President Donald Trump on Tuesday dismissed the idea of granting “amnesty” to illegal migrant farm workers, even as his administration rolled out a new program intended to address labor shortages in the agriculture industry — an industry deeply reliant on labor from individuals in the country illegally.
In remarks from the White House, Trump made clear that while he supports farmers' need for a stable workforce, he is not willing to cross a political red line by offering legal status to those who entered or remain in the country illegally.
“There’s no amnesty,” Trump stated firmly. “What we’re doing is we’re getting rid of criminals, but we are doing a work program.”
Trump’s comments came as he stood alongside Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer during a briefing on the administration’s new agricultural labor policy. Rollins and Chavez-DeRemer offered few specifics, but emphasized that the plan would aim to stabilize the agricultural workforce while keeping Trump’s hardline immigration stance intact.
“This does not include an amnesty program at all,” Chavez-DeRemer said. “We’ve developed a new office to answer the needs of our farmers and ranchers and producers.”
Agriculture vs. Immigration Enforcement
The announcement followed weeks of concern from agricultural producers, who say that recent immigration raids have paralyzed their ability to operate. Farms across several states — particularly in California, Texas, and Florida — have experienced labor shortages as immigration enforcement has ramped up under Trump’s second-term policies.
Despite the president’s tough rhetoric on immigration, Trump has sent mixed messages in recent days. Speaking last week in Des Moines, Iowa, during his “Salute to America” event, Trump signaled some willingness to accommodate the agricultural industry.
“They [farmers] know better,” Trump said. “We’ve got to give the farmers the people they need.”
He also hinted at potential legislation that would allow some illegal migrant workers to remain in the country temporarily — particularly those already working on farms — though he stopped short of outlining what that process would look like.
“We’re working on it right now,” Trump said in a recent Fox News interview. “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.”
No Clear Policy, Just a Balancing Act
Details on the new work program remain scarce. Trump’s team has not yet outlined how it would function, whether workers would have to register with the federal government, or how it would differentiate between illegal workers eligible for the program and those subject to removal.
The administration appears to be trying to thread a political needle: appease a key constituency in the agricultural sector, which overwhelmingly supports Trump, while maintaining a strict anti-illegal immigration platform that remains central to his identity and appeal.
The contradiction was on full display when Trump appeared to walk back a pause in enforcement at farms and hotels, which he had quietly instituted after backlash from business owners. That temporary pause was reportedly reversed just days later, reigniting fear among employers about future labor disruptions.
Political and Economic Implications
The agriculture industry is watching closely. Many farms depend on illegal migrant workers to perform labor-intensive tasks that few American citizens are willing to do — especially at current wages. Industry leaders have long advocated for a legal pathway, or at least a guest worker program, to retain access to a dependable labor pool.
Trump’s new work program appears aimed at addressing that concern — without offering a path to legal residency or citizenship.
Critics argue that the administration’s policy is politically convenient but practically unworkable. Immigration advocates say the refusal to grant legal protections leaves workers vulnerable to exploitation, while some conservative hardliners worry the plan looks too much like amnesty under a different name.
Still, Trump framed his approach as a middle ground.
“I’m the strongest immigration guy that there’s ever been,” he said. “But I’m also the strongest farmer guy that there’s ever been.”
As of now, it remains unclear whether Congress will take up legislation to formalize the work permit program or if the administration plans to implement it through executive action. For now, farmers are left in limbo, hoping that policy clarity arrives before harvest season — and before the next round of immigration raids.
