dig up

To survive, the miners and undocumented migrants go beneath the surface to escape poverty and dig up gold to sell it on the black market.

When Tanton blended ecology with eugenics and immigration, he was digging up the two-century-old principles of Thomas Malthus, who first theorized that human population growth would lead to poverty and suffering.

Workers who were digging up soil near the cages were believed to have brought in contaminated soil through their shoes, Hong Kong's Culture, Sports and Tourism Secretary told local broadcaster RTHK.

They have also been accused of using intimidation if a farmer refuses to sell by digging up footpaths, and forcing them to eventually give up the land.

“He was like, ‘Wait a minute, look at these cool machines they’re using to dig up my yard,’” Angel said.