From Field to Fork: Leaders Highlight Immigrants’ Critical Role in Texas Food Economy at Amegy Bank in Houston

HOUSTON — Business leaders, restaurant industry representatives, legal experts, and community advocates gathered at Amegy Bank Tower in Houston to discuss the release of the American Immigration Council’s new report, From Field to Fork, which examines the vital role immigrants play across Texas’s food supply chain.

The event brought together representatives from the Greater Houston Partnership, Texas Restaurant Association, Texas Business Leadership Council, James Beard Foundation, Southern Smoke Foundation, and the legal community to explore the economic, cultural, and workforce impacts of immigration on one of Texas’s most important industries.

New Report Highlights Immigrants’ Impact on Texas Food Industry

Chelsie Kramer, Texas State Organizer for the American Immigration Council, presented findings from the organization's latest report, From Field to Fork, which details how immigrant workers support every stage of Texas’s food economy—from agriculture and food processing to transportation, retail, and restaurants.

According to the report, Texas is home to approximately 5.4 million immigrants, representing nearly 18% of the state's population. In the Houston metropolitan area, immigrants account for roughly 24% of residents and 30% of the labor force.

The report found that immigrants make up nearly one-quarter of all food-sector workers in Texas, helping sustain an industry that generates more than $100 billion in annual economic output and supports billions of dollars in agricultural exports.

Among the report’s key findings:

• Immigrants represent 23% of Texas agricultural workers.
• Immigrants account for 34% of food processing employees.
• One-quarter of workers in food wholesale and food service industries are immigrants.
• More than 129,000 immigrants work in Houston’s food sector alone.
• 14.5% of Texas food workers are undocumented immigrants.
• 54.5% of all cooks in the Houston metro area are immigrants.

Beyond the headline figures, Kramer’s report emphasized that immigrant workers are woven throughout every step of Texas's food supply chain. From farm fields and ranches to food processing facilities, trucking operations, grocery stores, and restaurant kitchens, immigrant labor helps move food from production to consumers. Disruptions to this workforce ripple throughout the entire system, affecting food availability, business operations, and economic growth across the state.

“You are not having breakfast, lunch, and dinner without immigrants,” Kramer said.

Houston’s Economy and Culture Depend on Immigration

The panel discussion, moderated by American Immigration Council Executive Director Jeremy Robbins, explored the practical implications of the report's findings.

Steve Stephens, CEO of Amegy Bank and Chair of the Greater Houston Partnership’s Immigration Advisory Committee, said immigrants are fundamental not only to Houston’s economy but also to its identity, and that Houston’s entrepreneurial culture is deeply connected to its immigrant population.

“What we have in this community is a bunch of people who left behind what they had and came here to build a future,” he said. “It is our economy, it is our employment, it is our growth, it is our future, and it is our culture.”

Drawing laughter from the audience, Stephens summarized Houston’s diversity with a line:

“All God’s people are in Houston, and they brought their food with them.”

Restaurant Industry Faces Mounting Challenges

For restaurant operators, immigrant labor remains essential amid rising costs and persistent workforce shortages.

Mike Shine, Executive Director of the Greater Houston Chapter of the Texas Restaurant Association and a longtime restaurateur, described an industry still struggling to recover from the pandemic while facing inflation, labor shortages, and uncertainty surrounding immigration enforcement.

According to Shine, 70% of restaurants are facing higher food costs, nearly half are dealing with increased labor expenses, and many are operating on razor-thin margins or at a loss.

“The immigration system has been broken for decades, and yet here we are still talking about this same broken system,” Shine said.

He explained that labor shortages have forced restaurants to compete aggressively for workers, driving up costs while reducing service levels.

“You're paying the penalty as a consumer,” Shine said. “We're having to raise our prices, we're having to offer you less service, and we're having to struggle with who we are and where we are.”

Shine noted that many Houston kitchens depend heavily on immigrant workers, who often represent the majority of back-of-house staff.

