On April 21, 2025, U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents detained eight undocumented farmworkers at Pleasant Valley Farms in Berkshire, Vermont, in one of the largest immigration enforcement actions in the state’s recent history. Since then, a chorus of complaints has erupted from advocacy groups, farm owners, and politicians, all lamenting the arrests as a blow to Vermont’s dairy industry. But the hand-wringing ignores a fundamental truth: no business, no matter how “essential,” gets a free pass to break the law. The reliance on illegal labor to prop up an exploitative food system is not a defense—it’s an indictment of a broken model that prioritizes cheap labor over ethics, legality, and innovation.
No Excuses for Illegal Hiring
A Burlington Free Press article quotes Amanda St. Pierre, co-owner of Pleasant Valley Farms, claiming the detained workers were hired following “federal and state employment requirements.” Yet, the fact remains: these workers were undocumented, and their employment violated federal law. Businesses cannot claim ignorance or necessity to skirt accountability.
Dairy farmer Dustin Machia expressed his concern and talked about why they supposedly need to hire illegals:
“I’m very worried about it. It’s not sustainable to not have (migrant farmworkers). Farming would be very bleak and the cost would skyrocket in the grocery store, because you can’t pay an American to do (this) job any more. Americans just don’t want to do this job. Without the foreign labor, it’s just not sustainable.”
If a dairy farm can only turn a profit by hiring illegal workers at substandard wages, its business model is unsustainable and unethical. The law applies equally, whether you’re a small farm or a corporate giant. Excusing illegal hiring because it’s “how things are done” perpetuates a cycle of exploitation and undermines the rule of law.
A Food System Built on Lawbreaking
The outcry over these arrests often frames migrant workers as indispensable to Vermont’s dairy industry. Governor Phil Scott called them “essential part of our communities,” emphasizing their role in the economy. But this narrative conveniently sidesteps a glaring issue: our food system should not depend on tens of millions of people crossing borders illegally, working in grueling conditions for meager pay. Estimates suggest Vermont has 750-850 year-round migrant farmworkers, many undocumented. This reliance isn’t a virtue—it’s a systemic failure. A nation that prides itself on fairness and opportunity shouldn’t build its agricultural backbone on the backs of those breaking federal immigration laws.
Higher Wages, Higher Prices, Better Outcomes
Critics of the raid warn that enforcing immigration laws will cripple dairy farms and spike food prices. Migrant Justice, an advocacy group, argues the arrests are an “injustice” and a threat to workers’ human rights. But let’s be clear: if hiring American workers, paying living wages, and ensuring decent working conditions mean higher food costs, that’s a price worth paying. The alternative—perpetuating a system where workers reportedly endure “six 12-hour days” for low wages—is not humanitarian; it’s exploitative. The same advocates decrying the arrests often ignore the substandard conditions these workers face, from cramped trailers to 70-80-hour workweeks with little rest. True compassion would demand better wages and conditions, not a defense of illegal labor practices that keep workers vulnerable.
Automation: A Path Forward
The labor shortage argument also falls flat when you consider automation. Dairy farms, like other industries, can invest in technology to reduce reliance on manual labor. Robotic milking systems, automated feeding, and other innovations are already transforming agriculture. While automation requires upfront costs, it’s a long-term solution that doesn’t involve breaking federal law or exploiting vulnerable workers. Farms that adapt will thrive; those clinging to outdated, illegal practices will deservedly struggle. The future of agriculture lies in innovation, not in perpetuating a broken status quo.
Crime Is Crime, No Exceptions
At its core, this issue is simple: breaking the law is criminal, whether you’re an undocumented worker or a farm owner hiring them. The eight detained workers were transferred to ICE custody for deportation proceedings, and none faced criminal charges. But their presence in the U.S. was illegal, and their employers’ decision to hire them was equally unlawful. Both parties must face consequences. The Burlington Free Press notes that Migrant Justice is scrambling to secure legal representation for the workers, with some potentially eligible for bond. That’s their right, but it doesn’t erase the fact that they violated federal immigration laws. Similarly, farm owners who knowingly or negligently hire undocumented workers should face penalties, not sympathy.
The Humanitarian Facade
The loudest complainers—Migrant Justice, farm owners, and even Governor Scott—cloak their arguments in humanitarian rhetoric. Cristian Santos of Migrant Justice called the arrests an “injustice,” claiming dairy workers are arrested “in their own homes” for doing essential work. But this framing is disingenuous. These workers were not targeted for milking cows; they were detained for being in the country illegally. Defending their exploitation under the guise of compassion is not humanitarian—it’s a justification for maintaining a cheap, disposable labor force. Real humanitarianism would push for hiring American workers, legal pathways for seasonal labor, fair wages, and safe conditions, not a system that can only profit from exploitation.
Time for Accountability
The raid on Pleasant Valley Farms has sparked a necessary reckoning. Posts on social reflect the polarized sentiment: some cheer the enforcement, noting “eight new jobs just opened up” for legal workers, while others warn of skyrocketing grocery prices and labor shortages. Both sides miss the bigger picture. This isn’t just about one farm or eight workers—it’s about a food system dominated by massive agribusinesses, rotten at its core. Vermont’s dairy industry, and American agriculture writ large, must move beyond reliance on illegal labor. That means enforcing immigration laws, punishing employers who break them, investing in automation, and accepting that ethical food production might cost more.
The endless complaining since the raid proves one thing: too many people are comfortable with a status quo that exploits desperate workers, pushes aside American labor, and flouts the law. It’s time to stop whining and start building a food system that respects legality, rewards innovation, and values workers—legal ones—enough to pay them fairly. Anything less is just noise.