Some GOP members want protections for undocumented farm workers
Share and Follow


() Some GOP members are raising concerns about the consequences of deporting too many farm workers, as the Trump administration continues a focus on deportations and the “no amnesty” policy for farm workers in the U.S. illegally.

On Wednesday, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem defended the administration’s targeting of farms in recent immigration raids.

“There will never be amnesty under President Trump,” Noem said. “The president is very clear that he doesn’t believe that the law should apply to some people and not to others and that there should be consequences for some people and not for others.”

Some GOP lawmakers are concerned that this stance may hurt struggling American farmers, who are having to navigate mounting labor shortages and high interest rates. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, an estimated 40% of the nation’s crop workers are in the U.S. illegally. 

Some are quietly exploring ways to keep undocumented farm labor protected from mass deportation, while others say they are open to considering alternative visa programs or other immigration measures to address the issue.

Speaking to ’s Joe Khalil on Thursday, Rep. John Moolenaar, a Michigan Republican, said he’d like to see some sort of visa program created for such workers.

“If we can provide a visa program that allows people to work in our agricultural industry using a legal process, that is so much better than encouraging illegal immigration,” Moolenaar said. “And that way, agriculture workers can support their families, and we can harvest the crops in the field.”

Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, R-Iowa, says representatives in agricultural states have had ongoing conversations about the best ways to legally ensure migrant workers can continue to meet the needs of the agriculture industry.

“We have legal workers who come back year after year, they are known to their employer,” she told . “So, looking at that system, now that the southern border is secure, we have additional funding to complete the fence and all of the technology, I think we can start looking at ‘how do we treat seasonal workers, how do we treat agricultural workers?’ On the legal aspects, start there, first, and then to other provisions. That is a conversation that has already been had and that the president and Secretary Noem are already looking at.”

Following Noem’s commentary, White House border czar Tom Homan told “CUOMO” that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement would “abide” by any policy changes regarding how farm workers illegally in the U.S. are handled.

“I know they are talking now, and I expect something will come out soon. So, we’ll see where it goes,” Homan said. “I don’t want to get ahead of the president on what I think is coming or if something is even coming, but I know people are talking.”

Rep. Glenn “GT”  Thompson, R-Pa., is the chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture. He told he’s worked with the administration on ensuring agriculture needs are met.

“People that are here temporarily, temporary means temporary, and I get that,” he said. “But I have expressed my concerns that if we don’t have reliability of workforce with agricultural production and agricultural processing, then we have food insecurity. If we have food insecurity, we have rural insecurity, which impacts our nation, and in the end, we have national insecurity.”

He says he is concerned about current workers not working during the ICE enforcement.

“Right now, that is what we need to have so that these folks [workers] are not removed, I want to make that very clear.  When they do that, two things happen: No. 1, you remove workers from the production area; secondly, you create a fear factor that even people here legally are afraid and don’t show up. I have shared that very openly with the administration, and I love this administration because they receive feedback, and quite frankly, they take critical observations, and I have found that they use them in formulating their policies,” he said.

He also says the agricultural committee has been working for years on finding solutions to ensure there are enough workers in agriculture.

“The excuse in the past when we tried to work on foreign worker issues was that the border was open,” he said. “America is in control of the border now. That is no longer an excuse that keeps Congress from doing its job.”

Thompson says he and others have been working on a bipartisan bill regarding migrant farm workers, and they are likely to introduce the bill in September.

Share and Follow
You May Also Like
Seattle mayor election results 2025

Results Announced for the 2025 St. Paul Mayoral Election

In the upcoming election on Tuesday, residents of St. Paul will have…
Hundreds turn out for emergency food distribution in Jacksonville amid federal shutdown

Massive Turnout in Jacksonville: Emergency Food Distribution Amid Federal Shutdown Sparks Community Response

Cars snaked around Regency Square Mall, filled with families seeking respite from…
Kim Kardashian FINALLY reveals if she passed the bar exam

Kim Kardashian Triumphs: Reality Star Passes Bar Exam, Paving Way for Legal Career

Kim Kardashian has finally put an end to the anticipation surrounding her…
UPS crash update: McDonnell Douglas MD-11 grounding announced by UPS and FedEx following deadly Louisville, Kentucky plane crash

UPS and FedEx Ground McDonnell Douglas MD-11 Fleet After Tragic Louisville Crash

In a move driven by heightened safety concerns, UPS and FedEx have…
Offshore wind project climbs to $11.2B in cost due to tariffs

Tariff Hikes Push Offshore Wind Project to a Staggering $11.2 Billion

The Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project, the United States’ most ambitious offshore…
Taylor Swift towers over Sabrina Carpenter on girls' night out in NYC

Taylor Swift and Sabrina Carpenter Shine During Glamorous NYC Girls’ Night Out

Taylor Swift and her friend Sabrina Carpenter turned heads during a stylish…
Former TV anchor accused of stabbing 80-year-old mother to death, telling police she did it to 'save herself'

Ex-TV Anchor Faces First-Degree Murder Charges in Shocking Case of Mother’s Stabbing Death

A former morning television anchor faces serious legal charges following the tragic…
Hawaii lifeguard hospitalized after shark bite

Shocking Shark Encounter: Hawaii Lifeguard Hospitalized After Unexpected Attack

Kauai’s picturesque Hanalei Bay is temporarily off-limits following a shark incident that…