“As an operator, I’ll tell you that we've had to pivot constantly,” he said. “Half of our employee base, if not more, in our kitchens are immigrant workers. When they're not here, or they're afraid to come to work, it creates enormous challenges.”

Businesses Seek Workforce Stability

Kelle Kieschnick, Vice President of Policy for the Texas Business Leadership Council, said employers across industries are struggling with uncertainty and the inability to plan for future workforce needs.

“It is very difficult for a business to operate when you don't have certainty on what the situation is,” Kieschnick said. “Employers can't make plans for the future. They can't make plans to grow their business and expand if they don't know if they're going to have a reliable source of labor.”

Kieschnick urged policymakers to separate workforce issues from border security debates.

“We all agree that border security is important,” she said. “But that's a separate issue and conversation from the type of support we need for a viable workforce.”

She noted that industries ranging from healthcare and construction to energy and food production depend heavily on immigrant labor and warned that workforce instability could threaten Texas’s competitiveness as one of the world’s largest economies.

The Human Stories Behind the Numbers

Several panelists stressed that economic data alone does not fully capture the importance of immigrant workers.

Dr. Anne McBride, Vice President of Impact for the James Beard Foundation, encouraged attendees to remember the people behind the statistics.

“We always talk about the hands who feed us, but what about the humans behind the hands?” McBride asked.

McBride also challenged common misconceptions about immigrant workers, noting that immigrants start businesses at twice the rate of non-immigrants and own approximately 36% of restaurants nationwide.

“Immigrants open businesses at twice the rate of non-immigrants,” she said. “That's another reason why we should have really strong protections to make sure that economic fabric continues to grow.”

Legal and Humanitarian Concerns

Jacob Monty, Managing Partner of Monty & Ramirez, discussed the legal realities facing undocumented workers and employers.

One of the most significant challenges, he said, is that undocumented Texans often have no legal way to drive to work.

“Driving while undocumented is a massive issue,” Monty explained. “Texas does not offer driver's licenses to undocumented individuals, and people need to drive to get to work.”

He noted that employers frequently discover a worker’s immigration status only after an arrest or detention prevents them from reporting to work.

“Oftentimes, the employer doesn't know the individual is undocumented until they don't show up,” Monty said. “It's really tearing businesses and families apart.”

Monty also pushed back against the common belief that undocumented immigrants can simply apply for legal status.

“For most undocumented people, there's no line to get into,” he said. “There's absolutely nothing that can be done under current law.”

Meanwhile, Cat Bill, Chief Mission Officer of the Southern Smoke Foundation, described how increasing enforcement actions have created greater hardship for food service workers and their families.

“The need is higher and greater,” Bill said. “The impact isn't two weeks. It isn't three months. It is long-term. It is going to hit the employers, and it is hitting the families.”

Looking Toward Solutions

While panelists acknowledged the political challenges surrounding immigration reform, many expressed cautious optimism that practical solutions remain possible.

Stephens called for more targeted enforcement priorities and a more pragmatic approach to workforce policy.

“Even at the elevated enforcement and arrest levels that we're seeing right now, it would take 40 years to actually identify, arrest, and deport the undocumented immigrants who are in this country,” he said. “Why not focus attention on the people everyone agrees should be the priority?”

During the discussion, several panelists pointed to the need for bipartisan immigration reforms that address workforce shortages while strengthening accountability and border security. Among the proposals mentioned was the DIGNITY Act, a bipartisan bill introduced by U.S. Reps. María Elvira Salazar and Veronica Escobar. The bill would create a structured process for long-term undocumented immigrants to earn legal status through background checks, restitution payments, and continued employment, while also expanding workforce visa programs and investing in border security. Speakers cited the proposal as an example of the type of practical, business-focused immigration reform that could help stabilize critical industries such as agriculture, food production, hospitality, construction, and healthcare.

As Texas continues to confront workforce shortages and food cost challenges, panelists agreed that any serious conversation about the future of the state's food economy must include the people who help feed it every day.