Experts have warned that mass deportations could severely strain the United States meat industry, leading to a surge in beef prices. The potential removal of thousands of undocumented workers threatens to disrupt supply chains, exacerbate labor shortages, and ultimately drive up meat prices for consumers.Experts have told Newsweek that President-elect Donald Trump's flagship immigration policy could lead to product shortages, ultimately causing supply and demand dynamics to drive up prices.
Nearly half of the meat-processing workforce in the United States consists of individuals born outside the country.Immigrants also play a critical role in caring for and feeding livestock. While a majority of meatpacking workers have legal status, a notable portion does not.Additionally, many documented immigrants often provide support for close family members who are living in the country without legal authorization.Trump has vowed to carry out the largest mass deportation operation in American history as he looks to implement an aggressive immigration crackdown.Immigrant labor has been a cornerstone of U.S. meat production, making the industry particularly vulnerable to mass deportation policies.According to the American Immigration Council, while 17% of US workers across all industries are foreign-born, in the meatpacking industry this figure is considerably higher, at 45.5%.The 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 every year could cost up to $88 billion annually.This would necessitate a massive expansion of detention and court systems, along with a substantial increase in law enforcement personnel, detention facilities, immigration courtrooms, and flight capacity.Pew Research estimates that around 11 million undocumented immigrants reside in the United State