'Who's going to milk the cows?' Dairy farmers hit by Trump's deportations
Source: Raw Story
May 23, 2025 5:02PM ET
Dairy farmers who voted for President Donald Trump are worried there will be no one around to milk the cows now that the administration is cracking down on "otherwise law-abiding immigrants in the country illegally," The Boston Globe reported. Farmers in Vermont told the Globe they voted for Trump because they liked his tough talk on quelling immigration and closing the border. Things are different now that ICE is coming for their workers.
“All the dairy farmers who voted for Trump were under the impression they weren’t going to come on farms and take our guys,” one farmer said. “It’s happening more than we’d like. It’s scaring the farming community and we’re like, ‘This wasn’t supposed to happen.’”
According to the report, "Farm owners and workers alike in this agricultural region near the Canadian border have been on edge in the month since U.S. Border Patrol officers detained eight Mexican men on Vermont’s largest dairy operation, Pleasant Valley Farms." The report said that four of the men taken into custody have since been deported.
"Federal immigration authorities say they are not targeting Vermont’s $3.6 billion dairy industry, which is responsible for 63 percent of the milk produced in New England," the report said. "But the recent arrests are prompting some in the sector to wonder how it would survive without its undocumented labor force."
Read more: https://www.rawstory.com/undocumented-migrants/
The Boston Globe (who RS is referencing) has always been completely paywalled (some other large news sites offer a few articles before throwing up the paywall, but not them although I know the archive sites have the articles). But just looking at the article headline there is all one needs to do to confirm an article that highlights the FAFO -
By Paul Heintz Globe correspondent,Updated May 22, 2025, 1:22 p.m.
I know WI is well-known for dairy but so is VT, although not talked about as much. Cabot Creamery is the biggy. I know Bernie Sanders (I), Peter Welch (D), Becca Balint (D) represent VT, but the governor there is a (R).
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BoRaGard
(5,659 posts)With their cascade of lies, The G.OP. suckers everyone, sooner or later
2naSalit
(96,960 posts)Song about that,
Irish_Dem
(70,290 posts)
Escurumbele
(3,811 posts)will suffer, not us!".
Its a mixed feeling, glad they are paying for their stupidity, but sad this is happening, and even sadder that I don't see anyone stopping the madness, even the military is caving in, the Quatar plane, the military parade, crickets coming out from the brass.
This is going to get really ugly before people wake up, and when people do wake up, if they do, its going to get even uglier, it always does in this type of effort of regime change, violence suddenly becomes part of daily lives.
Irish_Dem
(70,290 posts)Yes sad to see so many self inflicted wounds.
And yes shocking that the entire US power structure just collapsed at Trump's feet and kissed his ass.
Yes it is going to get worse before it gets better.
Justice matters.
(8,397 posts)his way to the top... How far has the structure fallen into the deep end...
Home of the brave, eh? 
Irish_Dem
(70,290 posts)A few exceptions but not many.
Disgusting.
DENVERPOPS
(12,426 posts)for shits and grins, I just re-read Steinbeck's Grapes Of Wrath.........It is amazing how much more relevant it was THIS time around versus when I read it 60+ years ago in Jr. High........
Irish_Dem
(70,290 posts)And comes into sharper focus and meaning.
I took a college class in dystopian literature as an undergrad.
We read literature going back to Greek and Roman times up to present day about utopia/dystopia.
It all seemed distant and theoretical.
I keep thinking about all the books we read, 1984, Animal Farm, Fahrenheit 451, Brave New World, Clockwork Orange, etc.
I had no idea what I was reading back then would become reality.
Yes Grapes of Wrath Revisited.
ananda
(31,921 posts)That's all I'm seeing right now.
Safe as Milk
(117 posts)It's "throw out the Constitution and establish "'Trump's Law'," which means that Trump decides everything, and the populace obeys. Or else.
markie
(23,389 posts)is a republican but has been anti-trump all along.... seems clear that we are targeted for our politics
delisen
(7,005 posts)It seems most of the news regarding ICE mass arrests at business sites is coming from states with more liberal leanings.
