ICE Raids Shake Washington Farmers Who Backed Trump’s Immigration Claims

In Whatcom County, Washington, the spring planting season is marred not just by the work of tending crops but by the harsh reality of immigration raids disrupting farm labor. At Barbie’s Berries in Ferndale, owner Randy Kraght, a self-described “right-winger” and Trump supporter, is grappling with the fallout of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations that have targeted his workers — men he describes as “squeaky clean,” with no criminal records or even traffic tickets.

Kraght had initially allowed ICE agents onto his farm after being assured they were searching only for “dangerous criminals.” Instead, the agents arrested two of his longtime employees, family men who have contributed to the farm and community for over a decade. “I’ve been knocked on my butt, I’ll admit it. I’m really disappointed,” Kraght said, lamenting that the administration’s promises do not match the reality on the ground.

This disconnect is echoed by Ben Tindall, executive director of Save Family Farming, who warns that the Trump administration’s narrative of targeting only the “worst of the worst” undocumented immigrants is falling flat in western Washington. The region, already ranked last in farm profitability nationwide, faces further jeopardy as the raids sow fear among workers, threatening to destabilize the labor force critical to planting and harvesting.

“If that workforce is scared to go to work because they or their family might be targeted by ICE, that puts your entire operation in jeopardy,” Tindall said. The raids risk not only the livelihoods of workers and farmers but the very viability of Washington’s agricultural industry.

Farm advocates are calling on Congress and the Trump administration to abandon intimidation tactics and instead pass comprehensive immigration reform that addresses the realities of farm labor needs. For Kraght and others, the hope is that future harvests will see only crops picked, not workers deported.

“I’m hoping and praying that they stop going after the people we need,” Kraght said. “If we didn’t have them this country would fall flat on its face.” The administration’s broken promises and aggressive enforcement are proving to be a bitter harvest for those who believed in them.