this means because for America to not accept immigrants is the definition of cutting off your nose to spite your face."

"First and foremost, this idea that people are immigrants or illegal, etc... we're talking about ourselves. This is the fabric of our country, the fabric of our community, and when people say 'I think it's fine, they just need to be here legally,' they're shutting down all legal pathways," Ocasio-Cortez said.

Rebecca Shi, Executive Director of ABIC, told Newsweek: "If mass deportations really overreach, there's going to be just serious disruptions to our economy."

"We are urging, urging Congress and President Trump to move forward solutions that secure the border absolutely, but also, you know, work to reform our broken immigration system so that, you know, our economy can still be the number one economy in the world."

"Without immigration, our economic position and global leadership will be at risk. We need people to have a strong workforce and a strong GDP."

What Happens Next

Industries reliant on immigrant labor—including agriculture, construction, and healthcare—could face significant worker shortages, driving up costs for American consumers.