DFW
(58,165 posts)….in bright blue Texas. Right.
The agricultural sector nationwide had better get used to it:
The goons are going where they think there is prey to be found.
Skittles
(164,602 posts)FUCK YOU
seriously, FUCK YOU
OldBaldy1701E
(7,976 posts)Karasu
(1,269 posts)Puppyjive
(721 posts)Farmers should not be hiring undocumented workers. Undocumented workers cannot obtain social security cards. They should be checking passports and social security cards for every employee. Tax evasion is a crime.
DFW
(58,165 posts)But they do, and law enforcement does not go after them because the greater good is served by their looking the other way, than their busting the 41mph driver, clogging their PD with paperwork that will cost way more than prosecution of the 41 mph driver.
Puppyjive
(721 posts)Don't understand your justification. It encourages people to come here illegally.
BumRushDaShow
(153,697 posts)but basically illustrating the "reality" in this country where you have the hypocrisy of a "law and order party" who "looks the other way" when their "own" are breaking the law, and will instead go after actual innocent people "for show" and to make a quota.
In the example of going "41 mph in a 40 mph zone", many municipalities allow some "wiggle room" (maybe +/- x mph) when it comes to enforcement - and that is due to lack of resources. But there has been more "summary judgements" lately when it comes to running red lights where there are "red light cameras" installed and the owner of the car with the "photographed plate number" gets a ticket in the mail to pay (and similar can be deployed with speed as there are often "radar monitored" stretches of highway looking for speeders).
The GOP has battled making a pathway for legal immigration a priority and started doubling down on dehumanizing people after Raygun did his "amnesty" thing in the '80s. If there is a need for "temporary seasonal workers", then Congress needs to get that better codified rather than relying on the bigot running the country to fill in the blanks and summarily change or eliminate that type entry document.
Puppyjive
(721 posts)and vote against their own interests, but too naive to understand the consequences of their vote.
BumRushDaShow
(153,697 posts)and those types are rarely harping about "economics" (the only ones worried about that amongst them are the billionaires who care about "economics" because it affects their bottom line and they only want MORE $$$).
They excel at "grievances" and get some kind of satisfaction out of "revenge" against those who they are "aggrieved" against - even if it hurts them carrying it out. 
DENVERPOPS
(12,426 posts)Anyone remember the stories about Trump's Golf Course/Resort getting raided during his first term? Where there were a notable amount of groundskeepers and domestics employed that were illegals? Including Trump's personal maid who had taken care of him for nine years? AND at that same locations, the FBI found boxes of blank social security cards and a small printing press to print the individuals info on the counterfeit card? Something that I bet you could have found at ALL of his golf courses/resorts if the FBI had looked....
And down in Florida where there were countless domestics, kitchen help, grounds maintenance, etc that Trump had working on H1B? Visas and he was requesting more?
Visa's that were intended to be used for Scientists, etc??????
Things you will never see: A group of ICE, or Homeland Security, having a road block/check point, at the entrance or exit from a gated community.....
Or for that matter at meat packing plants, or large construction sites, or fields of Corporate owned produce farms, or major Hotels, or, or, or, or......
And contrary to the commentator who talked about them "not paying taxes" etc.......It has been my experience that money is withheld from the illegal worker's paychecks for Fed taxes, State Taxes, local taxes, Social Security, Workers Comp. etc. (The employer uses a fake SS number knowing that it will take months for the government to confirm). A lot of employers deduct these, but don't send the money to the Government, just keep it for additional profits. If one of these individuals gets hurt on the job, they tell one of the other employees to take him to some Hospital ER and just drop him off. There have been many reports of employers who actually don't pay them on payday, and fire them.......nothing happens because the worker can't exactly go to any authority about it.....
