President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he would not be setting up an “amnesty” program for migrant farm workers.
Trump has received complaints from farmers that the administration’s immigration raids have negatively impacted the agricultural industry. Some in the industry have gone so far as to warn of a disruption in the food supply.
Farms hire migrant workers some of whom don’t have legal immigration status. Last week, Trump discussed establishing a program which could allow workers to get a permit to remain in the U.S. But on Tuesday, the president said there would be no such amnesty given when asked about comments made by Brooke Rollins, the agriculture secretary.
“There’s no amnesty,” he said. “What we’re doing is we’re getting rid of criminals, but we are doing a work program.”
Last week, Trump indicated he may defer to farmers who hire migrants without legal status. During an event in Iowa, he said, “They know better.”
During the speech, Trump said the administration is developing legislation to allow some undocumented migrants to remain in the U.S. to work on farms.
“We've got to give the farmers the people they need, but we’re not talking amnesty,” said the president.
Rollins said the program would protect farmers and ensure they have the workers they need, but added that it would not deliver amnesty.
During a press conference on Tuesday, Rollins said, "I can't underscore enough, there will be no amnesty. The mass deportations continue, but in a strategic way.”
“And we move the workforce toward automation and 100 percent American participation, which with 34 million able-bodied on Medicaid, we should be able to do fairly quickly,” Rollins added.
According to figures from the Department of Homeland Security, roughly 42 percent of farm workers didn’t have legal status between 2020 and 2022.
California farmer Lisa Tate told Reuters last month, “In the fields, I would say 70 percent of the workers are gone.”
"If 70 percent of your workforce doesn't show up, 70 percent of your crop doesn't get picked and can go bad in one day,” she added. “Most Americans don't want to do this work. Most farmers here are barely breaking even. I fear this has created a tipping point where many will go bust."
Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer said her department has “developed a new office to answer the needs of our farmers, ranchers, and producers.”
“That does not include an amnesty program at all,” she said.
Last month, the president appeared on Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo on Fox News, saying he wants to help farmers and that the administration would develop a program to hand migrant workers a “temporary pass” to stay in the country.
“I’m the strongest immigration guy that there’s ever been, but I’m also the strongest farmer guy that there’s ever been, and that includes also hotels and, you know, places where people work, a certain group of people works,” said Trump.
“We’re working on it right now,” he added. “We’re going to work it so that, some kind of a temporary pass, where people pay taxes, where the farmer can have a little control as opposed to you walk in and take everybody away.”
Trump previously admitted there are concerns among those working in agriculture and hospitality that the administration’s immigration raids were removing workers important to businesses in those industries, prompting a temporary pause in raids on farms and hotels.
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