Republican Calls ICE on GOP Rival's Farm
By Billal Rahman
An Idaho Republican has accused a GOP rival of harassment in an op-ed after he reported her farm to federal immigration authorities.
In January, Ryan Spoon, vice chair of the Republican Party in Ada County, publicly called for immigration raids on State Representative Stephanie Mickelsen's farm, accusing her of employing undocumented workers.
Days later, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrived at Mickelsen Farms, escalating political tensions and raising concerns about the impact of immigration enforcement on Idaho's agriculture industry.
"Those who speak up with concerns that challenge certain views are quickly labeled as non-conservative and targeted for harassment," Mickelsen wrote in an op-ed published in The Idaho Statesman.
Why It Matters
President Donald Trump promised to carry out the largest deportation operation in United States history. He has repeatedly vowed to remove millions of undocumented immigrants. The White House has said that anyone in the country illegally is considered a "criminal" and therefore subjected to removal.
What To Know
"Could you please send some illegal immigration raids to the businesses owned by Idaho state Rep. Stephanie Mickelson?" Spoon said in a post on X, formerly Twitter, on January 21.
"She has been bragging about how many illegals her businesses employ," he added.
As Spoon's social media posts about contacting ICE gained over 2,000 shares, he said that sharing alone wasn't enough. He took further action by officially reporting Mickelsen's farming businesses to the ICE tip line and website.
Three days later, Mickelsen reported that ICE agents arrived at Mickelsen Farms, a vast operation in southeastern Idaho growing various commercial and seed potatoes.
"They just showed up out of the blue Friday morning," said Mickelsen,
By January 27, just one week into Trump's second term, an employee of Mickelsen Farms had been arrested by ICE.
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How Legal Immigrants Could Boost US Economy
Idaho's economy, especially its agriculture, depends heavily on immigrant labor. A recent University of Idaho report estimates that 35,000 undocumented immigrants contribute significantly to sectors like agriculture, hospitality, and construction, with their economic impact reaching tens of millions of dollars.
The Idaho Dairymen's Association estimates that around 90 percent of workers in the state's dairy industry are foreign-born.
According to the American Business Immigration Coalition (ABIC), if Trump's flagship policy is implemented, agricultural output will fall between $30 and $60 billion.
ICE agent
An ICE agent monitors asylum-seekers being processed in New York City on June 6, 2023. David Dee Delgado/Getty
What People Are Saying
Idaho State Representative Stephanie Mickelsen wrote in an op-ed for The Idaho Statesman: Imagine being a seventh-generation Idahoan who's grown a multi-generational farm business and provided years of service to our state and agriculture industry, only to have your livelihood attacked by a recent transplant from San Francisco — someone working remotely for an insurance company who thinks he knows Idaho values and the ag business better than you do. In Idaho, we've long prided ourselves on principles of common decency and pragmatic dialogue.
"But these values are increasingly under threat. Where we once respectfully listened to one another and shared differing views to explore complex issues, we now face a troubling trend: Those who speak up with concerns that challenge certain views are quickly labeled as non-conservative and targeted for harassment."
Rick Naerebout, CEO of the Idaho Dairyman's Association, said: "If you remove the unauthorized portion of the agriculture workforce, at that point, we don't have the ability to produce enough food to feed ourselves."
What Happens Next
It remains to be seen whether more Republicans will report political opponents to ICE's tip line.
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