'Get Them All': Washington Farmers Face Brutal ICE Raids Despite Trump Promises

Washington state farmers are waking up to a harsh reality: the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown is not sparing the workers they rely on, despite repeated promises otherwise. Randy Kraght, a berry farmer in Ferndale, shared on local radio how ICE recently detained two of his best, longtime employees—men with clean records and no criminal history. “I didn’t worry too much about it, this whole crackdown thing,” Kraght said, “but all of a sudden you come to find out you’re wrong.”

Kraght, a right-wing farmer who supported Trump and even donated to a Republican gubernatorial campaign, now finds himself “really disappointed.” His story is far from unique. Across Washington, ICE arrests have surged 73% under Trump’s watch, with less than half of those detained having any criminal record. Many were following legal procedures like green card or asylum applications but got swept up anyway.

This crackdown is exactly what Trump promised on the campaign trail, despite farmers’ hopes to the contrary. Trump’s rhetoric was unambiguous: “Get them all.” At the 2024 GOP convention, delegates waved “Mass Deportation Now!” signs, and Trump vowed “the largest deportation operation in the history of our country.” The idea that ICE would only target “criminals” was a mirage. The administration canceled previous directives that limited ICE to focusing on serious offenders, instead embracing mass deportation.

The fallout is hitting a vulnerable sector at a fragile time. Farmers already grapple with soaring tariffs and energy costs. Ben Tindall, executive director of Save Family Farming in Whatcom County, warns that these raids threaten the entire food supply chain. “Farm owners have become deeply concerned about due process rights of migrant workers and their families,” Tindall said, noting that farmers have been repeatedly reassured their long-term workers would be safe—promises now shattered.

Social media reactions to these farmers’ complaints have been harsh. Many point out that voters who supported Trump’s immigration agenda should not be surprised by the consequences. But this disconnect reveals a broader problem: many Americans, including some farmers, underestimated how expansive and ruthless the crackdown would be.

Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, recently doubled down on the “get them all” approach at the Conservative Political Action Conference. “President Trump says, ‘Get all. Get them all.’ And that’s what we’re doing,” Homan declared, dismissing claims of any softening.

The Washington raids expose the grim truth behind the administration’s immigration policy: mass deportation means mass disruption, including to the very communities that once cheered Trump’s tough talk. For farmers like Kraght, the bitter pill is clear—supporting promises of “law and order” has led to losing the workers who keep their farms running. The human cost of this crackdown is just beginning to unfold.