One of President-elect Donald Trump's key promises to the American public has been the mass deportation of undocumented immigrants.
In Michigan, tens of thousands of migrant workers and their dependents contribute significantly to the agriculture and food processing industries each year, according to the state health department.
Advocates say the mass deportation plan threatens not only the lives these individuals have built in the U.S., but also the workforce in states like Michigan, where they play a critical role in local economies.
Susan Reed, director of the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center, said deportations could drive up the cost of produce.
"Employers are very likely to face employer-focused raids, and I would expect that to impact prices as businesses struggle to replace a workforce that is either no longer migrating or no longer present in the community," Reed explained.
The logistics of Trump's deportation plan remain unclear, although he has stated he would rely on local law enforcement and the National Guard to carry out the operations. How this will unfold is uncertain, particularly given that local law enforcement agencies operate under a separate leadership structure and do not report directly to federal authorities.
Moreover, said Reed, many local communities have implemented protections to safeguard their vulnerable residents.
"Many local communities have adopted resolutions or ordinances stating that local resources can only be used to cooperate with immigration enforcement to the minimum extent required by law," Reed said. "I certainly expect new federal laws or proposals aimed at forcing more cooperation. But for now, many local communities already have policies that limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement."
Despite these local protections, Reed said her office continues to field calls from concerned people in Michigan—both documented and undocumented—who worry that their lives will be upended once Trump returns to office.
"I'm hearing from my clients who are on the path to citizenship—some who have been granted asylum but don't yet have a green card, others who have a green card but haven't yet become citizens, and some who are citizens but are so traumatized by the process and by the rhetoric that they're terrified of losing their status," Reed said. "I try to reassure them, while being honest about the uncertainties ahead."
While the future remains unclear, Reed emphasized that deportation is often described as a "civil death," and said she advises vulnerable individuals to prepare for the worst—especially those whose children have birthright citizenship.
Reed said parents should have power of attorney, or, in Michigan, a delegation of parental authority, in place. She said this legal document can help ensure that children are not placed in the foster care system if their parents are deported.
She also recommends that parents obtain and keep updated passports for their U.S. citizen children.
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