They often work jobs that the employer/Corporation can't find any American Citizens who want to work for the low wages.
For my entire life, I have always heard the Corporations say that they "can't find anyone who wants to work", when in reality the statement should read: "We can't find anyone who wants to work" , FOR THE LOW WAGES WE WANT TO PAY THEM"...........
BumRushDaShow
(153,697 posts)DENVERPOPS
(12,426 posts)the next version of the GRAPES OF WRATH.............(did you know his award winning novel was banned when it first was released?)
BumRushDaShow
(153,697 posts)DENVERPOPS
(12,426 posts)the book was frightening enough for me..........
If I were UBER rich, during Trump's first occupation of the White House, I would have mailed a copy of ANIMAL FARM to every address in the nation.......It was written so that ANYONE with a third grade reading ability could understand it.......1984 was WAY above the reading comprehension of any Trump Humper..............
In reality, ANIMAL FARM could have been Trump's game plan for all he did in his first regime (literally)......Now Grapes Of Wrath describes what could possibly be dead ahead, as a result of Trump and the Republican Politcians and Republican Party.........
BumRushDaShow
(153,697 posts)
But if you get chance, do try to watch "Grapes of Wrath". It literally could have been made into a miniseries based on the sweeping saga of it and Henry Fonda was fantastic in it. And if anything, for me, it really drove home the whole era of people migrating west to try to work at the California citrus farms.
But like the comedy (and somewhat drama) film "Tobacco Road", they don't want to make movies like that anymore (because of what it depicts).
Puppyjive
(721 posts)The employers should lose their business license. I've seen workers try to collect their social security and find out that they have been using someone else's number and get no credit for their work. Everyone should be checking their social security statement regularly to keep employers honest. I have seen some things.
Escurumbele
(3,811 posts)illegal workers? When they are all gone you will be paying $10.00 for one tomato. If you have not noticed how food prices have gone up, then you are not doing the shopping.
The solution is not to deport people, the solution is to find ways where they can stay and work to help keep food prices at affordable levels, and for the rest of the country to be able to eat. Food prices affect, mostly, people with low income.
Tell us what your solution is please, I am sure a lot of us would love to read it.
Puppyjive
(721 posts)Pretty simple. Asylum seekers should get fast tracked.
Escurumbele
(3,811 posts)a green card, or even a temporary work permit in the USA? Do you think its something people do from their home country while they and their families are being threatened, maybe even some of them already been killed, to apply for legal status in the USA? Even visas are hard to get, which is how many of these people get in, legally, don't leave and try to stay illegally, because it is the only way, working for peanuts to help USA families buy vegetables, etc. on the cheap. And that, is going to end very soon. These work permits do not come in a box of cereal.
Just a quick summary of how it works.
Those illegal people work 8-10 hours in the sun picking crops and they get paid about $5.00/hour, if that much, they do the work that most USA citizens do not want to do, and they don't get health insurance. Now figure the cost without those illegals that now farmers are forced to hire USA citizens who will not work under the sun, grueling hours for less than $20.00/hour, and that is with a maximum of 8 hour shifts and a minimum of 40 hours per week to assure the farmers will have to pay health insurance for them. So now the cost per employee turned into $25.00 to $28.00 per hour. Your food has quadrupled in price.
Do you get the idea? Its not that easy as you think. But I understand your republican talking point, and if you decide to research the talking point I think you will find that it is a talking point for those who do not care and nothing more. Its the same thing that happened to those who voted for trump without putting some thought on the consequences.
Response to DFW (Reply #13)
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Hornedfrog2000
(222 posts)One is a conspiracy with multiple people to break the law. Good try
radical noodle
(10,217 posts)Those who check look at driver's license and social security numbers.
jaymac
(12 posts)Thank you for bringing the elephant in the room into view. shame on those employers...........
DBoon
(23,750 posts)the money deducted from pay that goes into these accounts will never be claimed of course.
