How Donald Trump's immigration fight is playing out in Idaho

These curated articles explore the ongoing legislative and social dynamics of immigration in Idaho, depicting federal and state actions and the lived experiences of immigrants. They emphasize the complex challenges and responses surrounding undocumented immigrants and their impact on the state's economy and communities.

U.S. Republican Presidential Candidate and former President Donald Trump speaks at the U.S.-Mexico border on Aug. 22, 2024, south of Sierra Vista, Arizona. Trump will hold a rally in Glendale, Arizona tomorrow. (Rebecca Noble/Getty Images/TNS)

NO. 1: THIS LANGUAGE JUST ENTERED TOP 5 FOR IDAHO REFUGEE ARRIVALS — FOR FIRST TIME IN DECADES

“We don’t really know what policies will be for asylum seekers.” | Published January 8, 2025 | Read Full Story by Carolyn Komatsoulis

Southern Idaho’s more than 500 dairies generally rely on immigrants to milk their thousands of cows. Many of those workers got their jobs using documents that do not withstand inspection by immigration investigators, industry officials say, with percentages varying from 10 percent to 80 percent in immigration audits of individual dairies.

NO. 2: COULD A SURGE IN IMMIGRATION AFFECT WAGES IN IDAHO? HERE’S WHAT THE RESEARCH SAYS

The debate about whether immigrant workers lower U.S. wages has been ongoing in Idaho and elsewhere for decades. | Published March 1, 2025 | Read Full Story by Carolyn Komatsoulis

Suntado announced March 15 that it had broken ground on a state-of-the-art dairy-processing plant in Burley.

NO. 3: THE CONSEQUENCES OF UNIVERSAL E-VERIFY ENFORCEMENT FOR IDAHO’S AGRICULTURAL ECONOMY | OPINION

“If lawmakers would like Idaho to stop exporting yogurt and start exporting dairies instead, a strict E-Verfiy system is an excellent formula for doing so.” | Opinion | Published January 24, 2025 | Read Full Story by The Editorial Board

Boise musician Edgar Lara is a first generation American citizen whose family immigrated from Mexico. By Sarah A. Miller

NO. 4: THIS BOISEAN KNOWS VALUE OF BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP. TRUMP’S ORDER HAS HIM SPEAKING UP

“That’s a huge privilege that I have. How are you supposed to progress in life without a citizenship?” | Published February 9, 2025 | Read Full Story by Carolyn Komatsoulis

Yelling pro-immigration chants and holding signs decrying racism and deportation orders, several hundred people gathered at Statehouse steps for a protest. The event ended with a march around the Idaho State Capitol Building in Boise, Friday, Feb. 7, 2025. By Darin Oswald

NO. 5: LAWMAKERS WANT IDAHO ‘UNDESIRABLE’ FOR UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS, TARGET HEALTH CARE

“We are a Christian nation,” one lawmaker said. “These are people who need help when they need help.” | Published March 11, 2025 | Read Full Story by Carolyn Komatsoulis

The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories listed were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.