American Farmer
The folks on the TV said tighten your belts boys. C D G-C-G
Deport the illegals, it’s got to be done. Em A7
They canceled our program, don’t care if we need ’em. Am Cm Bm E7
And the trouble for farmers, it’s only begun. Am D G-
And I see on the corner those bullies defiling Em B7 Em D
The heart of our nation, disturbing our peace. C D
I look to the White House, see billionaires smiling. Am Cm Bm E7
But I voted for order, not secret police. Am D G-
It’s immigrant labor, puts food on our table, C D G-C-G
And all of that bounty is slipping away. Em A7 D
To bring in your harvest I’m no longer able. Am Cm Bm E7
And people are hungry it’s all I’m gonna say. Am D G-
Abandoning farmers is like eating your seed corn. C D G-C-G
Ain’t nobody war-torn out here, you can bet. Em A7 D
Respect for our neighbors, our immigrant labor. Am Cm Bm E7
Ain’t asking for favors. Ain’t giving up yet . Am D G-
©Doug Hendren 2025
What’s it about?
United States farms have depended on immigrant labor for decades. On American farms today, more than 40 percent of the workforce is undocumented. Farming is arduous work, requiring both skill and endurance. Many farmers have difficulty hiring and retaining American workers. Many have invested in sponsoring immigrant workers with the help of USDA grant programs, only to be put at risk of bankruptcy with the interruption of funding, a problem made acutely worse with the recent US government shutdown.
The risk to American farmers is amplified by the indiscriminate and often brutal ICE raids on workers nationwide. Terrified farm workers stay at home out of fear, hurting food production. ICE agents have arrested and detained large numbers of workers, including American citizens. Such actions affect the supply chain at many levels, raising the cost of food production on American farms, and ultimately the cost of food to consumers.
It is a paradox that American farmers, as a group, tend to be politically conservative, yet their industry is being badly damaged by the very policies they have supported. This paradox applies not just to immigration policy, but to tariffs and trade policy as well. Donald Trump’s erratic trade and tariff policies have greatly burdened farmers, damaging their markets and driving some to bankruptcy.
Do undocumented workers pay taxes? Yes. While many have tried to characterize immigrant workers as freeloaders, they can and do pay taxes, even without a social security number. In 2024, they paid $96.7 billion in federal, state and local taxes. Here in Virginia, nearly 1.2 million immigrants make up a vital part of our commonwealth’s economy.
The US needs a fair and sensible immigration policy, not one that terrorizes American citizens and noncitizens alike, while crippling essential industries. We can do better!
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The Economic and Fiscal Impacts of Mass Deportation: What’a at Risk in Virginia?
Cornell ILR School: Five ways undocumented immigrants are powering the American economy.
Washington Post / Deep Reads: Abandoned by Trump, a farmer and a migrant search for a better future.