CrispyQ
(39,718 posts)We'll never go after the business or the corporation. Never. It's easier & more dramatic to go after the lowest people on the ladder & it plays to the audience that loves to see people they think are inferior to them "get when they deserve," while the business gets to hire a new set of undocumented workers the next day. It's disgusting.
Pototan
(2,645 posts)FAFO
wolfie001
(5,139 posts)American 1850, America 1981 (with raygun) and today. Elect a Democratic President and there's a little pushback and *poof*, the Jake Tappers of media start there petty-ass nitpicking. Funny how that phony mother-fucker is Team tRUMP all of the sudden. POS.
OldBaldy1701E
(7,976 posts)Then, you are even more ignorant than we first thought.
That administration is lying to get you to support them and then they remove your ability to earn a living and you STILL support them.
You asked for it. You got it.
And, it ain't a Toyota, is it?
Idiots. 
mdbl
(6,580 posts)1. To stay out of jail
2. To enrich himself for the next 4 years in any way he can including taking from the poor.
Although all the warning signs were there - I guess they just had to quit watching Fux Nooze for 2 seconds to realize it.
DENVERPOPS
(12,426 posts)Trying to figure out two things:
How to con his way back into the White House, and dreaming up un-fathomable new cons to grift MAJOR amounts of money once he got there......
Reminder: None of which he could have done without the 100% backing of EVERY Republican in the Senate, etc.
If my father's Republican Party were still in office, Trump would have been impeached and found guilty the first grift he did during his first term.......
There is absolutely no way he would have been to get into the White House, and stay there, or be re-elected without overwhelming corruption, Republicans in the House and Senate, Wealthy Oligarchs and Republican owned/operated Corporations, and of course assistance from foreign powers like Russia, China, etc. Oh, and don't forget Fox and all other Media that are 95+% owned/operated by Republican Oligarchs/Corporations.......
Power corrupts, and Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely............
not fooled
(6,298 posts)add: millions upon millions of low-information, easily conned voters who apparently wanted to be lied to in order to avoid voting for the black lady.
Bengus81
(8,863 posts)Hmm...would have been a LOT easier just to vote for Harris wouldn't it??
paleotn
(20,428 posts)He's the equal opportunity screwer. Why that's so hard for certain idiots to understand, I'll never know.
Yes, Phil Scott is a Republican but he could pass for a centrist Dem anywhere else in the country. That's the only way he's managed to get elected and reelected 5 times in a state where Dem votes outnumber R's generally 2 to 1 state wide. No term limits and 2 year terms for VT governors. We like being different. There's been chatter off and on for Scott to switch parties but he won't do it. That limits his career to state politics because we sure as shit aren't sending a Repuke to DC. Unknown to me why he won't since the Rockefeller wing of the Republican party is dead as hell. Has been since the 90's.
Bengus81
(8,863 posts)But...they vote about 85%-95% for Trump in western Kansas.
BumRushDaShow
(153,697 posts)It did actually somewhat stay alive with Jay Rockefeller in WV (although he was the rare (D)) until 2015 and then the family name winked out of politics completely.
To some extent, Bloomberg is semi in that group (although he changes affiliations in a whim).
DENVERPOPS
(12,426 posts)I read somewhere that he is worth 106 BILLION, and for the tax years 2014-2018 he pad an effective tax rate of 1.3%, which was lower than the usual tax rate he paid, of 3.7%
My wife was bragging about his 10 million campaign donation to the Dems, and I asked her if she knew what percent that was of his overall wealth....
(not even dashboard change, or pocket change, and far less than the amount he received from Trump's first tax cut for the Uber Rich)....
BumRushDaShow
(153,697 posts)sinkingfeeling
(55,290 posts)and start bringing in the cows yourselves.
twodogsbarking
(13,843 posts)seven years. Twice a day for seven years every day. He owned the cows. So much milk comes from mega herds.
