At a campaign event in Des Moines, Iowa, President Donald Trump reiterated his position on Trump immigrant farm worker relief, emphasizing that farmers—not the government—must take responsibility for undocumented agricultural workers.
Trump confirmed he will not force longtime farm laborers—some working in U.S. agriculture for over 15 years—to leave the country. Instead, he plans to let farmers vouch for their workers to avoid deportation. These workers would stay in the U.S., continue paying taxes, and remain employed on farms—but they would receive no path to citizenship. Trump said:
“If a farmer is willing to vouch for these people … I think we’re going to have to just say that’s going to be good, right?”
Trump echoed similar comments reported by Reuters, outlining a proposal that would pause detention of migrant farm workers provided farmers assume responsibility .
He stressed that accountability lies with farmers. “We’ll let the [migrant workers] stay, and we’ll throw the farmer the hell out, okay? Get ready, farmer,” he said, signaling strict penalties for any wrongdoing by vouching employers.
Trump clarified that this immigrant farm worker relief does not include a path to citizenship. Instead, migrants would gain temporary legal status to continue their work, contributing to sectors—especially agriculture—that rely heavily on undocumented labor. According to USDA data, about 40% of the U.S farm workforce lacks legal authorization.
He acknowledged that longtime workers contribute significantly, saying farmers “know him very well” and would “cry” if their trusted employees were abruptly deported.
Navigating Political and Industry Reactions
Trump’s remarks reflect a policy shift. He criticized what he described as harsh immigration enforcement that “throws out” farmworkers who have labored on U.S. farms for decades. But he faces pushback from the party’s hard-right faction. Some warn it strays from his stricter stance.
Moreover, sudden immigration raids have already triggered labor shortages in key farming regions. In California’s Ventura County, 25–45% of the farm workforce didn’t return after ICE actions, disrupting strawberry, lemon, and avocado production.
Trump asserted his goal is balance: preserving farm operations while enforcing immigration laws. He stated he wants to protect farmers from labor loss while ensuring they police their own workforces
