A drive to the east end of Long Island on a blustery winter day is where the empty fields of farms and vineyards are pretty much the norm, but come spring, will there be a labor force to fill them?
Monday, February 3, 2025 11:15PM
Stacey Sager reports on the economic impact of the ICE raids to the working community.
SOUTHOLD, Suffolk County (WABC) — As ICE raids ramp up across the country under the second Trump administration, fear is increasing among immigrants just trying to make an honest living in Suffolk County, Long Island.
A drive to the east end of Long Island on a blustery winter day is where the empty fields of farms and vineyards are pretty much the norm, but come spring, will there be a labor force to fill them?
“I feel like there’s a lot of fear,” said Ashely, the daughter of two undocumented immigrants from El Salvador.
The 16-year-old stood on a very long line for the Open Arms food pantry in Riverhead. Like many, her father does work that’s vital to homeowners and the economy. But now, her parents are too scared to get out of their car.
Ashley said her father has a company that works on gutters.
“He’s been going to work because he has to have money for the family, but I mean, yeah, it’s like the fear,” she said.
Advocates that work with immigrants in Riverhead describe a situation where people are watching the arrests and wondering if ICE will show up next at their job sites.
“The mood borders on increasing terror,” said Richard Witt of Rural & Migrant Ministry. “They are not only not working or not going to school, but it’s also impacting their mental well-being.”
That’s not what some business owners believe. The owner of Coastal Plantings in Peconic, who voted for President Donald Trump, thinks his administration does have the economy in mind and won’t go beyond targeting those who have broken the law.
“The ones that are here to work, I don’t think they have anything to worry about,” said Coastal Plantings owner Ian Zuhoski. “Truly, if our workforce leaves, everybody’s screwed. In simple terms, you know people have to get out and do their own work and mow their own lawns. You know, I don’t see that happening.”
Still, research shows that over half the crop workers in this country are immigrants. The vast majority who are undocumented or seasonal, as they are on the North Fork. The question now, what does that mean for the future of critical labor?”
“Folks are not going to have folks taking care of their homes,” Witt said. “Folks are not going to have folks taking care of their children if they have nannies.”
The biggest concern at the food pantry is the emotional and financial toll among those most in need.
“They’re afraid. They’re afraid they’re going be separated from their children,” said food pantry volunteer Regina Astor. “They are afraid that they are going to go back to unstable countries.”
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A drive to the east end of Long Island on a blustery winter day is where the empty fields of farms and vineyards are pretty much the norm, but come spring, will there be a labor force to fill them?
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