Autumn
(47,919 posts)Milk sucks anyway.
travelingthrulife
(2,429 posts)Maybe he should pray harder to that golden Trump statue.
Lovie777
(18,701 posts)
MiHale
(11,737 posts)Later, cried on the way home.
FAFO.
LastLiberal in PalmSprings
(13,173 posts)Maybe you can wear it when your family farm is auctioned off as part of the bankruptcy.
MAGA!
DENVERPOPS
(12,426 posts)creamed in Trump's first term. Some reporter on TV, interviewed a farmer whose multi generational farm was in Bankruptcy and being auctioned off to a giant corporate farming company, for pennies on the dollar. They asked if he felt that he got screwed by Trump who directly cause it......He answered that it was okay, and worth the sacrifice, if it was needed for the common good of the U.S.
bucolic_frolic
(50,641 posts)Delusionally thought themselves exempt. A special kind of stupid.
DENVERPOPS
(12,426 posts)and since Trump's re-election all the Trumphumping Voters are just beginning to wake up to how he is going to steam roll them as much or even more than he is screwing all us Libtards.....He has been able to continue to con some of them by saying it is Biden's fault, Obama's fault, even Hillary's fault.......but that won't last forever.....
Ruby the Liberal
(26,448 posts)Self-righteous pricks.
Irish_Dem
(70,290 posts)BumRushDaShow
(153,697 posts)and feed them and muck their stalls.
Irish_Dem
(70,290 posts)And plant the feed, cut down the feed, store the feed.
Get the milk cans ready for the dairy pick up.
Clean the barn, clean the machines.
Clean the milk canisters.
My mother's family are dairy farmers.
Back in the day, all the boys in the family had to spend the summers on the farms doing all the work.
Justice matters.
(8,397 posts)Depends on the size of the farm?
Irish_Dem
(70,290 posts)NickB79
(19,926 posts)One of the dairy farmers that our dairy factory gets it's milk from came in and gave a presentation about his operation. He milks over 300 cows in Southeast Minnesota, and employs 8 people full time to do so.
No clue if all 8 employees are legal, didn't want to ask and make waves.
Irish_Dem
(70,290 posts)My mother's family are dairy farmers.
And I spent the summers there.
I remember pre-milking machines when all the boy cousins did the milking by hand.
Then I remember the new fangled milking machines being put in the barns.
And yes the boys spend the summer doing many many chores, including cleaning out the barn,
doing the haying, etc.
IthinkThereforeIAM
(3,181 posts)... be careful of what you ask for.
Jean Genie
(484 posts)Told you so! And you thought you'd be exempt from Trump's vengeance, huh? Milk your own G.D. cows!
MyOwnPeace
(17,308 posts)the first time, I met a dairy farmer who owned over 1000 cows and had migrant workers working for him (just could NOT get enough “locals” to work for him).
I asked him “What are you going to do about workers if tRump builds that wall?”
“I have to hope they’re on THIS side of it when it goes up!”
What a disgusting group these ‘RepubliCons’ are……. 
AllaN01Bear
(25,401 posts)creops spoilt in the field . no hired hands . so on. hem
JT45242
(3,358 posts)Face meet leopard.
You owned that uppity black woman...small price to pay for bankruptcy and losing the family business to billionaire vultures.
No sympathy, they voted their racism. They are getting the fruits of their hatred
ToxMarz
(2,433 posts) 
KentuckyWoman
(7,020 posts)First they claimed all the "eeelegals" are rapists, murderers, drug dealers and prostitutes. Then it was a bunch of freeloaders pushing disabled Veterans out of their housing and eating people's cats.
And lets not forget the "invasion" of pregnant women walking 1500 miles to crawl through razor wire to squirt out a baby on US soil.
Now all of a sudden it's hard working people desperately needed for jobs on farms.
And yet these farmers are all over the news claiming they KNOWINGLY hired illegals - which is a crime - and no one is talking about sending those people to be tortured for their crimes in Sudan, Libya, Gitmo, or Venezuala.
