President Donald Trump announced that his administration is working on a plan to issue temporary passes for migrant workers in the agriculture and hospitality sectors, aiming to give employers more control and stability amid ongoing deportation efforts.
In an interview on Fox News’s Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo, Trump addressed recent backlash over deportations that targeted long-term migrant workers essential to farms and hotels.
“I’m not backing away from immigration enforcement,” Trump said. “But I also deeply value our farmers. When we go into a farm and remove someone who’s been working there 15 or 20 years — someone who’s done a good job — it hurts the farmer. Maybe they entered the country improperly, but they’ve been contributing.”
Trump said the administration is now developing a program that would allow reputable farmers and business owners to sponsor or retain workers under a temporary legal pass system.
“We’re working on something that lets the farmer — who knows his workers — have some say,” he explained. “The farmer isn’t going to hire a criminal. These are people doing hard jobs most others won’t do, and when you take them away, you’re not just hurting them, you’re destroying the farmer’s livelihood.”
He emphasized that this new system would require workers to pay taxes and give employers more oversight, avoiding sudden disruptions caused by raids or deportations.
Earlier this month, Trump acknowledged growing concerns from agricultural and hospitality leaders, who warned that the administration’s crackdown on undocumented workers was depriving them of essential labor.
Following that, there appeared to be a temporary pause in enforcement at certain job sites, but mixed messages soon followed. Border security adviser Tom Homan later clarified that worksite raids would continue, including at farms and hotels, but would be prioritized based on threat level and resources.
Still, Trump reaffirmed his intention to find a long-term solution that supports enforcement without crippling key industries.
“We’re exploring a plan where responsible farmers can vouch for the people they employ,” Trump said. “We can’t put farms out of business.”
