Theme Overview: Implications of New Immigration Policies for Specific US Agricultural Sectors

Stephen Devadoss(a)
(a)aTexas Tech University

JEL Codes: J43, J61
Keywords: deportation, economy, theme overview, undocumented workers

First Published Online: April 15, 2026

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Abstract

The agricultural sector is a leading employer of undocumented workers and experiences chronic labor shortages. The Trump administration’s deportation policies have intensified this labor scarcity. The articles in this theme evaluate the effects of deportation policies on labor-intensive sectors: fruit & nut, vegetable, nursery, greenhouse, floriculture, and dairy.

About the Authors: Stephen Devadoss (Corresponding Author Email: stephen.devadoss@ttu.edu) is the Emabeth Thompson Endowed Professor in the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX.

Acknowledgments: I thank Choices Editor Zhengfei Guan for asking me to spearhead this theme and for providing valuable comments on this theme overview.

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