It is not possible to make any of it make sense.
republianmushroom
(20,103 posts)My guess who is going to milk those cows is the same white boys that are going to pick oranges in Florida and tomatoes in California. You mean they are not going to do this manual labor, damn. Who is going to do this then ? Live and learn farmers.
HappyLarge
(61 posts)They will be forced into leasing prisoners. Maybe even the same workers they lost. There is much money to be made with prison labor.
patphil
(7,897 posts)The man who lies 10 times before breakfast doesn't care about you. He only cared about your vote, and now that he's got it, he has no use for you or your milk.
But don't forget to vote Republican in the next election. 
gopiscrap
(24,366 posts)FAFO I hope they lose everything and then commit suicide, one less MAGA equals one better day for our nation
IbogaProject
(4,466 posts)The catch is the majority of Americans do not have a fraction of the work ethic someone who walked thousands or perilous miles to get here. I remember this being a campaign issue and I asked a GOP resturant owner. He said he couldnt stay open with out his unauthorized migrants w their false documents. The reason was there were no Americans willing to work for whatever wage he paid. And if his pay went to market rate his prices would drive away business. Our economic system is like a ponzi scheme, it requires steady growth. Our system provides too little positive support for there to be a birth rate that can expand our population.
LetMyPeopleVote
(164,108 posts)
rsdsharp
(10,846 posts)It’s not like your employees were sitting on three legged stools and milking each cow one at a time.
You voted for it. Now enjoy it!
bluestateboomer
(526 posts)So I guess it's fewer workers and more profits for the machine builders. If the farmers can afford the upfront cost. Small operations will most likely be unable to compete.
SWBTATTReg
(25,361 posts)unforeseen issues, related to stricter immigration etc., there are fewer job applicants available for these 'manual' / labor-intensive jobs (and considering already the tight labor markets as they are now, this is a recipe for disaster in many areas). And many resources / raw materials flow to / from outside the US, and you can't just wave a magic wand and have some of these essential raw materials pop up elsewhere in the US to replace these foreign-sourced raw materials.
Just goes to show that tRUMP and his thugs didn't think the whole thing thoroughly enough, think of the 0s and 1s that needed to be dealt with too, when they cut taxes unilaterally or close the borders to insane levels, damaging cross border economies globally. Just incompetence.
Renew Deal
(83,978 posts)You just ignored it. Milk your own cows.
Ritabert
(1,146 posts)
Joinfortmill
(18,143 posts)Paladin
(30,621 posts)Welcome to the Real World, dumb-fuck trump-voting dairy farmers.
Warpy
(113,473 posts)from among its non violent drug offenders.
Blue Owl
(56,437 posts)that so many farmers believed they’d be better off electing Dump…..
lildDemz
(77 posts)I haven't seen anything justifying the fears. The Raw Story links are all links to Raw Story. I'm still waiting, watching and expecting problems. Confused.
BumRushDaShow
(153,697 posts)If you have a subscription to the Boston Globe, here is the link - https://www.bostonglobe.com/2025/05/22/metro/trump-deportations-sow-fear-among-vermont-migrants-farmers/
(site is paywalled but if you want, you can go to one of the internet archive sites to read it if you don't sub to it)
riversedge
(75,822 posts)Trump Loving Dairy Farmers Suddenly Realize They Need Immigrants
Who will milk the cows on dairy farms for below minimum wage if they are all deported?
https://crooksandliars.com/2025/05/trump-supporting-dairy-farmers-are
By Red Painter — May 24, 2025
Farmers overwhelmingly supported Donald Trump and it appears they may be realizing their mistake - or they will shortly. Way back in December, Governor Tony Evers expressed concern over Trump's deportation plans, specifically because they would negatively impact his state's agriculture and farming industries.
https://crooksandliars.com/2025/05/trump-supporting-dairy-farmers-are